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-Bio- Karen started playing the guitar when she was 7 year old. She grew up on a farm in South Jersey, in an Italian household with three generations under one roof. Yes, there are farms in New Jersey. With extreme dedication and perseverance, she cut the cord with her instructor after only 6 months, and taught herself the ropes. As years passed and Karen moved into the 'High School Years', she continued to play, but only in her room - where no one could hear her. Eventually she got up the nerve to audition for the Senior Variety Show but didn't make the cut! Years later in South Jersey, Karen would share the stage with the likes of Shawn Calvin, Arlo Guthrie, Dar Williams and many more at The Appel Farm Folk Festival. "It all started while I was living up in Vail, Colorado," says Karen. "I had moved up there to teach Outdoor Education at the Nature Center, and some friends convinced me to play at some of the clubs there. I started out doing just that because the money was good but I couldn't keep it up. The atmosphere wasn't ideal and I wanted a place where I could play my songs." Eventually Karen moved back to Boulder where she had gone to college to escape the 'resort town' atmosphere and persue her own music. Within a year she had released her debut CD, Mind in Box and was a guest at the infamous KBCO Studio C.Her first CD opened many doors for her and taught her some difficult lessons about the world. Karen flew out to New York City and met with Fred Urlich of Sony Records, where he praised her talent, told her to keep it up and that they would, "keep an eye" on her. After being courted by several independent labels and a publishing house in Europe, Karen decided to follow the advice of her mentor Ani DiFranco, stay true to her craft and do it herself. These were her first dealings with the music industry and the reality of the business was not as intimidating as one might think. "I knew I wasn't what a major label was looking for at that stage in my career, yet I also knew there was room out there for me to do what I wanted and where I wanted. I don't have to move to New York City or Boston to be a part of the Folk Scene. The hard part in this life is finding something you can be passionate about. After you've found that, you navigate and move through life the best you can." Karen has a list of kudos to her achievements; she was selected for both the Telluride Bluegrass Festival and Rocky Mountain Festival songwriting competitions. Her music has been used in two Independent Feature Films, while some of her songs have appeared on several Compilations CD Projects. She has toured all over the country building a loyal following. Finally, Karen has opened for artists such as: Paula Cole, The Innocence Mission, Catie Curtis, Dar Williams, Holly Near, Janis Ian, Cosy Sheridan and Ellis Paul. Parade, Karen's second CD was released in 1996. This CD is self-produced and on her own record label, Luscious GirlPeach Productions. "I was going for more of a 'live' feel to the album, while some of the songs were, in fact, recorded in front of an audience, the whole project was a live recording - only one instrument was added afterward and only on one song." This album is also more 'acoustic' according to Karen. "Yes, no drums - yet I did have percussion. I wanted it to represent what people saw at my shows. I didn't want them to buy a CD, take it home and it be nothing like what they just witnessed." "I just read a blurb in the newspaper on the 'state of pop music' according to Joni Mitchell. She said, she felt "like the music today had lost the Muse." I just want to stay true to my Muse, and myself. Look for an upcoming project that is in the zygote phase, to be released sometime this summer. The hideously talented, Evan Brubaker will produce this third CD from Karen. Evan Brubaker is a fabulous singer/songwriter himself and just released a CD entitled Half Moon. He has been described as "Elvis Costello meets Ani DiFranco." Go find him, you won't be sorry. |