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toured across North America, Canada and the US. I had something together. I was ready for

something.

BiTS: They call Nashville music city, but I guess Austin is really music city, isn’t it?

SF: Well, it’s just another music city. They call it the live music capital of the world. I guess
Nashville is more of an industry city. Austin’s more of a live music vibe.

BiTS: Over the years, Sue, you’ve made dozens of records. Do you have any idea how many it is?

SF: I think about a dozen. I’ve guested on a lot of records too, so I’m not sure of my entire
discography. It’s maybe around 15 with the collaborations and stuff.

BiTS: Do you do a lot of practise, or is it all performing?

SF: Yes, I practise every
day actually [laughing].

BiTS: Do you really?

SF: I really do. Yes, I do.

As much as I can.

BiTS: Oscar Peterson,
who was one of your
compatriots, said that he never practised at all because he played every night.

SF: Well that’s the thing, if I were playing every night, I wouldn’t be practising, but right now, the

last couple of years has slowed us down as far as our touring schedules, so I definitely spend time
practising to stay in shape. You have to stay in shape.

BiTS: Tell me about that beautiful guitar of yours. Your Paisley guitar - the Telecaster. How did you
get that? Why did you get that?

SF: I bought that brand new in about 1988 in Vancouver, and they had just reissued those Fender
Pink Paisley designs. I’d never seen one before. They were originally made famous by James Burton,
who played with Elvis in the late 60s, so he, I think, was the first guy who played a Paisley, or one

of them and made it famous, but it really hadn’t been around. It got reissued in the mid or late 80s,
and I hadn’t seen one before. I saw it on the shelf, and I just fell in love with it, the idea of it and I
had to have that guitar. My boyfriend actually brought it home and I made the payments on it, but
he made the first payment. It was a surprise for either my birthday or Christmas, I can’t remember,
but I’ve had that guitar for 30, probably 34 years this year.

BiTS: I guess like all guitar players, you’ve probably got dozens of guitars. Is that your favourite?

SF: Well, that’s the most precious because I’ve really played that guitar at almost every gig in over
30 years. That’s a lot of playing that’s gone into that instrument. A lot of haul, a lot of sweat, even
blood, so it’s just special. I don’t have a lot of guitars. I’m not a collector, but most of the guitars I
have I actually play, and my second favourite is my nylon string, my classical one. A flamenco
guitar but my Fender Telecaster - the pinky - that’s my number one.

BiTS: Brad Paisley is famous for having lots of electronics in his Telecaster guitars and, of course,
the G-Bender. Do you have a G-Bender or a lot of electronics in it?