Carolyn Shulman

Some people know from an early age what they want to do with their lives. Others take the scenic route. Carolyn Shulman’s story is a little bit of both. She knew from the time her father gave her a guitar and taught her some chords at nine years-old that she wanted to play music for the rest of her life. However, it wasn’t until after she had gotten through almost a decade of working as a lawyer in Houston, Texas, performing in local venues when she could, that she finally decided to focus her full attention on her lifelong passion of writing and performing original music.

Most heavily influenced by the women who helped define the folk/Americana genre before her, Carolyn’s sound is a nod to artists like Shawn Colvin, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Susan Gibson, and Patty Griffin. Her lyrics are clear and deliberate, with a sense of vulnerability, while her steady guitar rhythms and detailed fingerpicking serve as scaffolding for her vocal melodies.

Carolyn recently finished recording her debut, full-length album, Grenadine & Kerosene. Produced by veteran producer and award-winning songwriter John McVey at Cinder Sound Studios in Longmont, Colorado, this album features seasoned musicians Michael O’Connor, Christian Teele, Kramer Kelling, Eric Moon, and more, with backing vocal appearances by Colorado singer-songwriters Megan Burtt, Edie Carey, and Jen Hitt. Grenadine & Kerosene will be released May 21, 2021.