Karren Pell profile picture

Karren Pell

About Me

“I have watched audiences ..leaning forward as if to meet the music in the air, as Karren’s pungent narrative and skillful songs weave her stories”...Dr. Susan Willis, Resident Director and Dramaturge Alabama Shakespeare Festival.A modern troubadour published and recorded internationally, Karren Pell’s musical compositions ranges from commercial songs to theatrical works, to the historical ballads of Alabama Troubadour. Performing usually with husband Tim Henderson, Karren sings and tell stories about the South. Her book, Alabama Troubadour, published by River City Publications, presents eleven historical essays about unique places in Alabama; each essay is accompanied by artistic photographs, taken by Tim Henderson, and an original song lyric inspired from the site. As a member of The Reckon Crew with Tommy Goldsmith & Tom House, Karren currently has five musical adaptations to her credit. Fair and Tender Ladies has enjoyed numerous productions and is currently part of the Alabama Shakespeare Festival’s 2007 season. The Reckon Crew’s newest work, Lee Smith’s Christmas Letters, workshopped on Broadway in 2002 and had a summary workshop production in December 2006. The Reckon Crew has performed across the southeast. Karren’s latest show, A Southern Rendition, features a variety of original songs, old favorites, Tim Henderson –lead instrumentalist, and guest artists. On the second Wednesday of the month during Leslie Bailey’s show on wacv 1170 am talk radio, Karren presents “Planet Karren,” a monolog and original song. In addition to writing and performing, Karren has taught a variety of classes on writing at Auburn University Montgomery; she recently won an advertising award, a Silver Addy, for her freelance writing. Current projects include a recent contract for an “Images in America,” a book on Tallassee, collecting oral histories for the Capitol Heights Centennial, and writing a series of essays on famous ballads and the historical event that inspired them.“Alabama Troubadour is a gem---a brilliantly original way to view the state of Alabama, and by extension, the South as a whole.”....Lee Smith»-(¯`v´¯)-» Design your MySpace with MyLook «-(¯`v´¯)-«

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 3/26/2007
Band Website: www.karrenpell.com
Band Members: Tim Henderson-Lead instrumentalist. Guitar, fiddle & mandolin; has some popular lead vocals!Sarah Felder--Harmony vocalist
Influences: Poverty, hard luck, broken hearts, true love, grand adventures.Steve Young, Emmey Lou Harris, Gillian Welch, Harlan Howard, Tom House, Tommy Goldsmith, Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Dolly Parton, Rhonda Vincent,
Type of Label: Major

My Blog

New Year 09

January is named for the Roman god Janus. The god of the doorway. January is the doorway to the rest of the year. The god Janus had two faces. One looked back/one looked forward. I suppose that is adv...
Posted by on Thu, 05 Feb 2009 11:02:00 GMT

Planet Karren Christmas

Its Christmas time on Lewis Street. Beloved Hubby got out the ladder and climbed up into the attic to haul down the boxes with the decorations. While handing them to me he called to me, "what are all ...
Posted by on Wed, 17 Dec 2008 08:56:00 GMT

Something About the Fall

There's something about the fall. My class studied Beowulf right around Halloween and so we also studied the Celtic origins of that day. Samheinthe day the veil between the realms of the quick and th...
Posted by on Wed, 05 Nov 2008 17:11:00 GMT

Planet Karren Sept 08

It's celebration time on Lewis Street. We are, along with the entire neighborhood of Capitol Heights, are celebrating that we are 100 years old! 100 years ago homes were being built. Today, homes are ...
Posted by on Sun, 28 Sep 2008 19:22:00 GMT

Planet Karren August 2008

John Ruskin, the Victorian author whose philosophies founded the Arts and Crafts movement, wrote, "When we build, let us think that we build forever." Perhaps somewhat of an estranged idea for modern ...
Posted by on Sun, 28 Sep 2008 19:21:00 GMT

Planet Karren July 08

I just got back from Mexico. ohhhhhh. I had looked forward to this trip like a child anticipates Christmas. We visited Wayne & Sally Greenhaw in picturesque San Miguel Allende. Up in the mountains...
Posted by on Sun, 28 Sep 2008 19:18:00 GMT

FATHERS’ DAY

Father's Day-Planet Karren-Genes & Dreams  ..:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /> I used to have a songwriting group in Arizona that gathered over a weekend...
Posted by on Fri, 13 Jun 2008 12:57:00 GMT

Planet Karren April

The month of April. Begins with April Fool's daybut did you know that it also begins on the same day of the week as July every time? At BTW my class has been studying British Literature and April is ...
Posted by on Wed, 16 Apr 2008 14:18:00 GMT

Planet Karren March

In Nashville songwriters have a sayin: Timing is everything. My friend, Leslie, reminds me: things happen in their own time. And Ecclesiastes promises for everything there is a season. I try to listen...
Posted by on Wed, 16 Apr 2008 14:15:00 GMT

BTW Students

The students in the Dual Enrollment class I am teaching at Booker T. Washington High School participated in the Story Corp Griot project. I have posted photos of the students with their interviewees. ...
Posted by on Tue, 19 Feb 2008 17:23:00 GMT