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Karen Potje
westmount, Canada |
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Karen Potje’s ‘’Can’t Help but Love You, Baby’’ has been named by the Parent’s Choice Foundation as one of its recommended CDs for 2009. According to Parent’s Choice reviewer Lynne Heffley, Karen’s music ‘’sparkles with sophisticated vocal stylings and a dash of quirky humor.’’ The John Lennon songwriting competition likes Karen’s songs too. Their judges picked ‘’Garbage Day’’ as a finalist in the Children’s Category in 2008, not long after the release of the CD. (What kid can resist holding his nose and singing about stinky stuff and germy junk?!?) But it was at her town’s street festival that Karen recently received her highest honor. One little boy -- he must have been about seven - sang along, shook maracas, danced, clapped in time, and even got to share the mike with Karen as they snorted and snuffled through ‘Hug-a-bug Pug.’’ And then, at the end of the set, he told Karen’ ‘’This was the greatest day of my life!’’
Born in Ontario, Canada, Karen displayed her childhood disdain for country music by her own nose-holding display, in a parody of the country twang. But her attitude was turned upside down in 1989 when she moved from Canada to Texas. With hurtin’ songs, Western swing, and Honky Tonk filling the airwaves, she couldn’t help loving the stuff and writing some of her own. Keeping an open mind and ear, however, she also sang classical and choral music. In fact, as an alto in the Dallas Symphony chorus she took part in their New York concert at Carnegie Hall’s 100th anniversary celebration.
When Karen’s first baby was born, a whole new musical interest was born as well. She vividly remembers that sweaty June day when she paced her Dallas driveway, squalling baby in her arms, and wrote her first kids’ song, ‘’Baby’s in a Slump.’’ (Mom was in a bit of a slump too.)
Returning to Montreal, one baby in tow and another on the way, Karen had a lot to write about, and the songs – sly, silly, fun and beautifully crafted – kept on coming. Soon Karen left choral singing behind in favour of a solo repertoire of jazz standards, classic Leonard Cohen and Hank Williams, and her own expressive and honest music. She began performing her ‘’grown-up’’ repertoire in Montreal coffee houses, telling good stories about real people in a voice that holds a hint of country warmth.
Meanwhile, as Karen’s children have grown, the music she writes about kids, about how parents see their kids, and about how kids see the world has continued to evolve.
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http://www.karenpotje.com |
Purchase Karen Potje music here : http://cdbaby.com/cd/karenpotje |
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