Valerie Carter

Valerie Carter
Birth name	Valerie Gail Zakian Carter
Born	(1953-02-05)February 5, 1953 Winter Haven, Florida
Died	March 4, 2017(2017-03-04) (aged 64) St. Petersburg, Florida
Genres	Rock and roll, soul, R&B. folk rock, country rock
Occupation	Singer-songwriter
Years active	1974–2017
Labels	ARC, Columbia Records

Valerie Carter (born Valerie Gail Zakian Carter; February 5, 1953 – March 4, 2017) was an American singer-songwriter. Carter was perhaps best known as a back-up vocalist who has recorded and performed with a number of artists including Linda Ronstadt, Don Henley, Christopher Cross, Little Feat, Jackson Browne, The Outlaws and, most notably, James Taylor.

Carter wrote songs for Judy Collins ("Cook with Honey" from Collins's 1973 album True Stories and Other Dreams), Jackson Browne ("Love Needs a Heart" from his 1977 album Running on Empty), The Brothers Johnson ("Deceiver", the B-side of "You Keep Me Coming Back") and Earth, Wind & Fire ("Turn It into Something Good", from the 1980 album Faces).

She released four solo studio albums, a live album and a compilation album.

In 1978, she performed the singing voice of the character Jan Mouse in the animated Halloween special "The Devil and Daniel Mouse" from Canadian animation studio Nelvana. She was credited under the pseudonym Laurel Runn, likely inspired by living in Laurel Canyon at the time. She sang several songs in the special, including a duet with the songwriter John Sebastian of The Lovin' Spoonful fame. The following year, in 1979, her cover of "O-o-h Child" was featured in Matt Dillon's film debut in Over the Edge.

She recorded Howdy Moon with Howdy Moon in 1974, and stayed with producer Lowell George for her two first albums under ARC/Columbia in 1977 and 1979. In 1996, she returned with The Way It Is, covering songs by Neil Young, Jackson Browne, Van Morrison and Warren Zevon, and a Japanese live album.

Later years

In August and October 2009, Carter was arrested in St. Petersburg, Florida for possession of drugs.

She successfully completed all of the court's requirements, and she became a graduate of Judge Dee Anna Farnell's "drug court" program on May 25, 2011. American singer-songwriter James Taylor appeared at her "drug court" graduation ceremonies in a congratulatory effort on behalf of all of the graduates.

Carter died on March 4, 2017 at the age of 64. She is survived by her mother, Dorothy "Dot" Carter, and sister, Jan Carter, who continues the Official Valerie Carter Fan Club as an active Facebook group.

Song Valerie, written by Will Jennings and performed by Steve Winwood, was reportedly about her.

Song [(that Girl Could Sing)] , written and performed by Jackson Browne is about Valerie Carter.

Discography

As member of the group Howdy Moon

• Howdy Moon — 1974

Studio albums

• Just a Stone's Throw Away (single "O-o-h Child") — 1977
• Wild Child — 1978
• The Way It Is — 1996 (reissued in 2006 with different track list)
• Find a River — 1998 (5 track EP)

Live albums

• Midnight Over Honey River — 2003 (2xCD)

Compilations

• Vanilla Grits — 2001

Backing vocal credits (select)

• Aaron Neville — Warm Your Heart — (1991)
• Al Kooper — Championship Wrestling — (1982)
• Anna Vissi — Everything I Am — (2001)
• Anne Murray — Anne Murray — (1996)
• Arnold McCuller — Circa 1990 — (2003)
• Aselin Debison — Sweet Is the Melody — (2002)
• Christopher Cross — Christopher Cross — (1980)
• Curtis Stigers — Brighter Days — (1999)
• Diana Ross — Force Behind the Power — (1991)
• Don Grusin — 10k-La — (1980)
• Don Henley:
  • The End of the Innocence — (1989)
  • Inside Job — (2000)
• Eddie Money — Playing for Keeps — (1980)
• Eric Carmen — Change of Heart — (1978)
• Freebo — End of the Beginning — (1999)
• Glenn Frey — Strange Weather — (1992)
• Hoyt Axton — Southbound — (1975)
• Jackson Browne:
  • I'm Alive — (1993)
  • Looking East — (1996)
• James Taylor:
  • Gorilla — (1975)
  • In the Pocket — (1976)
  • New Moon Shine — (1991)
  • (LIVE) — (1993)
  • (Best LIVE) — (1994)
  • Hourglass — (1997)
  • Greatest Hits Volume 2 — (2000)
• Jimmy Webb:
  • Angel Heart — (1982)
  • Suspending Disbelief — (1993)
• Jorge Calderón — City Music — (1975)
• Jude Johnstone — Coming of Age — (2002 )
• Julia Fordham — Swept — (1991)
• Julie Miller:
  • Orphans & Angels — (1993)
  • Invisible Girl — (1996)
• Keiko Matsui — Sapphire — (1995)
• Linda Ronstadt:
  • Winter Light — (1994)
  • Feels Like Home — (1995)
  • Dedicated to the One I Love — (1996)
• Little Feat — The Last Record Album — (1975)
• Lyle Lovett — Road to Ensenada — (1996)
• Maureen McCormick — When You Get a Little Lonely — (1995)
• Neil Diamond:
  • Lovescape — (1991)
  • Up on the Roof: Songs from the Brill Building — (1993)
  • "Christmas Album, Vol. 2" — (1994)
  • In My Lifetime — (1996)
• Nicolette Larson:
  • Nicolette — (1978)
  • All Dressed Up & No Place To Go — (1982)
• Ofra Haza — Kirya — (1992)
• Jack Wagner — Love Can Take Us All The Way — (1986)
• Randy Newman — Born Again — (1979)
• Rick Derringer — Free Ride — (2002)
• Ringo Starr — Time Takes Time — (1992)
• Shawn Colvin — Fat City — (1992)
• Tom Jans — Eyes of an Only Child — (1975)
• Vonda Shepard — Songs from Ally McBeal — (1998)
• Willie Nelson — Healing Hands of Time — (1994)

Song-writing credits (select)

• "Cook With Honey". Recorded by Judy Collins (released on the LP True Stories And Other Dreams, 1973)
• "Deceiver". Recorded by The Brothers Johnson (released as B-side of 7" single "You Keep Me Coming Back", 1984)
• "Love Needs a Heart". Recorded by Jackson Browne (released on the LP Running on Empty, 1977)
• "Turn It into Something Good". Recorded by Earth, Wind & Fire (released on the LP Faces, 1980).

External links

• Official website
• Archive of old website (archived from September 2013)
• Valerie Carter at IMDb