Carolyn Wonderland
is a versatile blues singer, songwriter and musician from the United States.
Wonderland is a native of Houston, Texas. Born in 1973 she dropped out of Houston's Langham Creek High School to pursue her music. [1] In 1999 she moved to Austin, Texas. In 2001, Wonderland lost her apartment lease when her landlord fell ill, and she decided to live out of her van for a while (two years) because she was on the road so much anyhow, spending over 300 days a year on the road performing.
Carolyn's instrumental abilities include acoustic and electric guitar, electric mandolin, slide guitar, trumpet and piano. Although she is primarily a Blues artist she likes to incorporate elements of Country, Swing, Zydeco, Surf, Gospel, Soul, and on some nights maybe even a little Cumbia into her musical mix.
In February 2008, she released on the Bismeaux Productions label. [2]. The title song from Miss Understood
has remained in the Top 50 on the Roots Music Report
charts ever since the album's initial release [3]. Her fans include Bob Dylan [4] and Ray Benson, founder of Asleep at the Wheel. Benson produced Miss Understood
, and has been a song writing collaborator with her for many years. Wonderland credits several other blues and Texas musicians as influences on her music. One notable is Austin singer/songwriter Terri Hendrix. Wonderland covered two Hendrix songs, ('I Found the Lions' and 'Throw My Love'), on her Miss Understood CD.
Wonderland has been involved in a large variety CD-album recordings. Several were self produced on independent labels. She was the lead singer fronting the band Imperial Monkeys. Wonderland released "Bloodless Revolution"(2008) [5], for South by Southwest-2008. Today it is
only available in an MP-3 download format. Carolyn is the primary singer on the Jerry Lightfoot's Band of Wonder "Texistentialism" CD with Jerry and Vince Welnick (Grateful Dead, Tubes.) [6] Wonderland was a founding member of the Loose Affiliation of Saints and Sinners (with Papa Mali, Eldridge Goins, Guy Forsyth, and others), with several of her songs being featured on their "Sessions from the Hotel San Jose Rm. 50" CD. Carolyn was also the lead guitarist in the all-girl, southern rock band Sis DeVille, and a founding member of the Austin Volunteer Orchestra.
Wonderland's virtuosity has earned her an appearance on Austin City Limits [7]. Carolyn has also had her music used on NBC’s “Homicide” and Fox’s “Time of Your Life.” She was a headlining artist at the annual Rochester International Jazz Festival summer 2009 at the Eastman Theatre and New York.
Carolyn Wonderland has won the following
awards: [8]
Best Female Vocalist - 2009 Austin Music Awards
Best Blues Band - 2009 Austin Music Awards
Best Female Vocalist - 2000 Houston Press Music Awards
Gold Award-Flagstaff International Film Festival- Music Video Awards -Alan Ames &Assoc.'
"Party on Houston" featured artist "Carolyn Wonderland"
Best Blues Songwriter of the Year - 1999 Houston Press Music Awards
Local Musician of the Year & song of the Year ("Blue Lights") - 1998 Houston Press Music
Awards
Best Rock/Pop Album of the Year ("Bursting With Flavor ") & Local Musician of the Year &
Best Female Vocalist - 1997 Houston Press Music Awards
Best Blues Band - 1996 Public News Music Awards
In 2003 after performing at Sturgis for ten years straight she opened the famous Sturgis Motorcycle Rally singing The National Anthem with her band "The Imperial Monkeys". They performed everyday. [9]
When time permits Carolyn also performs with the Imperial Golden Crown Harmonizers on Sundays, raising money for local Austin charities, food banks and soup kitchens, on behalf of homeless shelters, and, like Willie Nelson, on behalf of the legalization of marijuana.
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CAROLYN WONDERLAND TICKETS
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