Julz Parker and Mandy Mayhew are my constants! Different people get involved according to the needs of the album. In fact, the next album will be with the complete band including Wesley Ellis.
If you're interested in being kept in the know
Influences
loads of them!!! Joni Mitchell for starters.....James Taylor......David Gray.....PJ Harvey.....Jeff Buckley.....Al Stewart.......melodic styles, writers who tell stories, describe inner thoughts, do more than wear their hearts on their sleeves....who try to put across a deep philosophical point of view without it sounding that way...it sort of glides into the listener's consciousness...
As a child, I was hugely affected by listening to Beethoven and other Roamntic composers. My mother was a music teacher and these were her favourites and subsequently, became mine. To this day, I get an over-whelming sense of joy when I hear the Emporor Concerto, indescribable.
Growing up through the 70's, I was impressed by Leonard Cohen's lyrics. You know he started off as a poet and then added the music.
My influences now are people like the band, East of Ealing and Project Winterhaven. Not only are they brilliant bands, they're also really good mates and I recommend you check them out.
Sounds Like
OK.....people say I sound like (have inflections of) Joni Mitchell (no surprise there!!).....Joan Armatrading....Helen Reddy.....Mary Chapin-Carpenter....they're the main ones.
Growing up on a Dorset farm, in south west England, I started writing songs at an early age, learned guitar and got writing. At 19, I started up FolkMoot in Exeter, a songwriter club where many local and well-known artists appeared including Show of Hands. Whilst at college in Hull, I appeared regularly on BBC Radio Humberside.
I moved to London to record my first album with Koala Records. Did hundreds and hundreds of gigs......and on the way I worked with some wonderfully talented musicians.....Ron de Jong (great jazz pianist), Mike Williams (country boy), Claus Regli (great guitarist and arranger) and my lovliest friend and co-writer, Patti Layne. We've just resumed our songwriting partnership so watch this space!
I hooked up with "Girls with Guitars (UK)" (songwriting consortium) and went over to Nashville with Mandy Mayhew (July + August 05) to promote my debut album "Kayla". Venues included the prestigious Bluebird Café by personal invitation of Barbara Cloyd, The Americana Tonight Show (recorded at the Sutler for radio distribution), special feature at The Hall of Fame, Jack Scott’s French Quarter & shown on internet TV, headlined in the round with Devon O’Day, Kim McLean, Leilah Safka (Melanie’s daughter) at the FOPP Writer’s Night and performed as a featured writer on Debi Champion’s Commodore night.
A review by Paul Davis of The Internet Country Show talking about my debut album "Kayla" ………- Carrie is one of the UK’s ‘new breed of folk-country’ that represent the generation of today. She wears her heart on her sleeve with class. All self-penned, here are several notable biographical songs herewith given the classic singer-songwriter airing via guitar-based ‘folk-country’ interpretation.
Review by Media Medley’s, Earl Douglass………Carrie’s sweet, angelic voice, fine acoustic guitar skills and personal lyrics paints masterpieces of emotional snapshots on her current album, "Kayla". Carrie’s voice, (and what a voice!), invokes favorable comparisons to Joni Mitchell. Her style, though, is her own and shines with a rich luster on tracks 1, "You Make Me Sing" and 10, "Kayla". Track 8, "Poisoned Words" is my personal favorite. This is a powerful, anger driven, blues tinged song that highlights an edgier aspect of Carrie’s voice not found elsewhere on this CD. The creative bass work by Joe Parker on this track is outstanding.
SONGWRITERS-IN-THE-ROUND ON TOUR MARCH 3RD 2004 In the SODA - Salon of the Kulturbrauerei (Old Brewery), Berlin, Germany.
Mandy Mayhew and I played an evening of original and unplugged acoustic songs alongside Ic Falkenberg, Timon Hoffmann and others, with Tom Cunningham as host.
The review said (translated) “No distance would have been too far to come for these featured writers!!” Carrie Lennard flew in from London that same morning with Jae Avery (Founder of Girls with Guitars UK and songwriter) and Mandy Mayhew (singer, writer, performer) and, as the evening progressed, Carrie showed the spectrum of her amazing musical talent - from melodic songs with real bluesy feeling up to her rocky and powerful singing where she was superbly supported by Mandy Mayhew, whose voice “nuanced” the songs with incredible sensitivity and timing. As most people who have seen and heard her know, Carrie plays a fabulous acoustic guitar. In the words of the sound guys, “It was just ready to record!” (Tom Cunningham Founder & Organiser of Songwriters-in-the-round Tour, Germany)
I've performed in South Africa, Hong Kong, the States, Europe and loads in the UK. Like all othery songwriters, I'm placing a little bit of me out in the world...why?.....because I've wanted to since I was a kid......
Hi dear Carrie. I hope everything is great with you! Wishing you a blessed day & week, with my new video: SEASONS & CYCLES. Another new Gospel video is on my site. If you like my style, please feel very free to pass it on. All my best. Hugs & smiles Ulla :-))
Hey Carrie! Hope all is going well. I'm playing at the Troubadour, London this Wednesday if you fancy coming by! Should be a great night. All the details are on my page. All he best Sarah xx
Hey Carrie, Hello from Nashville! your songs sound great! We are trying to get a trip up to London maybe in May, maybe we can hook up for lunch or something? Hope you are doing well. Karen
New single Marlon R. from ’Today, It’s a Wonderful Day’ + 3 unreleased tracks [acoustic live versions recorded for Resonance FM London] Release date : 28th April 2008
Well it's about time you got round to doing this, look forward to the new album, ours is nearly done too so I hope I will see you this year loverly girl
Thank you for the add and support. Hope you get chance to relax and enjoy my music. The album Hearing Voices will be available for download from the 24th November 2007 so look out for it. Please stay in touch and I will keep you posted on all developments. Have a great week.
Thanks for the add Carrie! Great music, really enjoying it. Do check out our main site at www.halfpennystudios.com - I'm an English record producer based in a studio in Prague. We could chat about working together. Have a fun day! Joe
