Why the name Sullivan's Daughter? It's a story of surnames. One morning, my two daughters and I (Ceclilia is 7 and Charlotte is 5) were getting ready for the day, and somehow, last names came up: theirs is Smith and mine is Glasnovich. I kept my maiden name when I got married because I've always really identified with that name, and the familial history behind it. When I told my daughters, "Well, you're a Glasnovich, too," they were shocked, surprised and excited. It got me thinking about how, over the years, I have always related more with my father's side of the family since I share that name, but less so with my mother's side (the Sullivans). In act of dual-mindedness, I thought that Sullivan's Daughter could be a neat homage to my mother's familial name (which is also my middle name), while at the same time setting the example to my daughters to remember that they, too, are just as much part of their mother's family, even though we may not share the same last name.
Plus, it's kinda catchy, right?
Where are you based? I was born and raised in Galesburg, and now I currently work and live here with my family.
How did you start becoming a solo performer? What's been your lifelong relationship with music? My relationship with music goes way back to childhood. My dad John has always been a singer-songwriter, and I have wonderful memories of him playing guitar and singing, with me singing and dancing along as a child. I also have vivid memories of singing and dancing along to records like The Beatles, Huey Lewis and the News, George Harrison, and more. My love for oldies came from my parents' influence, and it has most certainly shaped me as both a person and a music enthusiast.
I became involved with arts and music at an early age. I had been a shy child, and my mother thought participating in theatre would be a good way for me to sort of open up. And it worked. I became involved with performing arts, participating in plays and musicals with local community theatre organizations. I played my first role at the age of 7 in a production called "The Face on the Barroom Floor" on The Orpheum stage. I may have been terrified, but I quickly got over my stage fright and my love affair with theatre began. I went on to study in the BFA program for Musical Theatre at Western Illinois University.
I have always had a natural talent for singing, so it became synonymous with my role as a performer. Since my youth, I've taken voice lessons from many wonderful instructors, as well as dabbled in piano and guitar. It has not been until the past few years that I have truly dedicated myself to learning the instruments.
What kind of music do you play? Are they covers, originals, a mix? I like calling my style Vocal Americana Soul-- I think that may be the best description because my voice is definitely what I bring to the table, first and foremost. I've more recently been influenced by Americana by my muse and idol Brandi Carlile, who is an incredible talent in the Americana scene... the acoustic guitar music that I play fits into that genre very well. The soul I bring can be heard both through my vocal stylings and the heavy influence of soul music that I carry with me. Right now I am playing mostly covers, from golden oldies to jazz standards to 90s pop to modern rock. I do have a LOT of originals in the works, and I intend on throwing a few of them into my live sets when I can. I also play one song that my dad wrote, and I hope to learn more of his, too.
I really only began taking a stab at songwriting a couple years ago. I grew up singing other people's songs, from showtunes to my favorites I would hear on the radio or own on cassette or CD. I have a deep love for music, and harbor intense affinity for my favorites like The Beatles, Jim Croce, Aretha Franklin, Rosemary Clooney, Brandi Carlile, Billy Joel... I could go on and on! Composing and performing originals is definitely a new way to express myself through music that I'm not used to (and admittedly not incredibly comfortable with yet). I am definitely coming around to it, but I don't think I will ever stray completely away from cover songs. There are many amazing artists and songs that I want to share with others... plus, learning covers is a great way for me to become an all-around better musician, and introduce myself to new music. Recently I have become a huge fan of A.J. Croce, who will be playing at The Orpheum next weekend; I've added one of his songs to my set!
How often do you play out, do you have shows coming up? I just came off of a folk duo project, so some may remember seeing or hearing me in Zak and Erin where we most recently played at The Taste of Galesburg. But I've shifted into solo mode, and I'm just getting my feet wet, but ready to dive into the water. Check my Shows page on my website for what's coming up!!
Where can people hear your music/see videos of your performing? Are you working on any recording projects? My Facebook page Sullivan's Daughter has lots of videos of me performing a variety of covers. Primarily you'll see videos with my and a guitar, but I do play piano also, and the videos give me an opportunity to showcase that. I'd like to record an EP of originals in the future... I am on the hunt for some other musicians to work with to help me to make some of my partially-finished originals complete before that can happen. But a hope for the nearer future might be to record a single of the aforementioned song my dad composed called "The Journey." It is a truly beautiful song about his father Jako Glasnovich (who some may remember as the eponymous founder of Jake's Tavern on South Henderson Street) and his journey as a immigrant to the United States from Croatia. It is a song that is about family, hardship, The American Dream, and leaving a legacy. I would love to share it with more people... it is a story that I feel is more important than ever in this day and age.