Bio:
Janis Carper has an ability to craft lyrics and melodies that reach into the heart and mind. Her solid guitar playing supports songs that grip the listener—from the somber and reflective to the light and humorous. Carper’s singing style reflects influences like Bonnie Raitt, Rosanne Cash, and Lucinda Williams.
Of most recent acclaim, "Of This World"
written with partners Becca Christel Palm and Tracy Spring was released
on In These Times, the latest cd by Peter, Paul and Mary.
The song has also entered the repertoire of the Aurora Chorus, and "artichoke folk" Kate Power and Steve Einhorn
Carper's compact disc No Place to Land was chosen as one of the top twelve
independent recordings by Nashville's The Performing Songwriter magazine.
Janis was a 1990 finalist in the Sing Out! sponsored New Folk songwriter
competition at the Kerrville Folk Festival in Texas. She was also a winner
in the 1990 Columbia Folk Festival's songwriting competition in Spokane,
WA and a finalist in the Emerging Songwriter's Competition at the
Napa Valley Folk Festival in California in 1991 and 1997.
Janis Carper toured throughout the United States with the Missouri Repertory
Theatre as guitarist in Peter Glazer's musical "Woody Guthrie's
American Song", and appeared in productions of the same show at the
Seattle Repertory Theatre, Pope Theatre Co. in Palm Beach, Florida, and
Vienna's English Theatre, Austria. She also appeared in the world
premier musical/theatrical production "Happenstance" by Steven
Dietz & Eric Bain Peltoniemi at Seattle's A Contemporary Theatre.
In addition to solo performances, Janis has built a reputation as a fine
backup vocalist and guitarist on stage and at local recording studios.
She sang backup with David Bromberg on his Northwest tours, and has co-produced
and performed on recordings with such regional artists as Larry Murante,
Neal Woodall, Belinda Bowler, Dan Maher and Heidi Muller.
Currently, Janis enjoys performing with Carolyn Lochert as JEZEBEL'S MOTHER. She is also the executive director of the Wallowa
Valley Music Alliance,
and media coordinator at Fishtrap, Inc.