Carolyn Wonderland
Encyclopedia
Carolyn Wonderland is an American
blues
singer, songwriter
and musician
. She is married to A. Whitney Brown
.
to pursue her music ambitions. In 1999 Wonderland moved to Austin, Texas
, but, by 2001, she lost her apartment lease after her landlord became ill and decided to live out of her van as she was spending more than 300 days a year on the road performing.
Wonderland's instrumental abilities include guitar, slide guitar, mandolin, trumpet and piano. Although primarily a blues artist, Wonderland likes to incorporate elements of country
, swing, zydeco
, surf
, gospel
, soul
, and cumbia
into her musical mix. She usually performs with Cole El-Saleh on keyboards and Robert Michael Hooper on drums.
In February 2008, Wonderland released the CD, "Miss Understood" on the Bismeaux Productions label and the title song has been on the Top 50 of the 'Roots Music Report' chart since the album's release. Fans of Wonderland's music include Bob Dylan
, and Ray Benson
, founder of Asleep at the Wheel
. Benson produced Miss Understood, and has been one of her songwriting collaborators. Wonderland credits several blues and Texas musicians as influences on her music. One notable influence is Austin singer/songwriter Terri Hendrix
, as Wonderland covered two Hendrix songs, ("I Found the Lions" and "Throw My Love"), on Miss Understood.
Wonderland has been involved in a number of recordings, including several that were self-produced on independent labels. She was the lead singer fronting the band Imperial Monkeys. Wonderland released Bloodless Revolution in 2008, and is the primary singer on the Jerry Lightfoot's Band of Wonder Texistentialism CD with Lightfoot and Vince Welnick (Grateful Dead, Tubes.) 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. She was also the lead guitarist in the all-girl, southern rock band Sis DeVille (other members include Shelley King, Sarah Brown, Lisa Pankratz and Floramay Holliday), and a founding member of the Austin Volunteer Orchestra.
Wonderland appeared on Austin City Limits
in 2008, and has 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. In 2003, Wonderland opened the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally
, after performing there for the previous ten years, singing the National Anthem with 'The Imperial Monkeys'.
Wonderland also performs with the Imperial Golden Crown Harmonizers
, raising money for local Austin charities, food banks, soup kitchens, homeless shelters, and on behalf of the legalization of marijuana.
Wonderland married writer-comedian A. Whitney Brown on March 4, 2011, in a ceremony officiated by Michael Nesmith
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
singer, songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
and musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
. She is married to A. Whitney Brown
A. Whitney Brown
Alan Whitney Brown is an Emmy Award-winning writer and comedian probably best known for his recurring appearances on Saturday Night Live in the 1980s opposite Dennis Miller in a biting satirical...
.
Biography
Wonderland dropped out of Houston's Langham Creek High SchoolLangham Creek High School
Langham Creek High School is a high school located near Cypress, which is an unincorporated community in Harris County, Texas, near Houston. Langham Creek, which was established in 1984, is part of the Cypress Fairbanks Independent School District. Several communities, including Concord Bridge, are...
to pursue her music ambitions. In 1999 Wonderland moved to Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
, but, by 2001, she lost her apartment lease after her landlord became ill and decided to live out of her van as she was spending more than 300 days a year on the road performing.
Wonderland's instrumental abilities include guitar, slide guitar, mandolin, trumpet and piano. Although primarily a blues artist, Wonderland likes to incorporate elements of country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
, swing, zydeco
Zydeco
Zydeco is a form of uniquely American roots or folk music. It evolved in southwest Louisiana in the early 19th century from forms of "la la" Creole music...
, surf
Surf music
Surf music is a genre of popular music associated with surf culture, particularly as found in Orange County and other areas of Southern California. It was particularly popular between 1961 and 1965, has subsequently been revived and was highly influential on subsequent rock music...
, gospel
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
, soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
, and cumbia
Cumbia
Cumbia is a music genre popular across Latin America. The cumbia originated in the Caribbean coast of Colombia, where it is associated with an eponymous dance and has since spread as far as Mexico and Argentina...
into her musical mix. She usually performs with Cole El-Saleh on keyboards and Robert Michael Hooper on drums.
In February 2008, Wonderland released the CD, "Miss Understood" on the Bismeaux Productions label and the title song has been on the Top 50 of the 'Roots Music Report' chart since the album's release. Fans of Wonderland's music include Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
, and Ray Benson
Ray Benson
Ray Benson is the front man of the Western swing band Asleep at the Wheel.In 1970, Benson, a Jewish native of Philadelphia, formed Asleep at the Wheel with friends Lucky Oceans and Leroy Preston. The group relocated to Austin in 1973 after a suggestion from Willie Nelson .Since then, the group has...
, founder of Asleep at the Wheel
Asleep at the Wheel
Asleep at the Wheel is a American country music group that was formed in Paw Paw, West Virginia, but based in Austin, Texas. Altogether, they have won nine Grammy Awards since their 1970 inception. In their career, they have released more than twenty studio albums, and have charted more than twenty...
. Benson produced Miss Understood, and has been one of her songwriting collaborators. Wonderland credits several blues and Texas musicians as influences on her music. One notable influence is Austin singer/songwriter Terri Hendrix
Terri Hendrix
Terri Hendrix is a San Marcos, Texas-based contemporary folk singer-songwriter. In addition to releasing several albums on her own label, Wilory Records, she co-wrote the Dixie Chicks Grammy-winning instrumental, "Lil' Jack Slade".- Awards :...
, as Wonderland covered two Hendrix songs, ("I Found the Lions" and "Throw My Love"), on Miss Understood.
Wonderland has been involved in a number of recordings, including several that were self-produced on independent labels. She was the lead singer fronting the band Imperial Monkeys. Wonderland released Bloodless Revolution in 2008, and is the primary singer on the Jerry Lightfoot's Band of Wonder Texistentialism CD with Lightfoot and Vince Welnick (Grateful Dead, Tubes.) Wonderland was a founding member of the Loose Affiliation of Saints and Sinners (with Papa Mali
Papa Mali
Malcolm "Papa Mali" Welbourne is an American slide guitarist, singer, and songwriter who grew up in Shreveport, Louisiana, United States, and is based in Austin, Texas....
, Eldridge Goins, Guy Forsyth, and others), with several of her songs being featured on their Sessions from the Hotel San Jose Rm. 50 CD. She was also the lead guitarist in the all-girl, southern rock band Sis DeVille (other members include Shelley King, Sarah Brown, Lisa Pankratz and Floramay Holliday), and a founding member of the Austin Volunteer Orchestra.
Wonderland appeared on Austin City Limits
Austin City Limits
Austin City Limits is an American public television music program recorded live in Austin, Texas by Public Broadcasting Service Public television member station KLRU, and broadcast on many PBS stations around the United States...
in 2008, and has 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
Rochester International Jazz Festival
Established in 2002, the Rochester International Jazz Festival takes place in June of each year, in Rochester, New York. It is produced by John Nugent, Artistic Director and Marc Iacona, Executive Director...
summer 2009 at the Eastman Theatre and New York. In 2003, Wonderland opened the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally
Sturgis Motorcycle Rally
The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is an American motorcycle rally held annually in Sturgis, South Dakota, usually the first full week of August.-History:...
, after performing there for the previous ten years, singing the National Anthem with 'The Imperial Monkeys'.
Wonderland also performs with the Imperial Golden Crown Harmonizers
Imperial Golden Crown Harmonizers
The Imperial Golden Crown Harmonizers are a non-denominational all-inclusive soulful funky gospel band that passes all revenues to charity. The band has raised several thousands of dollars over the years for central Texas charities, such as the SIMS Foundation and Habitat for Humanity.IGCH...
, raising money for local Austin charities, food banks, soup kitchens, homeless shelters, and on behalf of the legalization of marijuana.
Wonderland married writer-comedian A. Whitney Brown on March 4, 2011, in a ceremony officiated by Michael Nesmith
Michael Nesmith
Robert Michael Nesmith is an American musician, songwriter, actor, producer, novelist, businessman, and philanthropist, best known as a member of the musical group The Monkees and star of the TV series of the same name...
.
Recognition
Wonderland has won the following awards:- 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 ") and Local Musician of the Year and Best Female Vocalist - 1997 Houston Press Music Awards
- Best Blues Band - 1996 Public News Music Awards
Albums
| Title | Year | Artist Name | Label | Producer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Groove Milk | (1993) | Carolyn Wonderland and the Imperial Monkeys | Pulse/Monrose | |
| Truckstop Favorites Vol. 2 | (1994) | Carolyn Wonderland and the Imperial Monkeys | Pulse | |
| Play with Matches | (1995) | Carolyn Wonderland and the Imperial Monkeys | Big Mo Records | |
| Blue Lights | (1997) | Carolyn Wonderland and Imperial Monkeys | Justice Records | |
| Bursting with Flavor | (1997) | Carolyn Wonderland and Imperial Monkeys | Justice Records | |
| Alcohol and Salvation | (2001) | Carolyn Wonderland | Mix-O-Rama records | Eldridge Goins |
| Bloodless Revolution | (2003) | Carolyn Wonderland | Independent release | Stephen Doster |
| Miss Understood | (2008) | Carolyn Wonderland | Bismeaux Productions | Ray Benson Ray Benson Ray Benson is the front man of the Western swing band Asleep at the Wheel.In 1970, Benson, a Jewish native of Philadelphia, formed Asleep at the Wheel with friends Lucky Oceans and Leroy Preston. The group relocated to Austin in 1973 after a suggestion from Willie Nelson .Since then, the group has... |
| Peace Meal | (2011) | Carolyn Wonderland | Bismeaux Productions | Ray Benson Ray Benson Ray Benson is the front man of the Western swing band Asleep at the Wheel.In 1970, Benson, a Jewish native of Philadelphia, formed Asleep at the Wheel with friends Lucky Oceans and Leroy Preston. The group relocated to Austin in 1973 after a suggestion from Willie Nelson .Since then, the group has... , Larry Campbell (musician) Larry Campbell (musician) Larry Campbell is a multi-instrumentalist who plays many stringed instruments in genres including country, folk, blues, and rock... , Michael Nesmith Michael Nesmith Robert Michael Nesmith is an American musician, songwriter, actor, producer, novelist, businessman, and philanthropist, best known as a member of the musical group The Monkees and star of the TV series of the same name... |
Collaborations
- Fireside Songs For the Soul (2010) (licensed by Bismeaux)with Carolyn Wonderland & Guy Forsyth
- Sessions From the Hotel San Jose, Rm. 50 (2002) (mix-o-rama) with A Loose Affiliation of Saints and Sinners
- Texistentialism (2001) Noah's Sky Music (indie) with Jerry Lightfoot's Band of Wonder, Vince Welnick
- Drink the Rain (2001) (indie) with Rebecca Cole