Carolyn Wonderland

There is a common reaction when people first hear Carolyn Wonderland, which is best summed up by the LA Times quote: "She's the real deal." Sure, there are lots of other pretty faces out there who can sing, and maybe they can even play a few leads on the guitar. But once you witness the raw emotional power and originality of Carolyn's vocals and guitar playing, you are left wondering how it is that she is so much more musically convincing. Is it geography or musical lineage or life experience or what?

Carolyn cut her teeth in the same Gulf Coast music scene that gave us Lightning Hopkins, Clifton Chenier, Janis Joplin, and countless others. Sneaking into biker bars by the time she was 16, playing gigs with Little Screamin' Kenny Blanchard and Jerry Lightfoot, becoming the toast of Houston town while still a teenager, hitting rock bottom in Austin with only an old van to live in and no gigs to be had, Carolyn's journey has not been smooth or easy or quiet. It's taken guts for her to survive. Perhaps this is why she digs so deeply every time she takes the stage.

Whatever it is, there is no doubt she serves up a generous helping on her new album Peace Meal (Bismeaux). Produced by a stellar cast of Grammy Award winners, including long-time supporter and inspiration Ray Benson (who produced Carolyn's 2008 breakthrough album Miss Understood), Carolyn jumped at the chance to also work with Larry Campbell (the force behind The Band drummer Levon Helm's recent comeback) on four of the album tracks. Finally, founding Monkee Michael Nesmith produced a track as well. The album was recorded at Benson's Bismeaux Studios in Austin and also at Helm's studio in Woodstock, NY.