I first became aware of this artist at the Sony Party at SxSW a year and a half ago. All the buzz leading up to the show was about the headliner, Brandi Carlile, but all the buzz afterward was about Susan Cagle. She’s that good.
In addition to catchy and upbeat pop numbers like “Shakespeare” (But before we do this - Do you like Shakespeare? Jeff Buckley? Watchin’ movies on Saturday? Do you like kissing when it’s raining? Makin’ faces at the station?) and “Manhattan Cowboy” (I was looking around and around, when I saw you my eyes stopped, had to turn around. You’re a country song ringing out in a city of hip-hop, and it’s such a beautiful sound), she dazzles with slow and contemplative pieces like “Feels Like Home” (Something has changed, the look in your eye, the touch of your hand took me by surprise)
For those who think mainstream music is being homogenized, no worries here - Cagle is no college girl playing coffeehouses to express her middle class angst. Her background has been anything but ordinary. The second oldest of 10 children, Cagle was raised in the Children of God (the same group that celebrities like River Phoenix and Rose McGowan spent their childhood a part of). She began learning to play the guitar at age 7, and spent much of her childhood busking with her brothers and sisters.
While still a teenager, Cagle left the group and her family, moved to New York, and began playing in Subway Stations (the girl is ballsy, right???). During one of these impromptu shows, she was discovered by producer Jay Levine of Lefthook Records, who introduced her to Steve Greenburg, the newly appointed president of Columbia Records. Cagle became Greenburg’s first signing.
Her debut CD, The Subway Recordings, was (much as the title implies) recorded during two live shows - one in New York’s Times Square Station and the other in the station under Grand Central.
Most recently, Cagle had the amazing opportunity to perform her autobiographical tear-jerker “Dear Oprah” (I had a bad life, a bad home, and a messed up family - till I woke up one morning and got myself free. Dear Oprah, see I had to run away. Dear Oprah, and I ain’t got nowhere to stay. And I hope ya, I hope ya never feel this way) for Ms. O herself, live on the Oprah Winfrey show!
Big things are coming for this girl - and she deserves them! She abandoned everything she knew and risked it all to build the life that was right for her. She had the talent and the drive to stick it out through the hard times, and now she’s coming out on top. In fact, I can’t think of anyone who deserves it more.
Pick up The Subway Recordings at Amazon for just $8.99. It won’t leave your player for a month, I promise. 
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Posted January 14, 2008 
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), but I just went through a lot learning how to make and send MP3 Ringtones to my Blackberry, and I thought other people might benefit from what I found out.
So, you need to upload it to the web via a place like yousendit or sendspace. They will give you a URL that you can put into your Blackberry’s browser to download your ringtone. Alternatively, you can send it as an attachment via good ol’ gmail, and that should work.
