Change by Michelle Carr

Even at the age of four, she had an idea her life would be one of singing and performance—she grew up harmonizing with her family around the fireplace in Alta Loma, California. She would sing with her mother, grandmother and sister while her uncles played the compositions they’d written on bass and guitar. She sang in her high school’s choir and musical productions and performed every season with the community theater. She loved every kind of music, looking to artists as diverse as Sarah Vaughan, Nancy Wilson, James Taylor, Joni Mitchell and Leontyne Price for inspiration.

She went on to graduate from California State Polytechnic University. Then in 1992 she moved to New York City to attend The Juilliard School where she studied classical voice, graduating in 1994. She also studied jazz piano with Johnny “Hammond” Smith and was a member of his vocal jazz ensemble. She has worked with Nancy Wilson and Roy Hargrove and was a backup vocalist for the band Hiroshima. Currently she lends her smooth jazz vocals to bassist Christian McBride’s funk band Escape Route.

Michelle’s wide range of vocal experience is complemented by her extensive background in theater. Her performances have included Hal Prince’s Tony Award-winning musical Showboat, Lincoln Center’s Workshop of Carmen Jones and Goodspeed Opera House’s revival of The Man of La Mancha.

Years of classical training and a keen understanding of musical composition, arranging and vocal technique have provided her with the foundation to create a style that embodies classical, jazz, funk, R&B and folk, which she has done with passion, emotion and technical precision. She delves into all aspects of life when she writes her songs, finding inspiration in joys and heartaches alike. The results are songs full of honest emotion—everything that comes out of her mouth first comes out of her soul.

When legendary song stylist Nancy Wilson was asked to describe Michelle, she said, “Clarity! Her voice is pure and clear, expressing a wide vocal range and a multitude of talent. Those are the things I have always admired about her voice.”

Ms. Wilson, I have to agree.

--Elizabeth

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