Karen’s baby diary reads, “20 months, knows six songs”. At the age of five, she emceed her kindergarten play. She danced, acted and sang every chance she could throughout her school days, always dreaming of being a performer.
After studying at Syracuse University’s Crouse College of Music, she joined a band where she met extraordinary guitarist Pete Heitzman on stage. Sparks flew from the start, and they soon moved to NYC where they gigged, worked temp jobs, wrote songs, and accumulated recording gear. In the mid ‘80’s, Karen & Pete returned to central NY to convert an 1890’s church into a recording studio and start Alcove Music. Their newly formed band, The Mind’s Eye, took up residence at a club every Monday night for seven years, packing the house and becoming a beloved local institution. Their first recording, WALKIN' THE BRIDGE (Alcove 1988) enticed musician/producer T-Bone Wolk to collaborate with them for their next record. ON THE RIVER ROAD (Alcove 1993) included Language of Love, which was selected out of 3,500 entries and won Grand Prize in Musician Magazine’s Best Unsigned Band Contest of 1995.
Longing to tour, K & P split off from the band and developed their unique duo sound. They signed with a major booking agency and took to the road. SUNDAY IN NANDUA (Alcove 1998) was an artistic milestone, added to many radio playlists across the country and abroad. In 1999, Karen & Pete met iconic musician and songwriter Greg Brown at a festival and began touring with him, playing hundreds of shows together across the country.
The duo’s live performances are uplifting and surprising. As the sun set while they were playing the Vancouver Folk Festival, for the first time in the festival’s then 22 year history, 10 thousand people inexplicably removed their shoes and joyously waved them over their heads for what K & P call “The Miracle of the Shoes”.
ALL MY EXCUSES (Alcove 2002) featured backing vocals by Greg Brown and the phenomenal bass & accordion of T-Bone Wolk. That same year, they also recorded and co-produced Greg Brown’s MILK OF THE MOON (Red House 2002) in a nine day session at their home studio. 2003 saw the release of the acclaimed LIVE AT THE BLACK SHEEP, an unrehearsed collection of original and traditional songs culled from a two night triple-bill with Greg Brown, Garnet Rogers, Karen and Pete.
IN THE DIRT (Alcove 2006) was recorded in a fiery two day session with longtime collaborator T-Bone Wolk.
PROMISE (Alcove 2011) reached #25 on the Euro/Americana chart.
I SHOOK THE TREE (Alcove 2016) was a collaboration with legendary bass player Jerry Jemmott.
Karen and Pete have won eight SAMMY Awards and were inducted into the Hall of Fame. They are also independent record producers and have scored several films.
| Alcove Discography 2016 ~ I Shook The Tree 2011 ~ Promise 2006 ~ In The Dirt 2003 ~ Live At The Black Sheep (with Greg Brown & Garnet Rogers) 2002 ~ All My Excuses 1999 ~ Here We Go 1998 ~ Sunday In Nandua 1993 ~ On The River Road 1988 ~ Walkin' The Bridge |
Production Credits Feature Film Scores Compilations |
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