News Photo by Steve Schulwitz Alpena musician Sumner Moorer strums on her guitar while sitting near the fountain at the Alpena County Library on Wednesday. Moorer writes and performs original music featuring a message of hope, love, and positivity.

ALPENA — Armed with only her acoustic guitar and a microphone, Sumner Moorer is quickly becoming a staple of Northeast Michigan’s music scene.

Moorer, who performs some of her original music, with some cover songs sprinkled in, wows her audience when she hits the stage and unleashes her vocal and guitar chops.

Moorer said she has always enjoyed music of all types, but it wasn’t until she was in her teens when she decided she wanted to write and perform. She said guitar and vocal lessons helped her to learn the intricacies of her talent and still today, she pushes herself to be the best she can be while in the studio or on stage.

“I was classically trained as a vocalist at the age of seven and was learning piano, but around the age of 17, I became frustrated that I couldn’t accompany myself, so I taught myself guitar, started playing in the band in my Christian school, and in my senior year of college, I started writing my own songs,” Moorer said.

Instead of taking her mother up on a trip after graduation, Moorer opted instead for money to record an EP.

“That is when I really learned that music was an integral part of my life,” she said.

Moorer said she has many musical influences, but pointed to Taylor Swift, Paramore, Avril Lavigne, Pink Floyd, and Lynyrd Skynyrd, just to name a few, that helped her develop into the musician she is today.

Moorer moved to Alpena in February from South Carolina and worked briefly for WBKB as a news reporter, but decided to follow her heart and pursue song writing and performing full-time.

She said another visit to the recording studio is in the works and she is excited to be able to see her originals come to life. Moorer said her new songs convey a message of hope, togetherness, and peace. She believes music can also have a positive impact on the human body and help to relieve pain, alleviate stress, and other physical conditions.

“I really want to intentionally have a healing impact, through my music,” she said. “I have learned just how healing music can be, so it is my intention to write songs with the intention of healing.”

While performing, Moorer can be energetic during one song and then be swept away and more subdued for a song that is a little more mellow or has an important meaning to her. She said the feeling she gets when she has her guitar in her hands and the microphone in front of her, is one that can’t be replaced by anything else. Moorer added that her performances are basically unscripted and based on the mood of the audience.

“I try to go with the flow and I really never use a set list and I just play according to what the energy of the crowd is,” she said. “Sometimes you can misread the room, but sometimes you give them what they need to hear. There are times, in that perfect moment, when it can be emotional for me and the crowd, because many of my songs are about love and positivity.”

Being new to the local music scene, Moorer has already had the opportunity to jam with some of the more established musicians in town. She said she doesn’t view them as competitors, but comrades who all have the same goal — to share their talent with people and allow them an opportunity to escape their lives, which can sometimes be hectic.

“I am honestly more than honored to just be a part of this music community and it was something that was well-established before I came in,” Moorer said. “There are so many places to play and that is incredible. You don’t find that in the bigger cities. It is just incredible that I have had so many opportunities and to receive the support I have.”

Although she hasn’t lived in Alpena long, Moorer said she has developed a love and appreciation for Alpena and its community. She said the people are kind, giving, and welcoming, which she respects and appreciates.

“It is such a loving and tight-knit community. That was the first thing that struck me,” she said. “I was only here for two months when the ice storm hit and it was just amazing to see how people rallied together to help one another. I will tell you, not every community is like that. In bigger cities, people only look out for themselves. I am super impressed with Alpena and, to be honest, that is one of the biggest things that has kept me here. Besides the musical opportunities, Alpena has the kindest people and they have strong values here. I have been around the world and I have never seen anything like this.”

Last week, Moorer played the annual French Road Bash, which provided her a heavy amount of exposure to new fans. She plays often in Alpena and other communities in Northeast Michigan. She updates her schedule on her Facebook page often so people know when and where they can go to enjoy a show. She also provides video clips and photos from her performances, as well as her having fun around town.

Steve Schulwitz can be reached at 989-358-5689 or sschulwitz@TheAlpenaNews.com. Follow him on X @ss_alpenanews.com.