This week
Carolyn Wonderland

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by Duncan Burch

"And I'm just some chick they picked up hitchhiking on the side of the road," Carolyn Wonderland says demurely into the microphone, after introducing the other members of her band to the audience, but there is at least a hint of irony beneath the diffident humility in her voice. She has, after all, been making her living as a singer, songwriter, and guitar player for well over a decade, and in that time she's managed to compile quite an impressive list of musical achievements. Her most recent release, last year's Bloodless Revolution, is a collection of original songs that draws from numerous musical genres without relying too heavily on any particular one. The record has already sold out of its initial printing, and it is still selling briskly. The songs, composed predominantly by Carolyn, feature her distinctive vocals backed by a versatile and competent band. They show her to be a masterful songwriter as well as a poignant social critic who uses her art to shed light on a variety of social injustices. She is certainly not afraid to speak her mind, and because she possesses a rare combination of insight and integrity, her message is both powerful and necessary.

Of course, her real love is playing live, and Carolyn has always loved to perform. "I can't even remember a time when I didn't play music," she says, recalling her childhood. She grew up in a musical family, with a guitar playing mother, a fiddle playing grandmother and a piano playing grandfather, so she was always surrounded by instruments and music. She learned to play on her mother's guitars, which, after an attempted Pete Townsend imitation went horribly awry, she was required to play without a pick. (She still doesn't use one.) By the time she was in junior high school, she was playing coronet by day in the school band and guitar by night in a series of heavy metal bands. At the age of 15, she snuck into a bar in Houston where she heard Little Screamin' Kenny and the Sidewinders. "I was floored," she recalls, "I decided right then and there that I wanted to play original rock and roll music, just like Screamin' Kenny."

A couple of years later, in 1990, she started playing a Tuesday night gig at the Last Concert CafÈ in Houston, where, if she's not out on tour, she still plays every Tuesday to some of her oldest and most devoted fans. The following year she formed her band The Imperial Monkeys, and soon after that they began touring and recording. They released four records during the 1990s, for which they were honored with numerous Houston music awards, including Best Vocalist, Best Songwriter, Best Blues Band, Best Album, and Musician of the Year. Then, after spending the majority of her professional life living and working in Houston, she decided to drop the name Imperial Monkeys and pick up and move to Austin.

"Actually, it was Doug Sahm that convinced me to move here," she says of her relocation. "I ran into him when we were playing at the High Sierra Festival, and after talking with him for awhile he had already convinced me that I had to move to Austin." Unfortunately, Sir Douglas passed away several months after their conversation, but Carolyn was undeterred. She proceeded with the move, and despite the hardships she encountered in the relocation process, which included quite a few nights of having to sleep in her van, she was determined to persevere. "It's an amazing musical city," she says of Austin, "and it's the land of free guitar lessons."

In fact, it didn't take too long for her distinctive style to catch the ear of this musical city. Since moving here, Carolyn has won over many new fans at her frequent live performances, and in addition to touring and recording with her band, she has also participated in multiple collaborative projects with a wide variety of established artists. "I think it's important to be involved in the community around you," she says of her numerous collaborations with diverse bands and projects, "and music lets me help."

Despite her numerous commitments, Carolyn's work with Austin Volunteer Orchestra (AVO) is one example of her commitment to our music community. She is currently working with Wayne Sutton, Malcolm ëPapa Mali' Welbourne, Matt Hubbard, and Michael Hale, among others, on AVO's first musical performance. The show, which is scheduled for July, is a benefit for Instruments for Orphans (IFO), a philanthropic initiative to collect new and used musical instruments, place them into children's homes, and send musicians into these homes to teach music to the children. In addition to collecting musical equipment at the door, proceeds from the live showcases will also go to support this cause.

Carolyn has also been instrumental in IFO's efforts to raise money by creating a children's CD. This is another example of her ongoing commitment to community service, and the opportunity to work with her has drawn a surprising collection of generous musical talent and industry interest to this project. "It's a great opportunity to play with some people I really admire," she says, "and it's an opportunity to do something positive for the community." As a result of these tireless volunteer efforts, she was also recently elected to serve as the Director of Musical Development for IFO.

Carolyn, who says she often feels like a child trapped in an adult's body, has worked with children before, in both Houston and Austin, and she looks forward to doing it again. "It's not just about getting the instruments to the kids," she explains, "it's about taking the time to interact with them and finding a way to have a positive influence on them." Her ideas will become a reality next month when IFO implements its pilot program in the field of musical education for at-risk youth.

To reward Carolyn, and other artists who share her commitment to community service, AVO is proud to announce the first annual WonderJam in Amsterdam, named in her honor. This festival of Texas music will take` place there this November, and it's no coincidence that the festival will open on Nov. 9th, which happens to be Carolyn's birthday (probably at least her 22nd by now). In fact, she has spent three of her last four birthdays playing in Amsterdam, and last year she was accompanied not only by her band but also by dozens of fans from around the country. The trip was such a success and the audiences there were so responsive that she wanted to get more people involved.

More to come....

For more information on Carolyn Wonderland and her band, including tour dates and merchandise, check out her web site.