Carolann Solebello

Most familiar to folk audiences as a founding member of the female trio RED MOLLY, Carolann Solebello returned to solo performance in August 2010 after six years of steady touring with the band. Her third solo CD – Threshold – the first since parting from Red Molly, was released in June 2011. She also has two previous solo albums to her credit, Just Across the Water (2000) and Glass of Desire (2009).

A New York City native, Carolann first fell in love with mountain music – and the bluegrass and country that grew out of that tradition – while working as an actor in East Tennessee and Kansas. Tunes and techniques she learned from musicians in both places fundamentally changed her approach to songwriting and guitar playing, and subsequently colored her work with Red Molly.

Carolann recorded three full-length CDs with Red Molly. In 2006, the live CD Never Been to Vegas, earned the trio Best New Artist status at WUMB Boston. Their 2008 follow-up, Love and Other Tragedies, spent ten weeks in the Americana Top 15, and Carolann’s song “Summertime” was the #1 Song on the Folk DJ chart in July 2008. James, released in 2010, peaked at #4 on the Americana chart, and was #23 on the 2010 AMA Top 100.

Red Molly toured nationally during Carolann’s tenure with the band, and was privileged to perform at numerous festivals, including: Merlefest (NC), Kerrville Folk Festival (TX), Falcon Ridge Folk Festival (NY), Woody Guthrie Folk Festival (OK), New Bedford Summerfest (MA), Musikfest (PA), and Philadelphia Folk Festival (PA).

Carolann continues to earn accolades performing her New York-inflected brand of original and traditional Americana as a solo artist. She makes her home in Brooklyn, New York with her husband and young son.

Photo by Jeff Fasano