Broadway Baby Susannah B Appears on 'It's Showtime with Rikki Lee'

Singer/songwriter Susannah B has music in her blood. She is the daughter of the late Broadway composer and lyricist Carol Hall, whose credits include the 1978 classic The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas and its 1994 Broadway sequel The Best Little Whorehouse Goes Public. 

Hall also composed music for Sesame Street and the famous children's album Free to Be…You and Me including the classics “Parents Are People”, “Glad to Have a Friend Like You”, and “It's All Right to Cry”.

As a Broadway Baby, Susannah B grew up immersed in the arts. She excelled in many areas, but music is the one focus that truly resonated with her as an artist.

After experimenting with different music styles, Susannah B eventually found her own sound – a sultry jazz-inspired approach to pop with a contemporary edge. The recording artist has just released her newest single, a tempo-adjusted cover of the Billy Joel hit “Vienna.”

On a new episode of It's Showtime with Rikki Lee premiering this week on all major podcast platforms, Susannah B joins host Rikki Lee Travolta to discuss the new single “Vienna” which will also be featured on a new album from the artist – POV – coming in 2024.

“Vienna” is a song from Billy Joel's 1977 album The Stranger. The song has been described by Joel as being a metaphor for old age. The songwriter has said that the song is about not trying to fit all of your life into your 20s and 30s, but rather realizing you have your whole life to live.

For Susannah B., the song has a deeper meaning. It is a song she not only remembers dearly from childhood, but particularly is one she associates closely with her stepfather, Leonard Majzlin. Her stepfather used the song in a special birthday video he made for her when she was young. 

Joel's lyrics “Slow down, you crazy child/you're so ambitious for a juvenile” spoke to Susannah B as if they were written just for her. The song remained a favorite throughout her life, prompting her to finally put her own spin on the song.

Arrangements for the Susannah B cover of “Vienna” are by Michael Farrell, who is known for his work with Alanis Morrisette, Macy Gray, and Morrissey. He is also the associate music director for American Idol, with past credits including America's Got Talent. He collaborated with Alanis Morrisette on music for the Broadway musical Jagged Little Pill – which earned 15 Tony Award nominations.

Farrell co-produced the upcoming POV album which also highlights his keyboard skills. The other musicians featured include Victor Indrizzo, Sean Hurley, and David Levita, who have worked extensively with such top artists as Avril Lavigne, Lana Del Rey, Faith Hill, Shakira, and Eminem. 

In addition to promoting her new single “Vienna” and preparing for the release of her new album POV in 2024, Susannah B also serves as executive producer for the film Gonzo Girl starring Willem Dafoe and Camilla Morrone. It marks the directorial debut for revered actress Patricia Arquette who also appears in the film.

For additional information on Susannah B and the single “Vienna”, visit www.SusannahB.com.

Apple Podcasts lists It's Showtime with Rikki Lee as one of the top entertainment news podcasts currently airing. The weekly show features interviews with Broadway stars, Hollywood A-List players, and platinum-selling recording artists, as well as up-and-coming artists. Host Rikki Lee Travolta is an award-winning creative talent whose credits extend to stage, film, television, music, and literature.

The Susannah B interview on It's Showtime with Rikki Lee is available now to listeners around the world on all major podcast platforms including  Apple, iHeartRadio, Spotify, Google, and Amazon.

Easy links to listen to It's Showtime with Rikki Lee – the entertainment news show that is becoming the talk of the town:

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