Karen Dalton – In My Own Time – 50th Anniversary
This CD celebrates the 50th Anniversary of the release of Karen Dalton’s 2nd LP originally recorded in Bearsville & Mercury Studios. Produced by Harvey Brooks (bass) with piano by Richard Bell (who played with Janis Joplin & later The Band).
In My Own Time – 50th Anniversary (Drops March 25-Light In the Attic) reissues the original 10 songs with the addition of bonus alternative takes, previously unreleased 1971 live cuts from both The Beat Club (Germany) & Montreux Golden Rose Pop Festival. A 32-page stitched insert with previously unseen photos, 2006 liner notes by Lenny Kaye (Patti Smith Group), contributions from Nick Cave & Devendra Banhart & Greenwich Village folk singer the late Fred Neil’s original liner notes.
The songs sound clean & begin with Dino Valente’s original classic & an alternate take by Karen (12-string guitar/long neck banjo) on “Something On Your Mind.” Paul Butterfield’s ‘In My Own Dream,” the traditional Karen song “Katie Cruel,” Richard (The Band) Manuel’s “In a Station,” & Richard Tucker’s “Are You Leaving For the Country.”
Ms. Dalton was like Nick Drake & Eva Cassidy. She had little material, few to no concert documentation, a lack of material due to a short active career & untimely death. Musicians who commented that these artists knew famous people & should’ve had more successful careers didn’t understand it’s not how the music business works. It’s not artists who get artists’ contracts, or recognition. These artists were not commercial, contemporary, mainstream, or appealed to a wide record-buying public.
Some might cite Janis Joplin’s success, but Karen was never that kind of flamboyant performer. She was intense differently. No showboating. Karen was a serious artist who was as unique as Drake, Cassidy, Laura Nyro, or Dory Previn.
If Billie Holiday opted out of jazz to go folk — she’d be Karen Dalton. The Texas-born/Oklahoma-raised folk-blues singer Jean Karen Cariker (aka Karen Dalton) appealed to select tastes. She performed with & was admired by Bob Dylan, Fred Neil with a catalog that gained significant recognition & influence on many.
There’s a mediocre 2018 Karen Dalton documentary “A Bright Light” by French producers who did a credible job & provided fascinating information. But the Fellini-type pacing distracted since many images had little to do with Karen. However, the difficulty may be due to a lack of finding concert footage (none to date) or interviews of any kind with Karen (none).
Add’l musicians: Marcus Doubleday (trumpet), Robert Fritz (Belch clarinet), Amos Garrett (guitar), John Hall (guitar solo on “In My Own Dream”), Dan Hankin (guitar), Bill Keith (steel guitar), Hart McNee (tenor sax), Bobby Notkoff (violin), Ken Pearson (organ), Dennis Siewell, Gregg Thomas, Dennis Whitted (drums) & John Simon (piano).
Produced for re-release: Matt Sullivan & Nicholas Hill. First image photo by Carl Baron & 2nd color photo with guitar by Greenwich Entertainment. CD available @ https://karen-dalton.com/products/50th-anniversary-super-deluxe-vinyl-cd +
https://lightintheattic.net/releases/8260-in-my-own-time-50th-anniversary-super-deluxe-edition