Yesterday When I Was Young
by Suzanne Lynch, Karyn Hay 
Published by Bateman Books, rrp $45

Suzanne Lynch’s memoir is a NZ music history lesson I didn’t even realise I needed to be schooled in. Spotlighting the many gigging musicians who sought, and found fame and fortune, while based in England, or touring globally, during the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s… and beyond.

Her path to success seems to have been a blessed one of great fortune, unwavering support and encouragement from family, colleagues and industry. However, only someone with such indefatigable tenacity, resilience, skill and an Eveready battery bunny’s energy and capacity could have made the most of the opportunities placed before her.

Assisted by the accomplished Kiwi author and music buff Kayrn Hay in its creation, Yesterday When I Was Young is compartmentalised into sweet 2-3 page chapterettes, making it a very easy read. Complemented by hundreds of fly-on-the-wall photos from Bruce King, and other insiders’ archives, provide revelation into the life of a more-than-fulltime session vocalist and the world in which she lived.

It documents: the meteoric rise of The Chicks – Suzanne and her sister Judy Donaldson’s pop-tastic duo; her solo career recording several Joni Mitchell covers (an icon many of us share a devotion to); being a highly sought-after session vocalist (along with fellow Kiwi Joy Yates and Anna Peacock) reading as a literal who’s-who from thousands of recording artists…including David Bowie (through close friend Mary Hopkins, wife of Tony Visconti).

I was stunned by how good Suzanne’s memory must have been to learn and memorise such a vast extent of material at short notice…  all without reading sheet music! Her commitment to achieve, and her resulting CV as the go-to session/harmony/backing vocalist in peak-game 1970s London, is truly inspirational to someone like me… a self-confessed ‘harmony hoe’.

Suzanne was later able to devote herself to raising a son and daughter, who are both extremely successful in music and screen industries. Nothing seemed to slow her down!

Mid-career, and back home in Aotearoa, NZ Idol and other reality TV programs provided Suzanne with the perfect deployment of her screen, session and performance skills as vocal coach to contestants. From The Chicks’ appearances on formative Kiwi television shows such as C’mon and Happen Inn, she could provide apposite and deeply experiential mentorship. Now into her 70s she still teaches privately.

The 260-page book’s many anecdotes are good natured and reflect on fun times. In one notable example she amassed and transported a superstar band to Fremantle for the Peter Blake/Team NZ victory concert at a virtual moment’s notice. Famous names she has performed extensively with include Charles Aznavour, Neil Sedaka and Leo Sayer.

When Yusef Islam/Cat Stevens welcomed Suzanne to the stage at his Ōtautahi concert in 2010, many didn’t realise that their beloved ‘one of the sisters from The Chicks’ had recorded and toured extensively with this songwriting icon. She and her former bass-playing husband Bruce Lynch were in his band for five years.

Celebrating that kind of invisible success achieved as expat musicians working abroad, is another reason this memoir is valuable. It’s a joy to celebrate the life of Suzanne Lynch when she’s still very much alive and kicking as one third of The Lady Killers, where her voice is still as true and beautiful as ever.

Reviewed by Caitlin Smith