Karen Tyler

Although Austin, Texas is celebrated for its electric blues figures such as W.C. Clark, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Lou Barton, Fabulous Thunderbirds and Marcia Ball, the city also supports acoustic players who merit comparable notice, among them Karen Tyler.

Her father performed on saxophone at house parties to ease the pressures of his printing-industry job, yet he offered her scant support when she considered a musical path. Her initial experience performing blues occurred in the early ’80s when she joined a blues band while residing in Fresno, CA. After relocating to Santa Barbara, she developed a passion for acoustic blues upon encountering the work of Tom Ball and Kenny Sultan as well as Peter Mac and David Tovar.

Drawn by reports of Austin’s vibrant scene, she settled there in 1992 in pursuit of recognition. The city’s established circles proved less accessible to newcomers, but Clark and T.D. Bell provided encouragement. She reached the finalist round of the 1993 Kerrville New Folk Competition and subsequently issued Streets and Serenades. While in Memphis promoting the recording, Tyler—accompanied by her spouse and bassist Fred Murray—visited sites tied to Memphis Minnie’s history; the experience proved spiritually restorative and prompted her to dedicate herself exclusively to acoustic blues.

Lovin’ the Blues Too Long appeared in 1997 and gained helpful exposure through a family-owned store devoted to Texas artists. Further recognition followed when readers of the Internet blueszine Delta Snake placed her high in multiple categories of their poll. Family responsibilities later prompted Tyler and Murray to return to southern California, where they maintain their musical activities.