Information AboutThe Roches |
We are Maggie and Terre and Suzzy Maggie and Terre and Suzzy Roche We don't give out our ages And we don't give out our phone numbers (Give out our phone numbers) Sometimes our voices give out But not our ages and our phone numbers :— from "We", ''The Roches'' (1979) CAREER In the late '60s, eldest sister Margaret and middle sister Terre (pronounced just like "Terry") quit school to tour as a duo. Maggie wrote most of the songs, with Terre contributing to a few. The sisters got a break when Paul Simon brought them in as backup singers on his album ''There Goes Rhymin' Simon'' (1973). They returned the favor, so to speak, by getting his assistance (along with an appearance by The Oak Ridge Boys ) on their only album as a duo, ''Seductive Reasoning'' (1975). Shortly after that, youngest sister Suzzy (rhymes with "fuzzy") chimed in to form The Roches trio. Around this time, they parlayed bartending jobs at famous Greenwich Village folk venue Folk City into stage appearances, an experience they commemorated in their song, "Face Down at Folk City" (from ''Another World'', 1985). It was here that they met many of their future singing and songwriting collaborators. Terre was now writing songs as well, and by the time of their first album as a trio, ''The Roches'' (1979), Suzzy also caught the writing bug. Robert Fripp produced the musically sparse album that allowed the sisters' harmonies to shine through. Maggie's "The Married Men" from this album was eventually to become the biggest hit of the songwriting trio — not for them, but for Phoebe Snow , as often happens to singer-songwriters. Throughout the 1980s, The Roches continued to release their intriguing combination of quirky music to small but appreciative audiences, little or no air play, and only modest record sales. In 1990, they returned to their Christmas carolling roots with the release of the 24-track ''We Three Kings'', which included the haunting '' A Cappella '' "Star of Wonder", written by Terre. After another pop album (''A Dove'', 1992), they recorded an entire album of children's songs entitled ''Will You Be My Friend?'', featuring a song by brother David and a gaggle of young backup singers, including Suzzy's daughter Lucy. After a tour that was interrupted by the death of their father, The Roches crafted a more somber and thoughtful album, ''Can We Go Home Now'' (1995), the last original recording they released as a trio. In 1997, the three sisters formally put The Roches group on a long-term hold. They continued to work on solo projects and often collaborated on albums and performances. Terre teaches guitar workshops and has released a solo album. Suzzy, who has acted on the stage and in several movies, released two of her own albums and two with Maggie, with whom she has recently toured. All three sisters can be found periodically participating in New York-area events. At the end of 2005, the three Roches (with brother Dave) reunited for a short but highly successful holiday tour. A MUSICAL FAMILY Maggie has a contralto voice that provides an unusual bass element for all-female harmonies. Terre provides a soprano that brackets the upper range of the sisters. Suzzy playfully fills in the middle range to complete the trio. While touring as a trio, all three sisters accompany themselves on guitar and keyboard, frequently without additional musicians. Musical talent runs further in the family. Brother David is also a singer-songwriter with his own solo album, and has often backed up the trio on their recordings. Maggie's son, Felix McTeigue, has recorded two albums (one with his group Filo). Suzzy's daughter Lucy Roche has also contributed vocals on the Roches' and McTeigue's albums. The majority of Roches songs are written by the three sisters, alone, in every combination, and occasionally collaborating with other songwriters. They have also recorded their own arrangements of songs from a variety of New York folk artists, as well as a few covers of famous songs. (Their three-part arrangement of the normally four-part "Hallelujah Chorus" from Handel 's " Messiah ", featured on ''Keep on Doing'' {Link without Title} , is legendary in ''a cappella'' circles.) DISCOGRAPHY Maggie & Terre Roche
The Roches
Suzzy Roche
Terre Roche
Suzzy & Maggie Roche
OTHER APPEARANCES
OTHER MUSICAL ASSOCIATIONS
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