Susan Tanner: 51 Years Is Not Enough

     Susan Tanner’s tragic death from cancer April 24 and the loving response on social media and in several publications demonstrates what an effect her death has precisely because Susan had a greater, loving, professional, intelligent, funny and more positive effect on us with her life.

     Susan was known professionally for working for several major record labels in New York, Boston and elsewhere, before returning to Buffalo to work for Righteous Babe Records and Ani DiFranco for many years. I can attest to Susan’s professionalism, knowledge and respectful treatment of others from my time writing for several publications, and her industry background and regard has already been written about well by Donny Kutzbach in The Public and Dale Anderson and Jeff Miers in the Buffalo News.

Longtime friend/Righteous Babe colleague Mary Begley, left;
Susan Tanner, Marty Boratin and Jon Langford at the
Tanner/Boratin residence for a Skull Orchard show in 2014.
Photo by Barkloud Productions/Val Dunne Photography

     Susan was also well known, and in the long run maybe better or with more reverence, as the hostess with her husband, Marty Boratin, of what is basically Buffalo’s rock and roll bed and breakfast, their home in Eden. The couple hosted many house concerts, parties and other events, and gave accommodations to many touring bands who needed and often could not afford a place to crash. Regardless their day job responsibilities, Marty and Susan also fed and entertained the musicians, seeking nothing more than some good music and friendship in return. There are too many shows to remember, but among the memorable ones I recall are Peter Case, Jon Langford, Oh Susanna, Gurf Morlix and a host of local performers. Susan, an accomplished singer in her own right, even joined Jon Langford (The Mekons, Waco Brothers) reciting poetry during one of house concerts. Susan and Marty’s Independence Day and Christmas parties are also legendary, bringing people back to Buffalo who moved away years ago.

     There may be no one absolute way to fight and live with cancer, but Susan certainly found one that worked for her and those around her. With an intelligent, scientifically trained and educated mind and awareness, she researched and participated in interviews and discussions about and in actual treatment trials for her cancer. She frequently traveled out of town for these treatments and consultations, and was very open about her cancer diagnosis, status, treatment, how she was feeling and what stage she was in at that moment. Having cancer was not going to stop Susan from using her mind, body and spirit to fight this bastard and to live a full life, She openly and repeatedly acknowledged she received primary health care and her cancer diagnosis from the medical staff of Planned Parenthood, a group of dedicated professionals who helped keep Susan alive. Friends and loved ones of hers have made financial donations in her name to Planned Parenthood, a fantastic idea. During a memorial celebration for Susan at Babeville, college friend, record industry and radio colleague Anita West movingly spoke of their friendship, fun together and their shared fights with cancer, probably sharing more than anyone else could from that period. West came into that event blazing, wanting people to know that much more about Susan and her life as well as know about the ups, downs, loves and fears of living as they did and fighting cancer.

Susan Tanner recites poetry with Jon Langford, 2014.
Photo by Barkloud Productions/Val Dunne Photography

     I can write of a bit of familiarity with Susan’s caring and sharing of hopes and fears of chromic and terminal diseases. My lovely wife, photographer Val Dunne, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis 24 years ago, and fights it every day; indeed, she is currently in an about 3-week episode/flare up of the disease, and just returned to work. We have been fortunate to be friends with Marty and Susan for longer than we can remember, more than 30 years (hell, my sister Heather had Marty’s late father as a high school teacher). Val has been through many trials, experimental drugs and treatments, even chemotherapy, and like anyone suffering from chronic or terminal illnesses, a toll is often taken. For the last several years, every time we see Susan and Marty, particularly at their home, after a while Susan, Val and several other people living with chronic and/or terminal health issues will start talking about what they are going through, sharing information and empathy, offering advice, solace, support and love. After a moment or so, I will leave these conversations, because while I may be the spouse and partner of someone in this situation, I cannot fully know what it is like to live with such diseases, and I felt like a bit of an intruder; I was never made to feel this by any of the other people, but I realize that there are experiences I cannot fully understand without being the person in the crosshairs. Val and other people I’ve spoken with who were part of these discussions always credit Susan with being incredibly open, positive and supporting, sharing information about everything from how to try to avoid nausea and bad tastes in the mouth connected to chemotherapy and other drugs, which pains reacted to which medications and other treatments, which medical staffs were more understanding and caring, and what the best places to stay and best modes of transportation were for people with health conditions. Oh, and of course, diet was key, along with gardening, as were appreciation of good music in all its forms, good friends, books and conversation. According to Val and others I have talked to with these medical conditions, Susan was never short on warmth, understanding, shoulders to cry on and a song to cheer them up. I noticed that talking with Susan raised Val’s spirits, and indeed mine, during periods when her MS was really causing her trouble. When Val was hospitalized with pneumonia a couple of years ago, besides family and staff, Susan was her only visitor.

     Susan and Marty were/are great people on their own, but made/make an incredible couple together. Their home was warm, open and inviting, there was always good food and good music there, beverages of all kinds and an understanding that love truly conquered all.

     I am finishing writing this piece July 3, one day before their annual Independence Day party, which thankfully will be held this year. It will be hard not to think about and miss Susan, but those people like Susan who live their lives without wasting time, who truly help others live better lives and understand the difficulty and heartbreaking parts, we miss them because they were such good people. And a lot of good continues in this world because Susan made damn sure she lived to make it better. This piece took me longer to write than normal because I wanted to make sure I got it right that I could offer a real side of Susan, and because, honestly, her death has shaken me. Let’s be good to each other; Susan always was to us.