Carolyn Wonderland
4-14-2023
In addition to recording and touring the world with John Mayall since 2018, Carolyn Wonderland has recently signed to Alligator Records and has been on the top of the Blues, Americana, and Alt Country charts, gathering critical acclaim for her Dave Alvin produced “Tempting Fate” album, released October 2021! She has 2 nominations in The Blues Foundation’s 43rd Blues Music Awards, Contemporary Blues Female Artist, and Song of the Year - “Fragile Peace and Certain War”!!!
The depths of the Texas blues tradition with the wit of a poet, Carolyn hits the stage with an unmatched presence - a true legend in her time.
Along with the guitar and the multitude of other instruments she learned to play – trumpet, accordion, piano, mandolin, lap steel – Wonderland’s ability to whistle remains most unusual. Whistling is a uniquely vocal art seldom invoked in modern music, yet it’s among the most spectacular talents the human voice possesses.
That vocal proficiency was well-established in the singer’s midteens, landing her gigs at Fitzgerald’s by age 15. She absorbed Houston influences like Little Screamin’ Kenny, Albert Collins, Lavelle White, Jerry Lightfoot, Joe “Guitar” Hughes & Little Joe Washington and the Mad Hatter of Texas music, Doug Sahm. Her music played in television series such as “Time of Your Life” and NBC’s “Homicide.”
Her circle of musician friends and admirers broadened to include not only Ray [Benson, who produced Miss Understood] but also the late Eddy Shaver, Shelley King, and yes, Bob Dylan, who likened her composition “Bloodless Revolution” to “a mystery movie theme.”
A series of each-better-than-the-next discs began with “Alcohol & Salvation” in 2001 (“songs about booze and God; records are a time capsule of what happened that year”) 2003’s “Bloodless Revolution,” The Bismeaux Releases: 2008’s “Miss Understood,” 2011’s “Peace Meal” (recorded at Bismeaux and Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock,) 2015’s “Live Texas Trio” 2017’s “Moon Goes Missing” and finally 2021’s “Tempting Fate.”
If you haven’t seen Carolyn live - NOW is the time!
In addition to recording and touring the world with John Mayall since 2018, Carolyn Wonderland has recently signed to Alligator Records and has been on the top of the Blues, Americana, and Alt Country charts, gathering critical acclaim for her Dave Alvin produced “Tempting Fate” album, released October 2021! She has 2 nominations in The Blues Foundation’s 43rd Blues Music Awards, Contemporary Blues Female Artist, and Song of the Year - “Fragile Peace and Certain War”!!!
The depths of the Texas blues tradition with the wit of a poet, Carolyn hits the stage with an unmatched presence - a true legend in her time.
Along with the guitar and the multitude of other instruments she learned to play – trumpet, accordion, piano, mandolin, lap steel – Wonderland’s ability to whistle remains most unusual. Whistling is a uniquely vocal art seldom invoked in modern music, yet it’s among the most spectacular talents the human voice possesses.
That vocal proficiency was well-established in the singer’s midteens, landing her gigs at Fitzgerald’s by age 15. She absorbed Houston influences like Little Screamin’ Kenny, Albert Collins, Lavelle White, Jerry Lightfoot, Joe “Guitar” Hughes & Little Joe Washington and the Mad Hatter of Texas music, Doug Sahm. Her music played in television series such as “Time of Your Life” and NBC’s “Homicide.”
Her circle of musician friends and admirers broadened to include not only Ray [Benson, who produced Miss Understood] but also the late Eddy Shaver, Shelley King, and yes, Bob Dylan, who likened her composition “Bloodless Revolution” to “a mystery movie theme.”
A series of each-better-than-the-next discs began with “Alcohol & Salvation” in 2001 (“songs about booze and God; records are a time capsule of what happened that year”) 2003’s “Bloodless Revolution,” The Bismeaux Releases: 2008’s “Miss Understood,” 2011’s “Peace Meal” (recorded at Bismeaux and Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock,) 2015’s “Live Texas Trio” 2017’s “Moon Goes Missing” and finally 2021’s “Tempting Fate.”
If you haven’t seen Carolyn live - NOW is the time!