FAMED SINGER PERFORMS ON 'YOUR FOLK CONNECTION'

JACKSON -- New York singer Suzanne Vega came to town last week to see her grandmother, Harriet Schumacher. While she was here she stopped off to play some songs for KRCU-FM.

Vega's appearance will be aired at 7 p.m. Saturday on KRCU's "Your Folk Connection" with hosts Barney Hartline, Jim Hickam and Terry Wright.

A folkie with a pop sensibility, is best known for the hits "Marlene on the Wall" and "Luka," a tune about child abuse. But she has recorded six albums and has published a book of poetry, "The Passionate Eye."

Vega was accompanied to Jackson by her 5-year-old daughter, Ruby, whom Schumacher had never seen before, and by her mother, Patricia Jean Schumacher. The latter is an analyst with the New York transit system.

She stayed only a few days and declined requests for an interview because she wanted to devote her time to her family.

"It was so fast," Schumacher said. "... All of a sudden it was over with and she was gone. But it was great to see her."

Vega is known for her sophisticated an idiosyncratic songs.

"She very unusual," said Schumacher, who cared for Vega as a baby.

Schumacher's late husband, Lloyd, was an engineer for Hughes Aircraft and taught at Cal Tech. She was a reservationist at St. Johns Hospital in Santa Monica. Vega was born at the same hospital, six weeks premature.

Schumacher, who will be 80 on Palm Sunday, moved to Jackson 12 years ago because her son, Bill Schumacher, lives here. He was transferred to Southeast Missouri by his company, Atlas Plastics.

Vega was born in Santa Monica, Calif., in 1959, but she grew up in a tough New York City neighborhood. As a child, Vega sang with Pete Seeger at Carnegie. By 16 she was playing the downtown coffeehouses.

Vega is married to musician Mitchell Froom. She currently is on a tour of Japan.