Musician Karen Grenier  

By Christine R. Walsh

Intense, fiery eyes. Cheekbones that promise mischief. Cropped hair, a shy smile and an aura of calm. All these compelling elements are part of musician Karen Grenier, but it’s her acoustic guitar and passion for heartfelt lyrics that complete the package.

Grenier’s songs are inspired by her belief in and respect for love. Her first album, Capacity, is a reflection upon her own experiences. In the album, Grenier both praises and laments over the importance of love in one’s life.

“Capacity is about how resilient humans are,” Grenier said. “It’s just crazy how the human spirit can handle so many deep emotions.”

Each of Grenier’s albums has a unique story behind it and she takes her inspiration from those closest to her. Take My Hand, her wedding album, was inspired by her brother’s marriage to his partner. And her album Karen Grenier Live was the definition of a family project.

“My two sisters, Deanna Maples and Michelle Coombes, sang back up for me,” Grenier said.

Grenier’s rich songs and soulful vocals have found success on and off the stage. One of her most notable accomplishments to date is having two of her songs, “One Life” and “Capacity,” featured on the DVD release of the popular television series Dawson’s Creek.

“It was my girlfriend Linda’s favorite show,” Grenier said. “She suggested I submit some of my songs to the show’s website. Two years later, they called me and asked if they could use them.”

Grenier was first bitten by the music bug when she was a young girl growing up in southern New Hampshire. Her parents exposed her to a variety of artistic experiences, from musical theater to lounge acts.

“My parents had a friend,” Grenier remembered. “His name was Ray and he was a lounge singer. They would take the family to see him every once in a while. I would just sit there and watch him on stage. I was mesmerized.”

After becoming involved in musical theater in high school, Grenier went on to UMASS Lowell to studio audio engineering. She worked in radio for five years and earned her Masters Degree in education with a concentration on school counseling. Between working and studying, Grenier still found time for her music.

Grenier became an elementary school counselor and used her free summers to perform at various venues across New England. She graced the stages of Buffalo, New York’s Ms. Kitty’s Martini Bar, Boston’s Club Felt and Worcester’s own Club Car. But despite her success, Grenier was hesitant to take the leap and become a full-time musician.

“It took me a couple of years,” she said. “But I had some savvy second graders. I would always ask them, ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’ Then they turned that question around on me. I’m still in touch with some of the families of the kids.”

Having a career in music is no easy task, according to Grenier. She sometimes finds it difficult to make time for her music, her family, her girlfriend and her social life. But when she does have a free moment, Grenier has some favorite hobbies in which she delights.

“I like to go to the batting cages, the driving range,” she said. “I love to travel.” Grenier said that she can also be found playing her favorite game, Scattergories.

Music lovers in the Worcester area can often find Grenier at Club Car, one of her favorite performance venues. The acoustics of Club Car are perfect for her songs and the crowds are phenomenal, Grenier said. And crowd size doesn’t matter to her. The consummate artist, she always plays and performs from the heart and advises all musicians to do the same.

“Play it because you love it,” Grenier said. “And play the same whether there are 5 people, or 50, or 500.”

For more information on Karen Grenier, go to www.kgrenier.com