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East Tennessee native, Award winning Singer Songwriter and Recording Artist, Karen E. Reynolds, has appeared at premier venues, performance series' and high profile festivals such as Nashville's Bluebird Cafe, Atlanta's Eddie's Attic, The Frank Brown International Songwriters Festival, The Kent State Folk Festival, The Mississippi Songwriters Festival, Bristol Rhythm and Roots, The Cape Fear Folk Festival, The Nashville Songwriters Festival, The National Shrimp Festival, The Down Home, Rhythm n Blooms Festival, The Square Room, The Dogwood Arts Festival, Douglas Corner, The Fleur de Lis Acoustic Series, The Listening Room, Charles & Myrtles, The Pine Ridge House Concert Series, and the cherished Ford Theater at the Country Music Hall of Fame, just to name a few, all while sharing the stage with some of the best in the music industry and in front of tens of thousands. With a style that is described as, "Americana Heart & Southern Soul", and often compared by the media to the likes of Mary Chapin-Carpenter, James Taylor, Carole King and Linda Ronstadt, Karen has been coined as, "a consummate performer who can command any audience", and with varying descriptions, calling her “hearty voiced” one moment and claiming her to have the “voice of an angel” the next. A reporter once stated that Karen is a songwriter who will "go for the emotional jugular, every time" and it is true. You will not leave a Karen E. Reynolds concert unmoved. She will reach your hearts, every time.
Karen signed her first publishing agreement in 2007 which brought attention from both independent and major labels. Along with being a recording artist, Karen regularly writes with nationally recognized artists and songwriters, and has chalked up a respectable list of independent cuts including (just a few): Sydni Stinnett, Ryan Sheley, Robbie Helton (Emi Sunshine), Callie Watson, Jason Mitchell, Robert K. Wolf, Sean Gasaway and well known Canadian recording artist, Amanda Rheaume, just to name a few, as well as, major label holds, including the likes of Kenny Chesney and Alan Jackson. Karen curently enjoys a variety of publishing arrangements, including managing her own publishing company.
A respected music industry consultant working with independent artists and songwriters in developing their careers, and a working member of the Nashville based, 'Music Business Mentoring Professionals', Karen provides consultation and career coaching to artists wishing to further their careers; is a faculty member for the Tennessee Mountain Writers Conference; taught songwriting and music business for the University Of Tennessee, as well as, the Kent State University Music Workshop program; teaches for several in-school programs for a variety of large music festivals; is a Board Member for ProMusicU, a Nashville based music education organization made up of industry professionals; spent years as a Mentor/Instructor for the Country Music Hall of Fame's prestigious 'Words and Music in Schools' program, and has national credits to her name as a producer, publicist, and promoter. She is also creator, host and program director of "Writer's Block", a radio program broadcast worldwide for the last 16 years, showcasing independent artists and recently served as the Director of Education on the Board of Directors for We R Indie, a non-profit organization providing education, opportunity and visibility for the independent artist. Karen is a frequent speaker at music industry events and regularly teaches workshops for a variety of conferences, festivals and songwriting associations in the Eastern and Southern United States. Karen created the curriculum and is the Director for, the very successful 'Frank Brown International Songwriters Festival' In-Schools Outreach Songwriting Program', bringing songwriting and music to schools via a curriculum based performance, educational and instructional experience. She also serves as the writer-in-residence for the Mississippi Songwriters Festival Educational Outreach.
With 3 independently produced albums already on the market, and on the heels of her successful cd, ‘Read The Book,’ Karen's latest release, 'Paper Castles', has been met with critical acclaim and is receiving airplay nationwide and on over 400 radio stations abroad. According to the critics, the East Tennessee based artist "is going places and you want to be along for the ride." But should you ask her directly, Karen will describe herself as a simple southern girl....and she smiles a lot. For additional info, visit www.reverbnation.com/karenereynolds, www.facebook.com/karenereynoldsmusic, www.twitter.com/karenereynolds or www.karenereynolds.com
BOOKING/MEDIA CONTACT:
karenereynoldsmusic@gmail.com
KAREN'S PRESS QUOTES:
"Karen’s voice is a treasure in itself. She could sing a rousing version of ”The Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round” for forty five minutes with an ovation of “Itsy Bitsy Spider” and it would be worth it. Her vocal gift that is well honed but not over-used, has a folksy style reminiscent of Judy Collins, Mary Chapin-Carpenter, even a little Dido…..if Dido were a good ole’ Southern gal that looks like she is as comfortable on stage as she might be in a fishing boat or playing fetch with some muddy labradors."- Gulf2Key Magazine
"....a singer-songwriter with a melodious alto and a penchant for writing everything from wickedly witty to staggeringly beautiful lyrics."- Maryville Daily Times
"An Americana singer songwriter in the realm of creativity as Cheryl Wheeler, Mary Chapin-Carpenter, James Taylor and Carole King."- Metro Pulse Magazine
"Her latest album, “Paper Castles,” showcases her honey-smooth voice in a way that resonates stronger than anything else she’s ever done. There’s an operatic quality to Reynolds’ voice, but the nuance with which she wields it on her wide-ranging repertoire of Americana, country and folk makes for a much more soulful, and powerful, punch."- Daily Times Weekend Edition