Carolyn's wonderful songs kinda sneak up on you, quickly taking you to the heart of the matter. She's a fine songwriter. ”

— Roy Forbes, Canadian Singer Songwriter, BC Entertainment Hall of Fame

Press Kit

Carolyn Anele is a "Singer with a beautiful voice...a spectacular songwriter."

 -  Marion Barchel, CBC Radio, Kelowna

“Carolyn has the gift of music, strong melody and lyric. She thinks and analyzes and finds her bliss in the song.  Finally, her wit and humour is revealed as she performs with professionality and her own engaging style. I wish her every success in this crazy creative business.”

 -  Fred Penner, Canadian Singer Songwriter, Canadian Music Hall of Fame, Order of Canada

 

SHORT BIO

Carolyn Anele (a-NEL) is an award winning contemporary folk singer songwriter whose pure natural voice, innovative melodies and well-crafted lyrics weave a fusion of folk, country, bluegrass and Celtic roots music into uplifting stories of life, love, family and the simple journey of the human heart

With a voice compared to the likes of Mary Gauthier and Judy Collins and the humorous sensibilities of Connie Kaldor, Carolyn writes songs that can make you laugh and make you cry.

The Nashville Taxi Driver asked, "If you had to choose songwriting or performing,

which would it be?" "Songwriting, without a doubt," said Carolyn.

 

MEDIUM BIO

Carolyn Anele (a-NEL) is an award winning contemporary folk singer songwriter whose songs, a fusion of folk, country, bluegrass and celtic roots music, tell uplifting stories of life, love, family, friendship and the simple journey of the human heart.  Born and raised in Salmon Arm, BC, Canada, Carolyn resides in Vernon, BC.  Winner of the 2013 BC Musician Fred Penner National Songwriting Contest for Carolyn’s song, ‘I’m A Baby’ – the song was released on her album called, ‘Where Birds Sing’.    Carolyn wrapped up her second full length album, ‘Wishes, Dreams & Centuries’ and was released September 2018 to a sold out crowd in Vernon. On this Album, The Goose Song was a 2018 Top Five Winner in the Great American International Song Contest in the Special Music Category.

With a voice compared to the likes of Mary Gauthier and Judy Collins and the humorous sensibilities of Connie Kaldor, Carolyn writes songs that can make you laugh and make you cry.

The Nashville Taxi Driver asked, "If you had to choose songwriting or performing,

which would it be?" "Songwriting, without a doubt," said Carolyn.

 “Carolyn's wonderful songs kinda sneak up on you, quickly taking you to the heart of the matter.  She's a fine songwriter.”  - Roy Forbes, Canadian Singer Songwriter, BC Entertainment Hall of Fame

“Carolyn has the gift of music, strong melody and lyric. She thinks and analyzes and finds her bliss in the song.  Finally, her wit and humour is revealed as she performs with professionality and her own engaging style. I wish her every success in this crazy creative business.”  -  Fred Penner, Canadian Singer Songwriter, Canadian Music Hall of Fame, Order of Canada

www.carolynanele.com

 

LONG BIO

Singer-Songwriter Carolyn Anele (a-NEL) loves to write songs. She can be found at the kitchen table with papers and files all around her of songs in various forms of completion. It's a rare occurrence these days when she has solitude to write but squeezes out whatever time she gets during the everyday activities of being a Wife, Mother, Artist and Homemaker. "Family and music, it doesn't get any better than that for me!"    
Carolyn's music sits within the singer songwriter, folk/country, adult contemporary realm. Carolyn plays acoustic guitar and would love to get back to the piano - the first instrument Carolyn learned as a child when she composed her first melodies.

Carolyn was born in Salmon Arm, British Columbia, Canada – a rural town in the North Okanagan Valley surrounded by lakes, rivers and mountains.  As a girl, she preferred creating her own melodies on the old family piano to the tedious practicing of scales and traditional compositions.  In 1990, Carolyn began a seventeen-year career as a support worker at a the Kelowna Women’s Shelter.  This work fostered her drive to pursue writing and performing.   In 1996, Carolyn attended her first workshop, a Power-Song Shop designed for advanced songwriters in Vancouver, B.C. This affirming opportunity inspired Carolyn to continue learning and honing her writing skills. In 2000, Carolyn started her career as a solo artist and writer, promoting her original material. She was chosen to perform her own songs that summer at a fundraising event held for the B.C. Children's Hospital, where headliners, Jann Arden and Amanda Marshall later performed on stage.

Carolyn's 2002 debut album, ‘The Harbour’ features seven original songs – a mixture of folk, contemporary, blue grass, spiritual and instrumental music. Her CD won a 2003 KADAC (Kelowna & District Arts Council) Award of Honour for CD Release in the Okanagan.  In 2004, Carolyn was nominated for the KADAC Favorite Female Performer of the year and Favorite Folk Artist of the year.  Coinciding with the release of ‘The Harbour’ CD, Carolyn's sell out debut concert in the spring of 2002, combined her musical pursuits with her humanitarian efforts – a fundraising event for Inside/Out, a violence prevention program for teens. 

Carolyn has since released her 4 song CD, self titled ‘Carolyn Anele’ as well as her Single Release called “Where Birds Sing”. 

After taking time to raise her family, Carolyn released her first full length album, ‘Where Birds Sing’ in the Fall of 2013 to a sold-out crowd.  The song “I'm A Baby” was the Winner of the BC Musician Fred Penner National Songwriting Contest and was a Finalist in the Great American International Song Contest. “Coal Dust Sandwiches" was a Finalist in both the Great American Song Contest and the UK International Songwriting Contest.  

Carolyn released her second full length album, 'Wishes, Dreams & Centuries' in September 2018 to a sold out crowd in Vernon BC.  On the album, “The Goose Song” was a 2018 Top Five Winner in the Special Music Category of the Great American Song Contest.  Another song on the album “Bring That Mountain Down” was awarded a Finalist position in the Country Category of the 2017 Great American International Song Contest and was a Finalist in the 2017 UK International Songwriting Contest.

Carolyn credits singer songwriters, Roy Forbes (Bim) and Bill Henderson (Chilliwack), with helping her learn the craft of songwriting during the many ‘George Ryga Songwriting Workshops’ they facilitated, in Summerland, BC.  Carolyn felt grateful and honoured to be selected, along with a few other songwriters to perform with Bill and Roy on stage in the songwriter showcases through out that time period.    

Post pandemic, Carolyn continues to hone her craft, having just returned from a California retreat facilitated by Andrea Stolpe.  “A retreat is a great kick-start, now that the kids are older and more independent, I have more time to write and perform.”  

Carolyn currently resides in Vernon, B.C. with her husband, teenagers and the family cat and performs for charities, benefits, festivals, showcases, house concerts, galleries, wineries, etc.

Recent Awards

 

Wishes, Dreams & Centuries - Second Full Length Album Received the following Awards:

 

 

2018 Top Five Winner in the Great American International Song Contest for The Goose Song in the Special Music Category

2018 Finalist in the UK Songwriting Contest for Watch Me Fly (piano version) in the Singer Songwriter Category 

Banjo Soul, Alice and The Goose Song were awarded Semi Finalist certificates  

2017 Bring That Mountain Down was awarded a Finalist position in the Country Category of the 2017 Great American International Song Contest and was a Finalist in the 2017 UK International Songwriting Contest

Written for a dear friend who passed away from Parkinson's disease.  The song Watch Me Fly (guitar version) was a Finalist in the 2016 UK International Songwriting Contest  

 

 

Where Birds Sing - Debut Full Length Album Received the following Awards:

 

2019 Finalist for "I'm A Baby" in the Great American Song Contest in the Special Music Category

2017 Finalist in the Great American International Song Contest for Coal Dust Sandwiches written by Carolyn Anele & Howard Brown. The song garnered a Top Ten Finalist position in the Folk/Americana Category.  (100 Finalists were chosen overall from 1800 entries in the contest)

 

2016 Finalist in the UK International Songwriting Contest for Coal Dust Sandwiches and Semi-Finalist for songs, I'm Not Ready (A Mother's Prayer) and I'm A Baby
 

2014 Top 25 Finalist for the Singer Songwriter Mentor Experience, supported by the Songwriters Association of Canada for the song I'm Not Ready (A Mother's Prayer)

2013 Winner of the BC Musician Fred Penner National Songwriting Contest for the song I'm a Baby
 

2013 Semi-finalist in the International Songwriting Competition for the song Coal Dust Sandwiches

 

Highlights include opening for singer-songwriter

Eric Bogle

Performing in singer-songwriter showcases with

Bill Henderson

Roy Forbes

Lester Quitzau

Mae Moore

Fred Penner

Wendell Ferguson, Shane Chisholm, Andrea England, Duane Steele

Carolyn Co-wrote the Kelowna’s official Centennial song “100 Years” for the City of Kelowna and was a regular participant in the George Ryga Songwriting Workshops at The Ryga Center in Summerland, B.C. facilitated by Roy Forbes and Bill Henderson.

 

For more information please visit www.carolynanele.com or contact carolynanele@shaw.ca

 

Carolyn's musical vision is to write songs that will inspire, uplift and heal

Press Photos

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To get a song or full album download, media can contact Carolyn by using the Contact Form below.  Thank you.

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