Some people know from an early age what they want to do with their lives. Others take the scenic route. Carolyn Shulman’s story is a little bit of both. She knew from the time her father gave her a guitar and taught her some chords at nine years-old that she wanted to play music for the rest of her life. However, it wasn’t until after she had gotten through almost a decade of working as a lawyer in Houston, Texas, performing in local venues when she could, that she finally decided to focus her full attention on her lifelong passion of writing and performing original music.

Most heavily influenced by the women who helped define the folk/Americana genre before her, Carolyn’s sound is a nod to artists like Shawn Colvin, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Susan Gibson, and Patty Griffin. Her lyrics are clear and deliberate, with a sense of vulnerability, while her steady guitar rhythms and detailed fingerpicking serve as scaffolding for her vocal melodies.

Now based in Denver, Carolyn recorded her debut full-length album, Grenadine & Kerosene, with producer John McVey at Cinder Sound Studios in Longmont, Colorado. The album was released to positive reviews on May 21, 2021 and enjoyed three months on the Folk Radio Charts. Carolyn was honored to perform as a finalist in the 2022 Rocky Mountain Folks Festival Songwriters Showcase. She is currently working with McVey again to record her second full-length album, planned for release in 2024.