BIO
Valerie Carter was an American singer-songwriter who had a successful career as a solo artist and "in-demand" guest artist. Beginning her career at singing in coffeehouses as a teenager, she eventually became one-third of a country-folk band "Howdy Moon". Though they debuted at the legendary Troubadour in Los Angeles in 1974, their one album is now fairly obscure. It is notable, however, for the Carter-penned song "Cook With Honey", later a hit for Judy Collins, and for the introduction of Carter to Lowell George, who produced the next album. He would be a mentor to her till his death in 1979 and introduced her to Jackson Browne, James Taylor, and many of the artists she would work with throughout her career.
Her first solo album, "Just A Stone's Throw Away" featured an impressive array of guests artists from the 1970's Southern California music scene. The album was well received and garnered favorable reviews and placed her as the opening act for the Eagles in Europe. Two years later she released another album "Wild Child", and began touring with various artists primarily James Taylor, Jackson Browne, and Linda Ronstadt.
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Carter then released another solo album "The Way It Is" with an incredible line-up of artists and musicians including Phoebe Snow, Lyle Lovett, Edwin McCain, James Taylor, Linda Ronstadt, and Jackson Browne. While the US gave little promotion to this record it has remained one of the greatest "rare" records out there. Japan released a limited edition of this CD with an additional song by Tom Snow.
She followed two years later with the EP "Find a River"
Valerie passed away from a massive coronary on March 4, 2017. After her passing, her sister and longtime friend, Kathy Kurasch, found tapes of songs Valerie had recorded but were never released. The tapes were largely unfinished and on all different formats from 24 track masters, 1/4" masters, ADATs, and cassette. They featured an impressive array of guest artists, musicians, and composers including Prince, Lowell George, Little Feat members, Linda Ronstadt, Nicolette Larson, Steve Tyrell, David Lasley, Will Jennings, and more. Overdubs were done, re-mixing, and mastering and in December of 2018 "The Lost Tapes" was released on Cowboy Angel Records and The Lost Tapes Vol 2 in 2022.
Photo by Taizo Takei ©1994
DISCOGRAPHY
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Valerie Carter Solo Albums:
Just A Stone's Throw Away
Wild Child
The Way It Is
Find A River
The Lost Tapes
Ooh Ooh Child: The Columbia Years
Valerie Carter Live in Tokyo
The Lost Tapes Vol 2
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Background Vocals:
Jackson Browne I'm Alive
Jackson Browne Looking East
Jackson Browne The Next Voice You Hear: The Best Of
Linda Ronstadt Winter Light
Linda Ronstadt Feels Like Home
Linda Ronstadt Dedicated to the One I Love
Linda Ronstadt, Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris Trio
Linda Ronstadt Linda Ronstadt Box Set
James Taylor Gorilla
James Taylor In the Pocket
James Taylor New Moon Shine
James Taylor Live the Best of
James Taylor Hourglass
Don Henley The End of the Innocence
Don Henley Inside Job
Eric Carmen Definitive Collection
Eric Carmen Change of Heart
Dan Fogelberg Portrait: The Music of Dan Fogelberg
Glenn Frey 20th Century Masters ‑ The Millennium Collection
Glenn Frey Strange Weather
Cher Love Hurts
Shawn Colvin Fat City
Neil Diamond Christmas Album, Vol. 2
Neil Diamond In My Lifetime
Neil Diamond Lovescape
Neil Diamond Up on the Roof
Lowell George Thanks I'll Eat It Here
Nicolette Larson Nicolette
Nicolette Larson All Dressed up & No Place To Go
Lyle Lovett The Road to Ensenada
Aaron Neville Warm Your Heart
Little Feat The Last Record Album
Little Feat (Shake Me Up)
Kenny Loggins December
Eddie Money Playing for Keeps
Eddie Money Greatest Hits: The Sound of Money
Diana Ross The Force Behind the Power
Vonda Shepard Songs from Ally McBeal
Anne Murray Anne Murray
Willie Nelson Healing Hands of Time
Randy Newman Born Again
Randy Newman Guilty: 30 Years of Randy Newman
Rick Derringer Free Ride
Ringo Starr Time Takes Time
Rod Stewart Foolish Behaviour
Julie Miller Orphans & Angels
Maureen McCormick When You Get a Little Lonely
Jimmy Webb Suspending Disbelief
Laura Allan Laura Allan
Hoyt Axton Southbound
Jorge Calderon City Music
Aselin Debison Sweet Is the Melody
Brian Elliot Brian Elliot
Julia Fordham Swept
Freebo End of the Beginning
Glenda Griffith Glenda Griffith
Don Grusin 10k-LA
Tom Jans Eyes of an Only Child
Tom Jans Dark Blonde
Jude Johnstone Coming of Age
Arnold McCuller Circa 1990
Larry John McNally Larry John McNally
Keiko Matsui Sapphire
Bob Meighan Band Mr Hun
Julie Miller Invisible Girl
Adam Mitchell Redhead in Trouble
Henry Paul Band Henry Paul
Vesica Pisces Halfway to Naked
Micheal Polnareff Michel PoInareff
Bill Quateman Just Like You
Michael Shrieve Big Picture
Tom Snow Tom Snow
Anna Vissi Everything I Am
Jack Wagner Lighting up the Night
Jimmy Webb Angel Heart
Various Artists Best of Columbia Records Radio Hour Vol. 2
Various Artists Free Soul PartyVarious Artists Margaritaville Cafe Late Night Menu
Various Artists Telluride Bluegrass Festival, Reflections, Vol. 1
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Valerie Carter with Other Artists Solo or Duet:
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Christopher Cross Christopher Cross ("Spinning")
Lowell George Thanks I'll Eat It Here ("Heartache")
Eddie Money Playing for Keeps ("Let's Be Lovers Again")
Paul Williams ("I Won't Last a Day Without You")
Al Kooper Championship Wrestling ("I'd Rather Be An Old Man's Sweet Heart", " Two Sides")
Jack Wagner Lighting Up The Night (Love Can Take Us All The Way")
Lowell George Tribute Rock and Roll Doctor ("Sailin' Shoes", with Randy Newman)
Freebo End of the Beginning ("It Comes From The Heart")
Keiko Matsui Sapphire ("Don't Turn On The Light")
Konzi Chousi Love And Mercy ("Laughter In The Rain")
Mirya Takeuchi The Nexus‑ Song Covers From Coast ("Wonderful Hit Songs", "Linda")
Wolfgang Lackerschmid/Donald Johnston New Singers New Songs
("Stay", "Love You In The Night", "Close Your Eyes", "Now There's You", "After Hours")
Hirth Martinez (Feeling So Fine)
Henry Paul The Awakening ("Wishes", "The Best Things In Life")
Various Artists Love Stories 3 ("Point Of No Return")
Rob Tyre with Valerie Carter LIVE at the Hideaway, St. Pete, Fl.
Tom Kell with Valerie Carter This Desert City ("Dove")
Bobby Woods (Les Deux Orchestra) Wonderland, Some Lucky Day, Happiness
Howdy Moon Howdy Moon (I'm Alone", "Runaway", "And You Never Knew", "Cook With Honey", "Millstream"
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Written/Co‑written And Recorded By Others:
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Jackson Browne "Nino" and "It Is One" co‑written with Jackson and his band
Jackson Browne "Love Needs A Heart" co‑written with Jackson Browne and Lowell George (from Running On Empty)
Judy Collins "Cook With Honey" (from True Stories And Other Dreams)
Howdy Moon "Cook With Honey"
Howdy Moon "And You Never Knew" co-written with E. Brandon
Howdy Moon "I'm Alone" co-written with R. Hovey
Earth, Wind & Fire "Turn It Into Something Good" co‑written with Howard and White (from Faces)
The Brothers Johnson "Deceiver" (You Keep Me Coming Back album) co written with G. Johnson, James Newton Howard
Black Rose "Never Should Have Started"co-written with D. Foster, D. Paich, James Newton Howard
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Motion Picture Soundtracks:
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Michael: Music from the Motion Picture ("Heaven Is My Home", with Randy Newman)
White Line Fever, Original Motion Picture Soundtrack ("Drifting and Dreaming")
White Sands Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Quicksand and Lies with Little Feat)
Mermaids Motion Picture Soundtrack (with Cher)
The Butcher's Wife Motion Picture Soundtrack (with Julia Fordham)
The Devil and Daniel Mouse (Animated Feature) with John Sebastian Voice of Jan Mouse (Look where the Music Can Take You, Can You Help Me Find My Song, I Got a Song)
Over the Edge Original Motion Picture Soundtrack ("Ooh Child")
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Video Appearances:
Jackson Browne "Going Home" Documentary of the "I'm Alive" tour
James Taylor "Live At The Beacon Theater"
James Taylor "Squibnocket"
James Taylor "Pull Over"
James Taylor SNL
James Taylor The Jay Leno Show
Linda Ronstadt The Tonight Show
Black Rose Tonight Show
Jack Wagner Soul Train 1986 "Love Can Take Us All The Way"
Jack Wagner American Bandstand "Love Can Take Us All The Way"
Jesse Winchester Bearsville Theater
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GALLERY
