Part of Music City Mondays.
Blues and folk singer Karen Dalton was a prominent figure in 1960s New York. Idolized by contemporaries like Bob Dylan and younger musicians like Nick Cave, Karen discarded the traditional trappings of success and led an unconventional life until her early death in 1993. Since most images of her have been lost or destroyed, the film uses Karen’s dulcet melodies and interviews with loved ones to build a rich portrait of this singular woman and her hauntingly beautiful voice.
“In telling the story of someone who rejected the conventions of career and self-mythologizing, [directors Robert] Yapkowitz and [Richard] Peete have not only uncovered missing pieces; they’ve created a record of others that would soon be destroyed…. As it introduces a one-of-a-kind artist to the uninitiated and celebrates her for aficionados, above all it listens — and invites us to do the same.” —Sheri Linden, Hollywood Reporter
