UPDATE 1/19/16

2016 BLUES MUSIC AWARD Nominee "Best Contemporary Blues Female Artist"
2015 Blues411 "Jimi" Award - WINNER "Best Contemporary Blues Female Artist"

NW Music Scene Top 10 Albums of 2015
Roots Music Report Top Blues Albums of 2015
Roots Music Report Hot Singles Chart - 3 songs in one week!
Roots Music Report National Charts - Top 25 for Nov/Dec
Roots Music Report State Chart - #1 for 10 weeks
Living Blues Chart - Top 25 for Nov/Dec

Top 25 Blues Albums of 2015
-Confessing the Blues
-Blues Music Fan
-Blues Doodles

Top 25 Blues Album list for radio stations across the US, Canada, Europe, Australia and New Zealand.

"Ten Miles of Bad Road is, at times, a highly explorative album that unearths known emotional earth in the presence of familiar blues melodies. All fans of blues rock will enjoy this album, but for different reasons; the lyricism of some of the slower pieces will speak to the poetry and the heartache that founded the genre, and the imaginative guitar work will appeal to those who are looking for more than twelve-bar blues." - BLUES ROCK REVIEW

"Ten Miles of Bad Road, the fourth album from Portlander Karen Lovely, boasts thirteen magnificently performed original songs. Her extraordinary vocals are beautiful and lush as she delivers the blues in her own unique style. One listen to Ten Miles of Bad Road, is all it takes to
conclude that Karen Lovely is way ahead of the curve when it comes to vocal artistry and songwriting. This album is definitely one that should be heard." - PHILLYCHEEZEBLUES

"In a world where the strongest recommendation you can give an artist is apparently “sounds like…”, creativity and relevance are two things the blues genre desperately needs. From the beautiful and thoughtful “Cross the Water”, to the pleading “Save Me”, to the raucous “Frank the Spank” everything here is fresh and unique. Sounds like nothing you’ve heard before, but still sounds like blues." - BLUES E-NEWS

"Karen Lovely is a rare bird with a voice and heart born to the blues. Her new album, Ten Miles of Bad Road is a collection of blues rock magic that feels especially fresh considering its roots in the past. Across the entire album, Karen’s vocals sound effortless, making this album infinitely listenable." - MOJOLISTS

"This is uptown, feel-good, cosmopolitan soul music" - CLASSICALITE

"Ten Miles of Bad Road combines elements of blues, soul, and perhaps even a touch of country and gospel.  The result is a disc that is utterly incredible." - REFLECTIONS IN BLUES

"fantastic blues singer...draws from the classic sounds of Ma Rainey and combines it with the power and punch of Janis Joplin to create a sound as unique as she is...blues, deep and dark..vocals sparkling with the depth of a perfect sapphire" - BLUESDOODLES

Interview w/ Karen Lovely & producer Tony Braunagel
Part 1



Interview w/ Karen Lovely & producer Tony Braunagel
Part 2


Ten Miles of Bad Road- Slide Show

UPDATE 9/23/15

OFFICIAL RELEASE DATE 10/13/15!!!!
Could not be more excited. in just a few weeks, TEN MILES OF BAD ROAD goes on sale!!! But if you buy now during PRE-SALE, your copy will ship before it's available to the public AND you'll immediately get to download one of the tracks!!! Click here to place your order now.

UPDATE 8/16/15

Final mixes are done, the record sounds AMAZING. The next step is mastering and then it's off to duplication!!! My brother, Brian Lovely, has shot some great photographs for the album and I'm now working like crazy on the design and cover graphics. The official release date is scheduled for October 2nd but album contributors will get their copies in advance of that. Check the calendar for upcoming West Coast release party dates.

UPDATE 7/22/15

My dear friend, Alan Mirikitani passed away suddenly. I was privilaged to work with Al since my first record in 2007. He was an extraordinarily talented musician, wonderful friend, mentor, and devoted father. Al played on five tracks on Ten Miles of Bad Road, and wrote/cowrote three and in his honor, the record will be dedicated to him. My heart breaks when I hear Al's brilliant playing. I can't believe he's gone.

UPDATE...7/10/15

Tony and I want to add some additional vocals, tweak a few others. The rough mixes sound terrific, which is no surprise given the calibre of musicianship. So, Monday, July 13th, I'm heading back to Ultratone for another day of overdubs...and then the recording is complete and mixing begins. Have lots to do in the next few weeks. Album artwork...liner notes (so many THANK YOUs!!!), sending everything off for manufacturing, completing t-shirt design, preparing for CD Release parties. Holy cow...this is all really happening.

UPDATE...5/19/15

One more track to record before 10 Miles of Bad Road goes to mixing and mastering. Over the past month, we've added horns and background vocals plus a killer solo by Kim Wilson (Fabulous Thunderbirds). We now have a total of 13 tracks on the record.

UPDATE...4/9/15

Just finished 4 days of recording 12 all new, original tracks at Ultratone Studios with this extraordinarily talented group of musicians. The next step is adding horns, background vocals, instrument solos and other post-production work. The final steps are mixing and mastering, artwork and duplication...and once all that is completed 10 Miles of Bad Road goes from my heart to your hands.

Left to Right: Hutch Hutchinson, Alan Mirikitani, Karen Lovely,
Johnny Lee Schell, Tony Braunagel, Jim Pugh

UPDATE...3/7/15

Studio City, CA - recording starts April 6th! 

It's official!  After more than a year of songwriting and pre-production, we start recording 10 Miles of Bad Road in April at Ultratone Studios in Studio City, CA. Producer Tony Braunagel has assembled a killer studio band to back me up.  I am beyond excited to be working with these musicians:

	Tony Braunagel - producer/drums Tony has recorded and toured with Robert Cray, Taj Mahal,Eric Burdon, Rickie Lee Jones, Bette Midler, The Phantom Blues Band and Bonnie Raitt. He played on Bonnie's million selling albums Nick of Time and Luck of the Draw,  Robert Cray's Grammy nominated album THIS TIME, and on Taj Mahal's Grammy award winning albums – Señor Blues and Shoutin' in Key, which he also produced. He's worked on film scores, television shows and numerous albums as a musician, composer and producer. Tony produced TUF's 2014 Blues Music Award winning "Best Contemporary Blues" album Badlands.  www.tonybraunagel.com
	Jim Pugh - piano/organ Jim has played on over 20 Grammy nominated CDs, 5 of which won the coveted award.  He played piano and organ on my last studio album, the 3x BMA nominated Still the Rain. A long time member of the Robert Cray Band, Jim has recorded and toured with Etta James, John Lee Hooker, B.B. King, Chris Isaak, and Tommy Castro and shared the stage with Johnny Taylor, Little Milton, Eric Clapton and Otis Rush.  He has performed on national TV and produced over a dozen CDs. www.pastelmotif.com
	James "Hutch" Hutchinson - bass "Hutch" has recorded with Bonnie Raitt, Brian Wilson, Willie Nelson, Joe Cocker, BB King, Earl King, Al Green, Etta James, Boz Scaggs, Eric Burdon, Taj Mahal, Delbert McClinton, Linda Ronstadt, Stevie Nicks, Sheryl Crow, Maria Muldaur, David Crosby, Crosby, Stills & Nash (and Young), CPR (band), Rickie Lee Jones, The Proclaimers, Arlo Guthrie, Ry Cooder, Steve Cropper, Ryan Adams, Bryan Adams, Richie Sambora, Jackson Browne, Charles Brown, Ruth Brown, Keb Mo, Lyle Lovett, The Neville Brothers, The Doobie Brothers,and many other diverse and notable musicians.
	Johnny Lee Schell - guitar Since his professional debut, Johnny has played with dozens of well-known recording artists. His inclusion on albums such as Bonnie Raitt's Green Light and Nick of Time has lent him his bearing in American pop music culture. Johnny has also toured and recorded with Taj Mahal, John Fogerty, Ron Wood, and is a member of the Phantom Blues Band. www.phantombluesband.com
	Alan Mirikitani (BB Chung King) - guitar/songwriter Al, aka BB Chung King, is the front man and guitarist for BB Chung King and the Buddaheads. BB's music is a mix of roots rock with a blues base. BB has always claimed blues to be his first love, but comes from a generation that loves to rock. BB keeps quite busy with the Buddaheads, but also finds time to write, record and produce music for other artists. BB has written songs for blues legends such as Lonnie Brooks, Tinsley Ellis and recently helped Ruth Brown receive a Grammy for her performance of his song "Too Little, Too Late". Al wrote songs for, played on, engineered and co-produced the 3x Blues Music Award nominated and 2X Blues Blast Music Award nominated "STILL THE RAIN" www.buddaheads.com
	Kim Wilson is an American blues singer and harmonica player. He is best known as the lead vocalist and frontman for The Fabulous Thunderbirds on two hit songs of the 1980s; "Tuff Enuff", and "Wrap It Up." www.fabulousthunderbirds.com
	Reggie McBride - bass McBride was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan; listening to Motown records, he began to play bass at the age of 8. At the age of 14, he played in local bands and by that time, he was a sought after session musician, soon to be on the road with The Dramatics, opening for James Brown. In 1973 he was called by Stevie Wonder to join his band Wonderlove. Since then he has played, recorded or toured with some of the biggest names in music history, such as Elton John, Rod Stewart, Billy Ray Cyrus, Tom Jones, Van Morrison, Eric Burdon, Rick Springfield, Lyle Lovett, Ziggy Marley, Billy Preston, Ry Cooder, Keb' Mo', Cher, Queen Latifah, jazz greats Herbie Hancock, Al Jarreau, blues greats John Lee Hooker, B.B. King and was a constant member of Tommy Bolin Band, Rare Earth, and Glenn Frey. www.reggiemcbride.com