Susan Alcorn, born April 4, 1953 in Allentown, Pennsylvania, was an American improvisational musician known for pedal steel guitar and composition. She began playing guitar at age twelve, inspired by Muddy Waters' slide guitar. In 1981, she moved to Houston where she played in various country and western bands while studying diverse musical genres. Alcorn gave her first solo improvisational concert in Houston in 1997, marking a turning point towards free improvisational music. She moved to Baltimore in 2006. She collaborated with numerous artists including Pauline Oliveros, Eugene Chadbourne, and Joe McPhee. Alcorn was awarded the Instant Award in Improvised Music in 2018 alongside Joe McPhee. Her notable albums include Uma (2000), Curandera (2005), and Invitation to a Dream (2019). Alcorn passed away on January 31, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland.
