Written by Harvey Kubernik, Music Journalist *

"The singer known by the one name, Caroline, has been one of my favorite singers for years. We met when she was just a teenager and have continued to be good friends, collaborators and compatriots. She has a cry in her voice that especially lends itself to songs of love and heartbreak. Her crystalline tone and soft vibrato get under your skin as she sells her own brand of smoky sexuality." - Chris Darrow.

"Maybe the most initial appealing element of Caroline Dourley's music is her gorgeous vocal restraint; but at the same time she will always sing with a particular directness that lends every song on her first CD a soulful core. Like the great Detroit singer/writer Barbara Lewis ("Hello Stranger") Caroline phrases with eloquence and really knows how to caress a lyric..and her CD does abound with strong lyrics. On a body of work mainly composed by the always great Chris Darrow, Caroline's voice tingles like a memorable ear kiss! In an era of dime store divas and contrived angry chick music Caroline's art stands out like a gold ingot in a pile of gravel." - Michael MacDonald.

Pomona born and Claremont, California-raised vocalist/singer/songwriter Caroline (Dourley) has been recording her debut album with producer and influential multi-instrumentalist, Claremont native Chris Darrow in his Studio Nadine.

"I would describe the Claremont/Pomona area as having lots of vibration from the mountains," Caroline offers one day between recording sessions. "I would say it's majestic because it's so close to the hills. There is a spiritual feeling to it also. I used to live in Mt. Baldy and listen to the coyotes howl at night when I was falling asleep. It's where I love to hike. There is still some undeveloped landscape with native plants and that gives it an early California feel."

Caroline has known Darrow for a few decades and the duo have had an ongoing and developing musical and production relationship for the past 15 years. In 2003, both concluded it was time to veer into a formal recording adventure and are actively creating and crafting songs that chronicle and explore issues of trust, love, relationships, that are enhanced and reflected in Caroline's inviting singing style.

Darrow, a veteran of The Kaleidoscope, Hoyt Axton, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, John Stewart, Linda Rondstadt's band leader 1969-1971, has added some select musicians and writers helping form Caroline's repertoire, including bassist John York, who was in the Byrds, and pianist Loren Newkirk, formerly of the comedy troupe The Committee years ago. The audio results soar, swing and groove into some very pretty haunting geography. "I'm the Only One," "Nothing Left To Say," and "Echo of Love," "Restless Blood," "Last Chance," "Love," and "Fork In The Road," are just some of the titles that have been put on tape.

"Since Loren was brought into the equation, we've found the pocket," Caroline feels. "Loren allowed me to write lyrics over his music to create the songs. Loren gives me a chance to really sing. Chris gives it the edge with his guitars. Somehow it all comes together, beautiful melodic well written songs. John York has also written some songs with us as well."

"Chris' fiddle playing knows how to work with vocalists and it impacts my work. He returns me to the bluegrass world I spent some time in. He gets that Gothic landscape feeling into the mix that somehow propels my voice. Other people have tried to copy Chris' sound but they can't get his originality. He's really one of a kind. It's really working," she beams.

"Chris will play me some music and I immediately get ideas for the lyrics. "Chris will say, ' "I want you to think about this. I love your words but I think we should phrase them this way."' That's another thing that Chris has a gift for says Caroline, "phrasing." He knows how something should sound. It's all in the phrasing when you're telling a story."

I bring it back around to Chris. He's a very trusting person. Sometimes he gives too much. When I see him excited about the work and calling me to come record, I know he's on top of it. I really love the collaborative part. Chris really used to drive the bus. Now he'll say, '"Okay. What do you think?"' "I really needed for that to happen."

"Some hybrid of desert swing has emerged, especially when Loren is playing the piano with our tunes. "The environment has a lot to do with it. The openness. A kind of driving feeling, a story possibly being watched while the song is being sung. Visions are created more in that openness. It's all helped on a mature and spiritual level. There is a vibe out there."

It seems over a decade, every few weeks, or once a month, I'd talk to Darrow over the phone and he'd say, "Caroline is coming over to do some work." After fifteen years, I said "Isn't it about time I really heard what you've done and met this gal?" Caroline is ready," he stated in summer 2003. "The relationship has changed from background singer to mentor. And now to collaborator," she explains, having once sang vocals on Darrow's 2001 CD "Coyote." Chris also produced and wrote several songs on Caroline's first cd titled "Coming Back to You." The cd title song was written by Chris and Caroline. "I love "Coming Back to You." People still come up to me and tell me how much they love that cd and still listen to it. It really means a lot to me when they say that a particular song hit them really hard and took them to a place in their life at one time."

I'm so delighted with these initial results. It is so nice to hear such a vulnerable and expressive vocal guiding all of us into the terrain of broken hearts and cautionary romantic tales.

Darrow had done this before in a way. He also developed a young Ben Harper. Chris wrote and published Harper's debut Virgin single "Whipping Boy," produced by JP Plunier, who Caroline played in a band with many moons ago. She was also in the Immigrants 'a Cocteau Twins-type outfit.' She also worked with the musicians that would form The Unforgiven, also hailing from Claremont and sang backup on their album.

"There was always music in the Claremont Village," she remembers. "Real traditional music would happen for me, espically The Real Time Jazz Band (who went on to play a song on a former Ben Harper album....) that I sang with when I was 16. Chris would come down and play fiddle. In between washing glasses at the coffee bar, I'd try to get a couple of songs in with the band." I started playing guitar after I heard Chrissie Hynde," she recalls. "I then took guitar lessons. I sang in the Pomona College Choir for a while. I was doing that while I had my Immigrants band, an alternative bizarre-type band. I learned how to layer my vocals from singing in the choir. I had to listen to the other voices to hear the harmony. I really enjoyed that."

For years she has been a fixture around the Southern California area. Coffee house venues in Claremont and Pomona with just her voice and guitar. Years ago she was in a bluegrass band called The Baldy Mountain Boys, a nod to Claremont's Mt. Baldy, that was a popular attraction at the Orange Blossom Festival, the LaVerne 4th of July Parade yearly, Mt. Sac 4th of July, the LaVerne water festival. "I had to play a lot of guitar while I was singing and I really enjoyed that. At that time I was also playing in a blues band. All of these events have led up to where I am right now working with Chris," she muses.

Around her hectic music and gigging schedule, Caroline found time to graduate with a B.A. from Cal Poly Pomona, and also holds a Master's Degree in Special Education. Like Sting many years ago, this melodic school teacher is now concentrating full time as a recording artist. "I was shy, but the combination of teaching for years, and my ongoing acting lessons in Hollywood has helped make me real comfortable in front of people."

Harvey just released a book! Here are the details of it:

"This is Rebel Music"
The Harvey Kubernik Innerviews
University of New Mexico Press 2003