Karen Greenley – So Much More Than a Name
Karen Greenley – So Much More Than a Name
I’ve never met Karen before, and being new to Sarasota I felt a bit remiss at not knowing more about her. But as we spoke, it became like a Divine Appointment. By that I mean we travel the same path and were meant to meet sooner or later. Sooner was great!
Karen’s life hasn’t been that easy but what she’s accomplished is what she would rather concentrate on. She actually, as a single mother of 2, put herself through music college while parenting, working part-time jobs, and studying for school. I get tired just imagining what that must have been like, so I applaud her loud and long.
Karen’s basic principle in life was to get an education and make something of herself, no matter what her situation was. Reach out and want something badly enough and the Lord will make a way where there seems to be no way. Karen told me she basically has a classically trained operatic voice but I’m glad she found the blues and a way to release all that emotion.
She’s played in jazz, rock, and blues bands, so she knows her way around the music scene. I find it so beautiful that she was the Praise and Worship Leader at a church for 7 years. Maybe it was meant to be, right from the start. Karen grew up in a musical family where she heard music being played and walked around singing all the time. What impresses her the most about participating in Ladies Sing the Blues events is the heart of it all, the teamwork, and this is actually not the first time she has given her time to help raise money for the American Business Women’s Association. She backs their mission 100% because Karen feels that education is freedom, and by that she means freedom to be who you want to be and leave a positive legacy behind in the world.
Her goals include recording more, especially Christian music. If you want to catch Karen at one of her regular weekly gigs, she is at the Anna Maria Island Café on Mondays, and at Sharkey’s Sea Grill, also on Anna Maria, Friday and Saturday nights. She’s a single act, playing guitar and keyboards.
Although her children are also musically talented, she encourages them to join her on stage only at appropriate venues. So we applaud you, Karen, for your great job as a Mom and your calling as an entertainer. March 26th at Primo Ristorante will be my privilege of seeing Karen perform for the first time and I can’t wait. She will be accompanied by 14 other women singers who will absolutely blow your mind. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear others make a joyful noise to promote scholarships to further women’s educations.
by Laurie Mirkin