Karen Tyler

"Between my Mama and my Daddy I saw who made out best.
Mama worked her fingers off while Daddy took his rest.
Me I ain't no stupid.   I like the fit of Daddy’s shoes."
From "Nobody’s Mama" by Karen Tyler  on the new release "Alone and Blue."

Karen Tyler takes her already buzzing career to the next step with the release of her new solo effort "Alone and Blue" on Rocket Cat Music.

Stripped down and naked in the music  - Karen is a veritable one woman band on this album.  She captures the essence of her musical muse - putting her songs out there with a purity and an honesty that is missing in so much of what is released today.

There is no pretension and no deception about Karen’s artistry. There are no studio tricks and no slick production. Karen’s lyrics are biting, painful, cynical and soul searching; her vocals are raw with emotion.   Karen plays flat top, arch top and resonator guitars, and six string banjo. It’s all recorded live and there are NO overdubs!

"These songs are more personal than those on my previous CD. Too personal to put a band behind,"  says Karen talking about the solo album concept. "The messages are heavy and they’re all true stories too!"

With the huge advent of corporate involvement in music, there is a tendency to push what Karen calls "marketing as creating."  Putting a project together for a niche that you can market to. This changes the creative process tremendously and for the most part waters down the artistry. Musical integrity is something that Karen holds dear.  Her husband Fred and musical comrade has said "If somebody’s gonna dislike you, let them dislike you for who you are, not for who you aren’t."  A message that Karen lives.

Being in the music business can be tough. Being a woman in the blues genre can be even tougher.  The mechanics of putting a band together and keeping the gigs coming as well as writing and performing, is something Karen has done all her life.  It's a juggling act. "I got disillusioned and it stings like hell.  You can fight it or gather your bags and take it to where you can live,"  she says.

"I’ve always known what I’ve wanted to do and I’ve arranged my life to do it. A lot of girls are frustrated because they can’t play. Performing solo has it’s advantages.  There’s no need to accommodate the players to keep them interested.  It’s like having wings. It’s freeing."

Not everyone feels comfortable alone on stage.  Karen connects with her audience on a one on one basis. "The audience wants to know you. There are so many karmic experiences performing this way!"

Spending her life steeping in the blues and her musical development, Karen is knowledgeable about who and where it all came from. She plays in what’s been called an all-around blues style, with influences of many including Memphis Minnie and  Blind Willie McTell.  "There are some old blues school folks, then there are the traditionalists and the purists. You’ve got the rock/blues people and even country blues, swing blues  and folk blues people.  These types of labels splinter the power of the blues."

"Alone and Blue" is a Valentines Day present to Karen and to her fans. With it’s February release Karen is embarking on yet another great artistic chapter.

How many Valentines Days have you spent alone and blue? Spend this one with Karen Tyler’s new album "Alone and Blue" and reflect and revel in the strength of one woman’s musical strength.

"I get Valentines and goodbyes every time you say goodbye
Love letters- Love Letters - lyin’ on the bedroom floor
Love Letters - Love Letters - I don’t love you anymore."
From "Love Letters" by Karen Tyler on "Alone and Blue"

Article by: Karen Angela Moore
Karen Angela Moore is a veteran in the music biz and wears many hats.  As a producer and an artist she's worked with acts such as The John Pizzarelli Trio, Maryann Price, and The Green Bay Packers. She is the literary agent on the biography of country music platinum recording artist Confederate Railroad. Karen splits her time between Nashville and New York City. "The difference between wanting and having is doing!"
K.A. Moore

Hear Karen's full length songs in our jukebox
Karen's listing in our roster
Karen's web site
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