Valerie Carter

The female west coast voice ....

Possessing a voice at once adept at soul, rock, pop, and folk, Valerie Carter has had a successful career as a solo artist and in-demand backup singer. Beginning her career singing in coffee houses as a teenager, she eventually became one third of the short-lived country-folk band Howdy Moon. Though they debuted at the legendary Troubador in Los Angeles in 1974, their one album is now fairly obscure. It is notable, however, for the Carter-penned song "Cook With Honey," later a minor hit for Judy Collins, and for the introduction of Carter to Lowell George, who produced the album. He would be a mentor to her till his death in 1979 and introduce her to Jackson Browne, James Taylor, and many other artists she would work with throughout her career.

Her first solo album, Just a Stone's Throw Away, featured an impressive array of guest artists from the 1970s Southern California music scene. The album was well-received and garnered favorable reviews, plus an opening slot for the Eagles in Europe. Though she released another album, Wild Child, two years later, she had all but dropped out of the music business by the early '80s.

By the end of the decade she had returned, focusing primarily on singing backup on a wide variety of albums by other artists. In addition, she spent most of the 1990s touring in Browne's and Taylor's bands. With the momentum afforded her by this re-entry to the music business, Carter released her first solo album in 17 years, The Way It Is, in 1996. The excellent EP Find a River followed two years later.

Words by Rob Caldwell from allmusic.com - More info at the official website.

Howdy Moon -
Howdy Moon
"The first group"
The Tracks are: Lovelight, Cheyenne Autumn, I'm Alone, Nora Lee, Runnaway, And You Never Knew, Machine, Cook with Honey, For Tonight & Millstream.
Musicians on the Just A Stone´s Throw Away album: Valerie Carter, Richard Hovey, Jon Lind, Eric Eisner, Dennis Budimir, Arthur Adams, Lowell George, Dennis Budimir, Andrew Gold, Sneaky Pete, Chuck Rainey, David Parlato, Wilton Felder, Roy Estrada, Van Dyke Parks, Bill Payne, Gordon De Witty, Mike Utley, Bill Payne, Jim Keltner, Fred White, Gary Mallaber, Richard Hayward, Sam Clayton, John Bargamo, Milt Holland, Bobby Hall & John Sebastian.
Available from A&M Records/Original release year: 1974

Valerie Carter -
Just A Stone´s Throw Away
"Solo album from the AWB leadsinger"
The Tracks are: Ooh Child, Ringing Doorbells In The Rain, Heartache, Face Of Appalachia, So So Happy, A Stone´s Throw Away, Cowboy Angel, City Lights & Back To Blue Some More.
Musicians on the Just A Stone´s Throw Away album: Valerie Carter and others.
Available from Columbia Records/Original release year: 1977

 

Valerie Carter -
Wild Child
"Solo album from the AWB leadsinger"
The Tracks are: Crazy, Da Doo Rendezvous, What´s Become Of Us, Taking The Long Way Home, Lady In The Dark, The Story Of Love, The Blue Side, Change In Luck, Trying To Get To You & Wild Child.
Musicians on the Wild Child album: Valerie Carter and others.
Available from Columbia Records/Original release year: 1978

 

Valerie Carter -
The Way It Is
"Valerie Carter is showin´the way"
The Tracks are: The Way It Is, Love Needs A Heart, Sea Of Stars, Into The Mystic, Who Is She (And What Is She To You), I Say Amen, When The Blues Come To Call, I Wonder Why & Whistle Down The Wind.
Musicians on the The Way It Is album: Valerie Carter and others.
Available from Unity Records/Original release year: 1996

 

Valerie Carter -
Find A River
"Valerie Carter is showin´the way"
The Tracks are: After The Gold Rush, Crazy You, Tomorrow Morning, Happiness & Find A River.
Musicians on the Find A River album: Valerie Carter and others.
Available from Records/Original release year: 1999

 

Valerie Carter -
Vanilla Grits
"A collection of songs"
The Tracks are: Ooh Child, Love Needs A Heart, Face Of Appalachia, Just A Stone´s Throw Away, Into The Mystic, Blue Side & After The Gold Rush.
Musicians on the Vanilla Grits album: Valerie Carter and others.
Available from VRP Records/Original release year: 2001

 

Valerie Carter -
Midnight Over Honey River
"Best of Valerie Carter"
The Tracks are: The Way It Is, Saiking Shoes, Lo And Behold, Birds, I Wonder Why, Da Doo Rendezvous, After The Gold Rush, A Stone´s Throw Away, Trying To Get To You, Happiness, Whistle Down The Wind, Ooh Child, Atlantic City, Sailing Shes, Happiness, A Stone Throw Away, Find A River, Heartache, After The Gold Rush, Long Distance Lover, Long Distance Lover, Wishes (bonus) & Sing This Song (bonus).
Musicians on the Midnight Over Honey River album: Valerie Carter and others.
Available from Vivid Records/Original release year: 2004

Valerie Carter -
The Way It Is
"Reissue of the 1996 release + added tracks"
The Tracks are: The Way It Is, Love Needs A Heart, That´s The Way Of The World, Blessing In Disguise, Into The Mystic, Birds, I Say Amen, Who Is She (And What Is She To You), When The Blues Come To Call, I Wonder Why, Sea Of Stars & Whistle Down The Wind.
Musicians on the The Way It Is album: Valerie Carter and others.
Available from Pony Canyon Records/Original release year: 2006

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