"AN AMERICANA SINGER SONGWRITER IN THE REALM OF CREATIVITY AS CHERYL WHEELER, MARY CHAPIN-CARPENTER, JAMES TAYLOR AND CAROLE KING"
-MetroPulse, Knoxville, TN
"HEARTY VOICED TROUBADOUR...WOW'D THE CROWD...INSTANTLY A FAVORITE"
-Creative Loafing, Atlanta, GA
When asked what she does, Karen E. Reynolds will always answer,
"I'm a singer songwriter. I write songs and sing them. Occasionally I find time to record a few tunes and release a CD."
Her statement is a bit misleading. True, she does write and sing songs, but it's safe to say that Karen E. Reynolds has made her distinctive mark in the music industry. A staunch independent, Reynolds owns her own label; operates a booking/management agency for independent artists; has national credits to her name as producer, publicist or vocalist; teaches songwriting and music business for the University of Tennessee; is a Mentor/Instructor for the Country Music Hall of Fames prestigious 'Words and Music in Schools' program and is host/program director of Writer's Block, a radio program that airs ONLY independent artists. If that's not enough, she started a concert series, Writer's Block LIVE, as a spin off of her radio program and in a very short time, has built the series enough to warrant national attention.
In short, Karen believes in what she does.
But while this Knoxville native wears many hats (she insists that ballcaps are more her style), she is first and foremost a performing songwriter. She has performed at some of the most prestigious festivals in the Eastern United States, is a regular at premier listening rooms and has shared stages and performance billing with some of the best in the business, establishing herself as one of their peers.
The press labels her with various and sometimes, conflicting descriptions, calling her "hearty voiced" and then claiming her to have the "voice of an angel." Here's the thing...they both fit. Truth is, Karen is a bit different. From heartbreak to humor, her live performances have been likened to an emotional roller coaster, bringing you to tears one moment and hysterics the next. While Reynolds is a consummate entertainer and can command any audience, her lyrics often have a message mixed in amongst the tears and laughter. Her songs level the playing field of human differences, addressing everything from social issues to private demons and cross boundries as mainstream and alternative in the very same moment. Never one to settle for the status quo, Reynolds clearly enjoys the diversity of her audience. Karen signed a publishing deal with Wolf Publishing, Nashville, in early 2007 and freelances as an independent career management and radio promotion consultant for independent artists and major publishers. She has 2 releases to date and is currently working on her third.
To ask her directly, Karen will describe herself as a simple southern girl...and she smiles a lot.
AWARDS, ACCOMPLISHMENTS, ASSOCIATIONS:
WINNER-Out & About Awards-Favorite Musician;
WINNER-Americana Highway HEMI Awards;
"Convince My Heart" Nominated Best Folk Album, JustPLainFolks Music Awards, LA;
Featured Artist: "Cumberland Avenue Revisited-A History of Knoxville Music";
MEMBER-Nashville Songwriters Association International;
MEMBER-Indiegrrl;
MEMBER-Knoxville Arts & Culture Alliance;
MEMBER-Nashville Independent Music;
MEMBER-Just Plain Folks;
Anthem Vocalist: Tennessee Smokies (17 years);
Anthem Vocalist: 1996 US Olympic Baseball Team;
Anthem Vocalist: Immigration Naturalization Ceremonies, Knoxville, TN
APPEARANCES/VENUES:
Eddie's Attic, Decatur GA,
Blue Bird Cafe, Nashville TN
SOHo's, Washington DC,
Cape Fear Folk Fest, Wilmington NC,
Southern Womyn's Festival,
Underground Folk Series, Greenville SC,
Knoxville Pride Festival,
WDVX Camperfest,
Haybarn Rendevous, Dixon IL,
Women's Week, Provincetown MA,
The Moonlight, Birmingham AL,
Charles & Myrtles, Chattanooga TN,
Prodigal Son, Hyannis MA,
Frank Brown Internationsal Songwriter's Fest,
Down Home, Johnson City TN,
Malaprops, Asheville NC,
The Mews, Provincetown MA,
Segment of Society Conccert Series, Indianapolis IN,
Atlanta Pride, Atlanta GA,
French Quarter, Nashville TN,
Converse College, Spartanburg SC,
Come OUT Knoxville Festival,
BMI Acoustic Roundup, Nashville, TN
Flora Bama, Perdido Key FL,
The Sutler, Nashville TN,
Women's Night OUT, Northampton MA,
Nashville Songwriter's Festival,
Broken Spoke, Nashville TN,
Millennium March, Washington DC,
Oprah Winfrey's Oxygen Network Nat'l Tour,
Indiegrrl Nat'l Tour
