While I can’t say enough about the incredible array of musicians we’ve had on the R&R cruise over the years, I believe that the number of female performers has been somewhat lacking. So, when I read that RagDolls was going to be on the 2023 sailing, I was very excited and wanted to learn more.
And I did!
The founder and lead vocalist of RagDolls Susie Major and their music director Masha McSorley took time out of their schedule to share a bit about their band and to answer a few pre-cruise questions for us. I can tell you that after meeting them, I absolutely can’t wait to see them on stage!
A Little Background Growing up in California, Susie had an early love for rock and roll, and in particular Aerosmith. This propelled her to launch her music career at the age of 17, performing original music in bands, first in Las Vegas and then in Los Angeles. As a skilled songwriter with a unique rock vocal style, she stood out from male performers and gained a reputation as a powerful, lead vocalist. This led to decades of fronting bands—including opportunities to share the stage with performers like Queensryche and John Waite, as well as sing songs for the SyFy Channel’s Sharknado movie series.
But after years of performing, Susie began to see an increasing number of bands finding success doing tributes and covers. This planted a seed, but she knew that if she was going to form a new band, it needed to be something different, something that would stand out from the crowd. That’s when she harkened back to her early musical roots and created the idea for RagDolls—an all-female band that would channel the intensity, excitement, and musicality of Aerosmith.
“I always loved Aerosmith but wasn’t originally into tribute bands," explains Susie. “But people were paying to see them, and it was a new way to satisfy my creativity and desire to perform.”
What would come next is nothing short of kismet!
It’s not so simple finding musicians who have the musical chops and passion to take on the challenge of performing the songs of such a legendary band. Putting a solid band of musicians together is difficult under the best of circumstances, but with female musicians in high demand in the industry, finding the right women for the job required a stroke of luck.
“I put some ads out there and asked friends in the industry, said Susie. “It wasn’t easy, but this band really came together.”
During her search for band members, Susie met Masha McSorley. Like Susie, Masha had many years of experience playing in bands throughout Hollywood. And incredibly, Aerosmith just happened to be what initially inspired her to become a guitar player. In fact, Masha had already been contemplating the idea of performing in a tribute band after seeing an Aerosmith tribute band called Rocks. Then, she met the front man for…drum roll please…Queen Nation who introduced her to many other musicians who were finding success in tribute bands.
The wheels were now in motion, and soon Susie and Masha were a team, adding an impressive group musicians—Ali Handal on lead guitar and vocals, Tara Rae on bass, and Marisa Testa on drums and vocals.
With the band complete, Susie considered the audience as she put together their show. She wanted to pay homage to Aerosmith without having to look exactly like them. And as the musical director, Masha has seen Aerosmith perform live more than 30 times to capture every detail and nuance of their songs and their shows. This is all reflected in RagDoll’s general mechanics and set list. And then they take it up a notch further by infusing their own backgrounds as highly talented, female musicians.
Talking to Susie and Masha, I was curious about their take on today’s music. They reflected on the downside of computers replacing the need to play instruments. “It takes time to take deep dives into music,” Masha reflected. Susie added, “Music is different today, lacking the hooks. It’s more about a mood, with a different formula today than what we liked before.
I also wanted to know what Aerosmith song gets the most crowd reaction. Both Susie and Masha quickly responded with “Walk This Way.” And I just can’t wait to hear their take on this classic hit.
The band is super excited to be performing for us and is also looking forward to catching some of the other acts while on board. Susie also shared a little secret. This will be her first cruise, so I hope everyone makes her feel especially welcome as we hit the high seas! Please join me on the cruise deck on Friday between 3:00 and 4:00 to listen to RagDolls! It’s certain to be a rocking show!
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