Carol Grimes: Songs of love life and loss

Carol Grimes is a British singer, songwriter, poet and author, a towering presence in the UK music scene; from busking in the streets as a teenager to touring internationally with the contemporary classical group The Shout and her two solo albums in Memphis, it is safe to say Carol is a truly genre-busting artist. Having turned to jazz and blues, her music embraces drama and love.

“My name is Carol Grimes. I have been singing for my supper since the late 1960s. I began as a young, nervous Busker and fell in love with singing. Over time I became a Singer-Songwriter, Performance Poet, Voice Movement Therapist and Musical Director, founding the Sing for Joy Choirs in London, for people with neurological and other conditions and directed them for many years. I have recorded in the UK, USA, Sweden, The Isle of Jura and Poland. I became angry, seeing injustice, poverty and cruelty all around me and became an activist. The first Musician to step up for Rock against Racism, Sexism, Reclaim the night, singing for the striking Miners, the fire service, the Brunswick Women and refugee centres. In my life, I performed both in the UK and internationally with my own Music with wonderful musicians and for Contemporary composers such as Orlando Gough, who directed The Shout, a contemporary opera, theatre company touring internationally with them for 12 years. From Japan to South Africa, Canada, the USA and beyond, including performing at the Albert Hall, in the Proms as a soloist – Blimey! I had my first book ‘The Singers Tale,’ published in 2018 and many songs and poems published, recorded and performed over the years. I love writing as much as I love music.”

In the last few years Carol Grimes has been working with the pianist Steve Lodder together with Winston Clifford, drums, Alison Rayner, double bass and Deidre Cartwright, guitar and occasionally Annie Whitehead, trombone.

“Should be regarded as a National treasure.” – Blues in Britain

“Carol Grimes, the forthright and defiantly independent jazz, blues and world-music singer, still emits the same fierce glow that has been with her since her R&B beginnings.” – John Fordham