Nashville, TN. (Top40 Charts/ Yep Roc Records) - Third generation country royalty maven Carlene Carter continues her musical voyage following the release of her new LP STRONGER on Yeproc Records. Known for bridging all sorts of musical genres and bridges, Carter opened for
Elvis Costello in
Memphis and at the Ryman in Nashville last week. She then jetted to LA to play a sold out show at hip venue The Mint ,where she was joined by producer and former Doobie brother John McPhee.Says McFee: "Carlene's heart and soul just come through... She's smart and she's a good writer, so you know it's gonna be good."But this is more than just a bunch of songs," he added. "She pulls no punches. She's brave and she has this attitude to face life, to go on. She's been through a lot and she figured out how to pull something from it."
Longtime fan and Elton John partner Bernie Taupin ( writer of Goodbye Yellowbrick Road and Candle in the Wind) came to the show to congratulate Carlene. Like her peers, fans at each show were wildly enthusiastic and welcomed their queen back with open arms and standing ovations. Elvis Costello wrote McPhee immediately after hearing an advance copy of the record "I couldn't't let a day go by without writing about C.C.'s record- it is astounding!", he said.
Carlene, a wild child of the '70s L.A. country-rock and U.K. punk scenes, has emerged from a life that scanned far wilder than any country song. But in her own prolonged addiction and the 2003 deaths of paramour Howie Epstein, her mother, stepfather and sister Rosie, she found the strength to return to writing and created "Stronger," a song cycle that documents the pain, loss and courage it took to regain control of her life. Says Carter: " you know, everybody's lost somebody, got their heart broken, wanted to take the snot out of someone, been madly in love... It's part of real life if you're living it." She certainly lived it , and at times those around her wondered whether she'd survive the downward spiral of shady characters, drug abuse and personal tragedy. "Once I started writing, it all flooded out of me," she says. "I've always been one of those people - once I start something, I have to get it all out, because it gets me."
In spite of her musical laughter, Carter's been through things that would topple most. Rather than crumbling, she's emerged with a project as shiny and ebullient as her punk-era "Musical Shapes" or her 1990 mainstream country hit "I Fell in Love."
Opening "Stronger" with a revved-up train beat, "The Bitter End" serves as the prologue for a song cycle that moves through the harrowing path she'd been on with Epstein, the former bassist with Tom Petty's Heartbreakers whose own addiction troubles ended with his 2003 overdose. Review after review, critics and fans alike attest to her incredible songwriting and performance abilities all of which are better than ever.
Carlene takes her third generation Carter family music to Europe next week and will continue her tour in Southern California the end of May.
