full bio

Hearing songwriter Sorcha Cribben-Merrill sing is at once stirring and soothing.

Her lush vocal jazz charm and powerful presence draw you into bluesy grooves, haunting ballads, and intricate vignettes. An exquisite storyteller, Sorcha’s songs speak the truth as much as they spark the imagination.

Raised on the ocean in rural Maine, Sorcha is equally at home performing in folk festivals, rock clubs, intimate listening rooms, and on sailboats. A multi-instrumentalist living in Portland, Maine, her acoustic guitar, electric guitar, banjo, and ukulele all shape her compositions and performances, as does living by the sea.

Sorcha has opened for Grammy-nominated mandolinist Matt Flinner, folk music icon Tom Rush, and celebrated cellist/multi-instrumentalist Leyla McCalla, formerly of the Carolina Chocolate Drops — teaming up with collaborators Jo Sorrell on cello/vocals and pianist/electronic musician Kafari on rhythm bones. She has performed at Falcon Ridge Folk Festival (Emerging Artist), Stone Mountain Arts Center in Brownfield, ME, and The State Theatre in Portland, ME, where she sang two original songs with The Fogcutters, Maine’s contemporary nineteen piece big band.

The transformative power of music underscores her work. Sorcha regularly brings music to memory care audiences, she has supported songwriting programs at the Center For Grieving Children, and she partners with The Lullaby Project. The Lullaby Project is a Carnegie Hall program that pairs new parents with professional artists to write and sing lullabies for their babies. Her original music is also featured in LIGHT: a Documentary Film by Caroline Treadway (Feb 2021).

Sorcha's third studio album, Quiet, was co-produced with Jeff Oehler of Beehive Productions and released in September 2016. New music is forthcoming in 2021.

short bios

PARAGRAPH

Hearing songwriter Sorcha Cribben-Merrill sing is at once stirring and soothing. A multi-instrumentalist from Portland, Maine, her lush vocal jazz charm and powerful presence draw you into bluesy grooves, haunting ballads, and intricate vignettes. An exquisite storyteller,
Sorcha’s songs speak the truth as much as they spark the imagination.

TWEET

Maine songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Sorcha Cribben-Merrill draws you into bluesy grooves, haunting ballads, and intricate vignettes with her lush vocal jazz charm and powerful presence.

12 WORDS

Sorcha Cribben-Merrill writes and sings stirring songs with lush jazz vocals.

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“'Quiet' is a lovely record for a long, meditative drive . . . It's refreshing to hear a record devoted to her tranquil side - it only underscores the crazy range of one of Maine's most versatile troubadours. And there's nothing quiet about that.”

— Brian Kevin, Downeast Magazine

“Sorcha displays some serious bravado . . . impressive range . . . she travels all over the musical spectrum and unveils a suite of musical styles that shows a wide-ranging songwriting ability delivered with an enjoyable and consistent aesthetic . . . witty verses and smart rhymes.”

— Sam Pfeifle, Portland Phoenix

“This hard-touring solo (sometimes duo) artist . . . with brilliant virtuosity . . . already slayed at the State Theatre last year, and now she’ll conquer our hearts again on a smaller stage that will surely highlight this musician’s dedication and unexpected vocal power.”

— Aimsel Ponti, Portland Press Herald

“That warm familiarity…Cribben-Merrill’s style is a recognizable pastiche of folk, blues, and acoustic pop balladeering (imagine Iron & Wine’s Sam Beam had a baby with Sarah McLachlan and then Tracy Chapman raised it).”

— Brian Kevin, Downeast Magazine

“Sorcha was recommended to us, and it was clear from the beginning that the idea of the transformative power of music really resonated with her. She can draw [the mothers] out of their shell, make them feel comfortable, which is as important as having the musical skill.”

— Manuel Bagorro, Carnegie Hall’s Lullaby Project | Artistic Director, Bay Chamber Concerts (Ray Routhier, PPH, Apr 2017)

‘“Four women, four bright originals and a Dolly cover leave us hopeful…”

“Wide Open’…tells tales of old-fashioned heartache and forgiveness: “When you came to me like an unfinished symphony waiting for me to finish the score, you’re like an open-wide open seashore.” Merrill’s voice soars, and the harmonies are spot-on fantastic.”

— Aimsel Ponti, Portland Press Herald

“During the hour that she played, Cribben-Merrill got about a dozen residents of the memory care unit moving and dancing, including several in wheelchairs who were spun and twirled by nurses.

‘It’s very unusual for most of them to be so engaged, but Sorcha makes eye contact with them and she makes them feel safe,’ said Susan Stadnicki, one of the nurses on duty while Cribben-Merrill played. ‘As a nurse, I love to see the way they react to her. I wish she was here more.’”

— Ray Routhier, Portland Press Herald