Kara Grainger

Australian-born blues singer and guitarist Kara Grainger draws some early notice for her slide playing and soulful vocals in a manner reminiscent of Bonnie Raitt, yet she maintains a singular voice that merges blues evenly with soul and roots rock. That balance surfaces throughout her solo recordings and in the work she created alongside her brother in the bands Papa Lips and Grainger.

Her first professional group was the Sydney blues outfit Papa Lips, which included her brother Mitch on harmonica. Throughout the late ’90s the band maintained a steady touring schedule along Australia’s east coast, and its two albums, Harmony and High Time Now, received notable recognition. In 2000 the group adopted the name Grainger and issued an EP; shortly afterward Grainger was invited to play guitar with Cold Chisel’s Steve Prestwich. Combined with a television appearance, the exposure raised her visibility and prompted her to launch a solo career. She began with the EP Secret Soul and followed it in 2008 with the full-length album Grand and Green River. She released Shiver & Sigh in 2013.