Birth name Karen J. Cariker Role Singer Name Karen Dalton | Years active 1960s–1990s Genres Country blues, Jazz | |
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Born July 19, 1937
Enid, Oklahoma, United States ( 1937-07-19 ) Occupation(s) Vocalist, guitarist, banjoist Died March 19, 1993, New York City, New York, United States Albums In My Own Time, It's So Hard to Tell Who's Go, Cotton Eyed Joe, One May Morning, Green Rocky Road Similar People Harvey Brooks, Mark Lanegan, Nick Venet | ||
Instruments Vocals, guitar, banjo | ||
Karen dalton green rocky road pine street recordingsfull album
Karen J. Dalton (born Karen J. Cariker; July 19, 1937 – March 19, 1993) was a Cherokee folk blues singer, guitarist, and banjo player. She was associated with the early 1960s Greenwich Village folk music scene, particularly with Fred Neil, the Holy Modal Rounders, and Bob Dylan.
Contents
- Karen dalton green rocky road pine street recordingsfull album
- Karen dalton tribute
- Biography
- Studio albums
- Live album
- Other releases
- References
Karen dalton tribute
Biography
Dalton was born Karen Jean Cariker in Enid, Oklahoma. Her bluesy, world-weary voice is often compared to jazz singer Billie Holiday, though Dalton said Bessie Smith was a greater influence. She sang blues, folk, country, pop, Motown—making over each song in her own style. She played the twelve string guitar and a long neck banjo.
Dalton's first album, It's So Hard to Tell Who's Going to Love You the Best (Capitol, 1969), was re-released by Koch Records on CD in 1996. Dalton's second album, In My Own Time (1971), was recorded at Bearsville Studios and originally released by Woodstock Festival promoter Michael Lang's label, Just Sunshine Records. The album was produced and arranged by Harvey Brooks, who played bass on it. Piano player Richard Bell guested on In My Own Time. Its liner notes were written by Fred Neil and its cover photos were taken by Elliott Landy.
Both Dalton's albums were re-released in November 2006: It's So Hard To Tell Who's Going To Love You The Best, on the French Megaphone-Music label, included a bonus DVD featuring rare performance footage of Dalton. In My Own Time was re-released on CD and LP on November 7, 2006 by Light In The Attic Records.
Known as "the folk singer's answer to Billie Holiday" and "Sweet Mother K.D.", Dalton is said to be the subject of the song "Katie's Been Gone" (composed by Richard Manuel and Robbie Robertson) on the album The Basement Tapes by The Band and Bob Dylan, who wrote of Dalton that "My favorite singer...was Karen Dalton. Karen had a voice like Billie Holiday and played guitar like Jimmy Reed... I sang with her a couple of times."
Dalton was closely associated with singer/songwriter Tim Hardin, whose songs she covered. She was among the first to sing his "Reason to Believe". She was married to guitarist Richard Tucker, with whom she sometimes played as a duo, and in a trio with Hardin.
She died from an AIDS-related illness in her mobile home, which is (still) located in a clearing off Eagle's Nest Road, outside the town of Hurley, near Woodstock, New York, in March 1993, aged 55. According to her friend Peter Walker, she had been living with the disease for over 8 years.