Karen Horan - Lyrics Flow with Smarts

With the sweet allure of a six-string acoustic guitar or the spirited call from 12-strings, we stop to listen. And, when singer/songwriter Karen Horan begins to sing, we are transported. Emotionally riveting story songs pour forth from a voice that rises with the wisdom reminiscent of an old Celtic traditional style, while rooted in velvety and expressive alto tones. Lyrics flow with smarts and are punctuated with touching and edgy honesty. She leaves us struggling with a lump in our throats one moment and rallying together on behalf of the underdog in another.

We travel along with this gentle warrior to touch another time, other lands, and our own inner landscapes. She guides us down the global road where we re-trace the footprints of a child’s escape from war-torn Vietnam. She answers the ancestral call and returns home to her mystical roots of Ireland, inspiring our return to our own roots. And, we’re never alone on our shadowy inner roads where she waltzes with us and shines a healing light on a carnival of seductions and dimple-grinned Spellcasters.

Raised in Arvada, Colorado, Karen was born with a performer’s dream that landed in a family of sports fans. The musical muscle was not encouraged to develop. She excelled athletically at an early age, playing competitive sports and practicing martial arts. As a former black belt and instructor, she carries a physicality that informs her grounded and fiery stage presence.

Karen entered the music scene relatively late in life. She was in her 30s when the sudden death of a close friend served as a wake up call to remind her of life’s impermanence and that the songs from her dreams were very much alive. Learning to sing, play the guitar, and bust through severe stage fright, Karen also began to write songs. She soon started performing at local open mics and sitting in with other singer/songwriters.

You’ll find Karen at listening venues, such as house concerts and local summer festivals. Appearances include Denver’s City Park Festival of the Arts, Niwot’s Rock and Rails, and Art as Action creative collaborations. She has opened for nationally-adored singer/songwriter Rebecca Folsom and shared in the soaring harmonies on Rebecca’s albums “Reunion” and "Little Medicines." She has also shared the stage with many other singer/songwriters, including Grammy-nominee Mark Oblinger. She was a founding member of Voices Rising, a Boulder-based group of singers committed to spreading the joy, beauty, and healing power of song. A great honor was hers when she was invited to perform her song “It’ll Always Be Saigon” at the closing ceremonies when “The Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall” came to Longmont, Colorado.

Through the sharing of stories, Karen unveils our oneness. The mythic-quality of her songs illuminates what we, too, have gone through and renews our faith in the happily ever after. And, listen closely: you just might hear a whisper or two as her ancestors listen in.