CAROLE FREDERICKS

Carole Denise Fredericks (Springfield, MA 1952 – Dakar, Senegal 2001) was an American singer most famous for her English and French language recordings. The youngest sister of GRAMMY Award winning blues musician, Taj Mahal, Carole achieved fame and popularity in Europe, Africa, France and the francophone world.  Although Fredericks left her mother country, she never left her roots. She was a powerful singer who wove the passionate threads of blues, gospel, and R&B into a uniquely French tapestry. She began her career as a background singer for Taj Mahal, Elton John, Eric Clapton and Duran Duran. She arrived in Paris in 1979. Studio work came quickly and within a year she was singing with Serge Gainsbourg, France Gall, Michel Berger, Johnny Hallyday, Gilbert Bécaud, Mylène Farmer, Mireille Mathieu, and so many others. In 1990 she joined Jean-Jacques Goldman and Michael Jones to form the legendary rock trio FREDERICKS GOLDMAN JONES. Their collaboration produced two studio albums and two live albums - platinum, gold and diamond selling disc respectively - three international tours, and millions of fans. By 1995 Carole returned to the studio to add background vocals on three Céline Dion albums including D'eux, the all-time best selling French language album ever. She then recorded two solo albums: Springfield (1996), an English language blues and gospel album for which she wrote 12 of the 14 songs; and Couleurs et parfums (1999), a tour de force collection of music – a blend of the three cultures America, France, and Senegal that influenced her music, and had an impact her life.   

Carole Fredericks’ catalog of original compositions and unreleased recordings are represented by CDF Music Legacy, LLC.