Today we’d like to introduce you to Sunny Gable.
Hi Sunny , please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I became interested in music at a young age, learning to read music when I was 5 and picking up violin when I was 6. I learned guitar and started singing when I was 13 after being influenced by folk music of the 70’s – artists like Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, John Prine, Crosby Stills Nash & Young, and the Beatles were played frequently in my home. I played open mics as a teenager in the 90’s in and around Durango, Colorado and got a taste of the stage. I went to music school for a year but found I could not sustain supporting myself and paying for college while meeting the demands of a music degree. My story gets complicated here – a pregnancy and marriage to an addict that lasted 10 years and stopped me in my tracks musically. In my 30’s, post divorce with 2 kids, I went to music school in Denver, then transferred to finish my degree in viola at Fort Lewis College in Durango. From there I started playing fiddle in local bands and singing backup vocals. I started my own project, called A la Cote, in 2013. We were a gypsy swing trio playing standards and classic jazz. I sang lead vocals and played viola and violin. After a la cote split up I became interested in songwriting and started a project with another local songwriter call the Great Contention. After we parted ways in 2016 I started my own band called Sunny & the Whiskey Machine. I was the songwriter, guitar player, lead vocalist, and played fiddle and mandolin. After many iterations of this band and a move to Tucson for a few years, I decided to rebrand and renamed the band Mean Irene. I currently play with Mean Irene in Colorado and Arizona, and tour nationally solo playing my extensive original catalog. My main instruments are guitar, cello, mandolin, and violin.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Is there such a thing as a smooth road? This journey has been rife with challenges. My degree was interrupted by another pregnancy in 2013 and then 6 years later another unexpected pregnancy that gave me a child with developmental disabilities. In 2022 I was injured while building a home in Arizona and spent the next 3 years unable to walk. Thankfully I finally got help from a surgeon and am on the mend. All in all, I’ve spent much of my life being a mother and putting my career second to my family. I have no regrets and am grateful for all my incredible kids, but it does make a music career a challenge. I have to plan meticulously around schedules to get out and tour. I am not always available for everything I’d like to do. My health is not always optimal on the road as I navigate autoimmune and chronic Lyme disease. The challenges are abundant but make for good songwriting material!
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. I am always looking for ways to innovate and develop my sound. I love creating and the creative process. I’ve been told I’m very prolific and people love that. I always have something new to share. My wide array of instruments is always of notice and it seems people enjoy the variety. I’ve also been told that while my songs are unique, they also carry an air of familiarity that sets them apart.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
Being grounded. It is so important that we, as humans, carry our selves in a way that brings calm to the chaos. I always strive to share stories that matter and to be open and honest in my music so that the messages land solid and create a feeling of togetherness and understanding that can be absent in this fast paced, digitally driven life we’re supposed to lead.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Sunnygable.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/assundagable
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/assundagable
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sunnygable
