Karen Lynne
Multi-Award Winning Singer Songwriter

Growing up in a large family, raised on family singalongs and playing a home-made guitar, Karen’s love of music has always been an integral part of her life. Her understanding that dreams come true only with hard work, dedication and determination, has led Karen to a successful and rewarding professional career. Karen’s music comes directly from the heart, speaking about love, Australia and its people. There is a special, haunting quality in Karen’s voice and this, combined with a mixture of great songs is her secret to success. Her latest album “Second Wind” is her fourth quality album release and has so far achieved 11 Major Award Nominations, two Major Award wins, 3 charting hits (two in the “Top 10”).

As a soloist, Karen performs predominantly Country and Australian Folk music accompanying herself on the twelve-string guitar or with backing (where applicable). Her versatility extends to various duo formats; singing both traditional ‘old time’ & contemporary country music. She also works extensively in a Bluegrass band format and this particular collaboration resulted in a fine Bluegrass album with Sydney Band ‘Acoustic Shock’ called “Blue Mountain Rain” which collectively has now received 9 major Award Nominations and has also won the Award for ‘Best Independent Release’ in the 2003 Victorian & National Country Music Awards.

In Feb 2004 she took out Top Honours winning the ‘Bluegrass & Traditional Country’ category in the VIC & National CM Awards and she also picked up the Award for Top Female Vocalist in the 2003 Australian Independent Country Music Awards. She also received 2 other Finalist Nominations in the ‘Single Of the Year’ & ‘Heritage Track of the Year’ categories respectively. She has previously achieved Grand Finalist Nominations in the ‘Album of the Year’ Category (1999), ‘Female Rising Star’ Category (1999 & 2000) and the ‘Female Vocalist’ category (2002). Over her career she has now notched up over 10 Chart Hits.

Karen’s other achievements include a Top 5 Finalist in the ‘New Talent’ category and Top 10 Nominations in the ‘Female Vocal’, ‘Vocal Collaboration’ (with Pat Drummond) & ‘APRA Song of the Year’ categories in the 1999, 2001 & 2003 Australian Country Music ‘Golden Guitar’ Awards. She has also received Award Nominations in the ‘Female Vocal’ (2003 & 2004), Collaboration (2004), Bluegrass & Traditional Country (2004) & ‘Best Independent Release’ categories (2003 & 2004) in the Victorian & National Country Music Awards. In the 2003 ‘TIARA’ (Independent Recording) Awards she received finalist Nominations in the ‘Female Vocal’, ‘Collaboration’ & ‘Bush Ballad’ categories and previously, finalist Nominations in the ‘Stan Coster Heritage’ Category (1999), ‘Collaboration’ (2000), ‘Songwriting’(2000), ‘Heritage’(2000) & ‘Female Vocal’(2000) Categories.

Karen has previously spent time songwriting in Nashville, USA both prior & since the release of her debut CD, “Labour of Love” (a blend of traditional & contemporary Country, Australian Folk and Bluegrass styles), which featured 3 of Karen's original compositions, a hauntingly beautiful version of Henry Lawson's poem ‘Water Lilly’ and an exceptional version of Enda Kenny's ‘Colours of Australia’. Following this, Karen collaborated with noted Australian Singer/Songwriter, Pat Drummond and from this partnership came a highly acclaimed Duet Album “Six days in December”, released in 2000. Tracks from this album are all Australian penned and have notched up an impressive record with wins in three categories of the QLD National Songwriting Competition - ‘General Country’, ‘Best Contemporary Song’ and ‘Overall Best Contemporary Song’. 10 of the 11 songs have been penned by Pat and/or Karen & in January 2000 it also reached the Grand Finals of the TSA Australian National Country Songwriting Competition where it took out the Award for ‘Contemporary Country Song of the year’ in the 2001 Songwriter Salute Awards.

So impressed with her talent, a noted UK Promoter invited her to tour the UK for a number of weeks in October/November 1999 which she did to rave reviews & has re-visited just as successfully in 2002. This followed her success in July 1999 when she was the first Australian to enter the Top 10 of the Nashville ‘International Country Music Association’ - Non-Major Label Chart (at the same time she also made it to No. 28 in the mixed Major/ Non Major label chart). Karen has again spent time songwriting in Nashville, USA writing with some known Nashville writers - including Mark Selby (‘There's Your Trouble’ - as performed by the Dixie Chicks). She has recently completed her second UK tour in late 2002 - organised to promote her second solo release “Second Wind”.

Karen has also been a Grand finalist in the prestigious Australian Country ‘Starmaker’ Quest, and has won the ‘TSA National Songwriting Competition’ with the song ‘Grandma Used to Say’ (co-written with Heather Field and James Gillard). Other songwriting credits include 3rd placing in the Tasmanian TSA Songwriting Competition for a co-write ‘Country Home’, Finalist positions in the ‘Spectacular Progress’ and ‘Most Popular Female’ Categories in the Spirit of Tamworth, Independent Artists Country Music Awards and a number of Capital Country Music Association (CCMA) Awards for performance including twice ‘Female Vocalist’, twice ‘Best Performance of an Australian Composition’, and ‘Best Band’ (with her former band Shades of Grey).

Karen’s recordings have been featured on a number of high profile Country Compilations including ‘Half the Moon’ - EMI ‘Winners 7’ compilation (featuring Australian Country Music Awards winners & finalists); Pat Drummond’s ‘Song of the Quilt’ - Illawarra Folk Festival Compilation; Enda Kenny’s ‘Colours of Australia’ - National Folk Festival compilation; ‘Grandma Used To Say’ - ABC ‘Open Road Two - Unexplored Country’ compilation & Pat Drummond’s ‘The Outback’s been Getting the Rain’ - EMI ‘Send it Down Huey’ Compilation (proceeds going towards national Drought Relief).

Click Here

Download this article in MS Word format
Download the "Lazy man's article" for media personnel.
Download Media release for "Blue Mountain Rain" (4k)
Download promotional photo for Karen Lynne & Acoustic Shock (17k)
Download Monthly Update (March 2000 - 31k)
Download Monthly Update (Feb 2001 - 23k)
Download Monthly Update (Jan 2001 - 37k)
Download promotional photo of Karen Lynne (73k)
Download promotional photo of Pat Drummond & Karen Lynne Duo (147k)
Download promotional photo of "Acoustic Shock" (17k)

Album Sales | Achievements | Reviews | Charts