Singer, songwriter and guitar wiz Carolyn Wonderland has been putting out albums since the ‘90s, when she moved from her native Houston to Austin. But her latest, Truth Is, is one of her best.
Dave Alvin produced the album, a collection of raw originals and a swinging cover of “Orange Juice Blues,” a tune from Bob Dylan and the Band’s 1975 album The Basement Tapes.
She gets help on the album from Alvin, Marcia Ball and Ruthie Foster. But the high points arrive in her own fiery singing and guitar playing, which impressed blues legend John Mayall so much he hired Wonderland as his first and only female lead guitarist, from 2018-22.
Truth Is comes out May 16, and Wonderland performs an album-release concert the night before at the Kessler Theater featuring opening act Shelley King, another acclaimed Austin artist who sings background on the album.
Details
Carolyn Wonderland will perform May 15 at 8 p.m. at the Kessler Theater, 1230 W. Davis St., Dallas, $24.50 and up. thekessler.org.
