Suzzy Roche
The youngest of the three Roche sisters, whose crystalline voice and quirky songwriting helped define the offbeat, harmonically rich sound of the folk group The Roches.
Born 1956 (age 70)·American singer·Birthday: September 29·Baby Boomers
Biography
Suzzy Roche entered the family business as the baby sister, joining Maggie and Terre to complete the singular vocal trio The Roches. With her arrival, the group’s sound found its final, perfect layer—her clear, sweet tone weaving between her sisters’ more earthy voices to create intricate, mesmerizing harmonies. The Roches carved out a unique niche in the late-70s and 80s New York folk scene, celebrated for their witty, sharply observed lyrics about city life and relationships, delivered with a blend of sisterly warmth and wry detachment. Beyond the group, Suzzy forged a multifaceted creative path, releasing solo albums that showcased a more intimate songwriting style, penning novels that echoed the Roches' literary sensibility, and collaborating with artists across genres. She embodies the spirit of a true artist, constantly exploring new forms of expression while honoring the harmonic legacy she helped build.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Suzzy was born in 1956, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Suzzy Was Born
The biggest hits of 1956
#1 Movie
The Ten Commandments
Best Picture
Around the World in 80 Days
#1 TV Show
I Love Lucy
Suzzy's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1956Born
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1961Started school
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1969Became a teenager
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1972Could drive
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1974Could vote
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1977Turned 21
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1986Turned 30
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1996Turned 40
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 50
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 60
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 70
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- As a member of The Roches, released the influential self-titled 1979 album produced by Robert Fripp.
- Co-wrote and performed the song "The Married Men" for the soundtrack of the film 'Crossing Delancey'.
- Authored the novels 'Wayward Saints' and 'The Town Crazy', extending her creative voice into literature.
- Released several solo and collaborative albums, including 'Songs from an Unmarried Housewife and Mother, Greenwich Village, USA'.
Did You Know?
She and her sister Maggie formed a duo called 'Roche Sisters' after Terre initially pursued a solo career.
Roche performed and recorded with the experimental theater group The Wooster Group.
She taught a course in vocal performance at New York University.
Her daughter, Lucy Wainwright Roche, is also a folk singer and frequently collaborates with her.
“I love the sound of our three voices braiding together into one rope.”
