McGuckin Entertainment PR - Music

KARA GRAINGER

www.karagrainger.com

Take smooth, seductive vocals, add powerful and passionate guitar and an honest approach to songwriting, and what is created is the one-of-a-kind emotive sound that has made Australian guitarist Kara Grainger a sought-after performer on several continents.

Grainger got her musical start playing guitar in several bands during secondary school in a working-class suburb of Sydney, Australia: Balmain, known for its pubs and live music venues catering to players and lovers of jazz and blues. Encouragement by a teacher to perform live and guitar lessons with Mark Williams, a local instructor to many who became professional players, led to a regular gig at the city’s premiere music venue, The Basement.

Early on, she was infused by her parents’ record collection (Joni Mitchell, Emmylou Harris, The Beatles) and the soul and blues discs in her brother Mitch’s collection (legendary guitarists like Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan, John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters and Ry Cooder, vocalists like Donny Hathaway and Mavis Staples).

For seven years, she was lead singer and guitarist of Papa Lips with brother Mitch playing harmonica and a rhythm section made up of Balmain players. Together, they played all of the continent’s major blues, roots and folk music festivals (from Woodford to The Gympie Muster), toured its east coast and recorded two albums, HARMONY and HIGH TIME NOW.

With the band’s name changed in 2000 to Grainger, it recorded an EP, Kara’s “Sky is Falling” (with producer Harry Vanda, ACDC, The Easy Beats) and continued to tour; a live performance was aired on Country Music Television. She and Mitch traveled to New York City to follow up on label interest.

“Secret Soul,” Grainger’s love song for the wrong man, was recorded on her solo EP, was picked up by BBC Radio 2 and earned an honorable mention in Billboard’s 2005 international songwriting competition. During her stint as guitarist-vocalist for The Steve Prestwich Band (he was drummer/songwriter with legendary Australian band Cold Chisel), she was featured in both the ABC-TV series “Live at The Basement” and the group’s extended DVD release. She also was guest vocalist on an album slated for release in 2007 by an English band, Freewinder. Along the way evolved technical and emotional mastery of acoustic, electric and slide guitars, Dobro and lap steel.

On her own, Grainger has toured extensively, including throughout Japan and opening for star guitarist Eric Johnson across Australia and for Little Feat and Robben Ford there, and earned Australia-wide radio airplay.

In the States, her shows have included opening for guitarist Johnson and fellow Australian actor-singer Russell Crowe at Hollywood’s House of Blues as well as her own shows at several venues throughout Los Angeles. She showcased at the 2006 International Folk Alliance Conference in Austin.

Now based in Los Angeles, Grainger has just completed recording her debut solo album through independent Australian label Craving Records, GRAND AND GREEN RIVER, which is shopping for a licensing agreement. Producer was the critically acclaimed David Kalish, best known for his work with Rickie Lee Jones, and Ben Harper, with additional production by Grainger and Barrie Maguire, whose work includes albums by Blue Note recording artist Amos Lee, who shares a duet with Grainger on her album.

The solo debut album is a stunning collection of songs showcasing Grainger’s unique blend of blues, soul, contemporary folk and pop — pure vocals that go from smooth to sultry, provocative guitar work and elegant storytelling from a beautiful entertainer.

Her passions for living life, making music and sharing her work speak louder than words — well, not her words; they speak of love and loss and laughter, punctuated with shimmering guitars.

For more information and performance dates, see
http://www.mcguckinpr.com/mcguckin/karagrainger/karagrainger.htm

Contacts:
McGuckin Entertainment PR
Heidi Labensart, 512.478.0578; heidi@mcguckinpr.com
Jill McGuckin, 512.217.9404; jill@mcguckinpr.com

Lara Goodridge, Craving Records, New South Wales, 02.9555.6209; lara@cravingrecords.com

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Artist Information:
Bio
Fact Sheet
Recording Credits
[Link] [PDF]
Craving Records

Press Releases:
Aug. 20, 2007
Jul. 18, 2007
May 10, 2007
May 3, 2007
Apr. 25, 2007
Jan. 31, 2007

Press Coverage:
Indie Islands Autumn 2007
[Link] [PDF]
Gearwire:
Sep. 5, 2007
Tennesseean:
Aug. 28, 2007
Daily Texan:
Jun. 7, 2007
Austin American Statesman:
Mar. 7, 2007