Carol Kenyon

Carol Kenyon (sometimes spelt Karol; born 1959) is a British singer. She is best known for her vocals on the Heaven 17 hit song "Temptation", which reached number two in the UK Singles Chart in 1983. When the song was re-released as a remix by Brothers in Rhythm in 1992, again featuring Carol's vocals, it made number 4. She was also featured on the Paul Hardcastle hit "Don't Waste My Time", which got to number 8 in 1986. She also recorded the songs "Warrior Woman", "Dance with Me" and "Fascinating". When Kenyon was a child, she was encouraged to sing and dance. She took lessons and entered arts festival contests. She played piano. She enjoyed listening to the collection of jazz records her father had. She was singing with a school choir at a music festival in Harrow, London. A young musician also appearing there, Guy Barker, heard her. He encouraged her to work more seriously on singing. Eventually Barker encouraged her to attend an National Youth Jazz Orchestra (NYJO) engagement. There, after hearing her sing, NYJO took her on, as its first regular band singer. She was only 14. Her early performances were as part of the National Youth Jazz Orchestra. She has also sung with Go West, Duran Duran, Kylie Minogue, Mike Oldfield, Jon and Vangelis, Pet Shop Boys, Gary Moore, Dexys Midnight Runners, Pink Floyd, Tommy Shaw, Roger Waters, Morrissey–Mullen, Tears for Fears, Rapino Brothers, Paul Hardcastle, Ultravox and Van Morrison. In 1993, Kenyon appeared with David Suchet in Agatha Christie's Poirot novella Yellow Iris. Although primarily known as a session vocalist on many albums and singles by a variety of prominent artists, as well as in many concerts, Kenyon has also released several singles as a solo artist. Her first single was "Warrior Woman" which was released on A&M Records in 1984. Kenyon recorded the song "Dance with Me" which was released in 1984. It was reviewed in the 19 May issue of Music Week. Calling it a passable song with great vocals that's soulfully sung, the reviewer also noted the reinforcing of the chorus from the multi-tracked backing vocals, the bubbling bass and rolling drums pinning the beat down. It would spend a week in the UK charts, peaking at no. 87. Kenyon recorded the song "Fascinating" which was composed by herself, Luke Tunney and Rod Gammons. It was released in Germany on CBS CBS 654707 6 in 1989. It was noted in the 6 May, 1989 issue of Music & Media that the song was added to the playlist of radio NDR in Hamburg, Germany. In Sweden, it was also added to the playlists of Hit FM in Stockholm and Radio City 103 in Gothenburg for the week of 27 May. Also on that week it was added to the playlist of Radio Roskilde in Roskilde, Denmark. Its addition to the playlist of Radio Herning in Denmark was noted in the 19 June issue of Music & Media. 1981: Sang the winning song at the Castlebar Song Contest "I Wasn't Born Yesterday" written by Miki Antony & Robin Smith 1981: Backing vocals on the Jon & Vangelis album The Friends of Mr Cairo 1982: Backing vocals on the Chris Rea self-titled album 1982: Vocals on the Morrissey–Mullen album Life on the Wire 1982: Vocals on the Dexys Midnight Runners album Too-Rye-Ay 1983: Vocals on the Heaven 17 single "Temptation" (UK #2) 1984: Duet vocals on the Tommy Shaw album Girls with Guns on the track Outside in the Rain 1984: Backing vocals on the Vangelis/Demis Roussos album Reflection 1984: Backing vocals on the Van Morrison live album Live at the Grand Opera House Belfast 1984: Lead vocals on the Malcolm McLaren single Madame Butterfly from the album Fans 1986: Lead vocals on the Paul Hardcastle single "Don't Waste My Time" (UK #8) 1986: Additional vocals on the album Into the Light by Chris de Burgh 1986: Backing vocals on the Nik Kershaw album Radio Musicola 1986: Backing vocals on the Ultravox songs Same Old Story and The Prize 1986: Backing vocals on Robbie Nevil by Robbie Nevil 1986: Backing vocals on Trouble in Paradise by Anri 1988: Vocals on the album My Nation Underground by Julian Cope 1988: Backing vocals on Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe self-titled album 1989: Lead vocals on the Mike Oldfield single "Nothing But" on the album Earth Moving 1989: Backing vocals on the album The Seeds of Love by Tears for Fears 1989: Backing vocals on the album Vigil in a Wilderness of Mirrors by Fish 1989: Backing vocals on the album Results by Liza Minnelli 1989: Backing vocals on the album Donny Osmond by Donny Osmond on the track Sacred Emotion 1989: Backing vocals on the album Swamp by Phil Thornalley 1989: Backing vocals on the album Avalon Sunset by Van Morrison 1990: Backing vocals on the album Peace of Mind by Breathe 1990: Backing vocals on the album Naked Thunder by Ian Gillan 1990: Backing vocals on the album In ogni senso by Eros Ramazzotti 1990: Backing vocals on the album Circle of One by Oleta Adams 1990: Backing vocals on the album Liberty by Duran Duran 1990: Additional vocals on the album Behaviour by Pet Shop Boys 1991: Backing vocals on the album Real Life by Simple Minds 1991: Backing vocals on the album No Place Like Home by Big Country 1991: Backing vocals on the album Hymns to the Silence by Van Morrison 1991: Backing vocals on the album Let's Get to It by Kylie Minogue 1991: Backing vocals on the album Free by Rick Astley 1991: Backing vocals on the album Auberge by Chris Rea 1992: Backing vocals on the album After Hours by Gary Moore 1994: Backing vocals on the album The Division Bell by Pink Floyd 1995: Backing vocals on the album Alternative by Pet Shop Boys 1996: Backing vocals on the album Soft Vengeance by Manfred Mann's Earth Band 1996: Backing vocals on the album Universal by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark 1997: Backing vocals on the album The Big Picture by Elton John 1998: Backing vocals on the album Songs of Praise by Bullyrag 1999: Backing vocals on the album Nightlife by Pet Shop Boys 2001: Backing vocals on David Gilmour concert at Meltdown festival and corresponding David Gilmour in Concert DVD 2002: Backing vocals on Roger Waters' In the Flesh tour 2005: With Pink Floyd at the Live 8 concert, London in Hyde Park 2006–2008: Backing and lead vocals on Roger Waters' Dark Side of the Moon Live world tour (including his appearance at Live Earth 7 July 2007, Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ) Buckley, Peter (2003). The Rough Guide to Rock. Rough Guides. p. 483. ISBN 978-1-84353-105-0. "Don't Waste My Time". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 9 July 2011. "Carol Kenyon Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic. Retrieved 19 October 2021. Steward, Sue; Garratt, Sheryl (1985). Signed, Sealed, and Delivered: True Life Stories of Women in Pop. South End Press. p. 53. ISBN 978-0-89608-240-3. Music Week, May 19, 1984 - Page 16 SINGLES Reviewed by JERRY SMITH, CAROL KENYON: Dance With Me Official Charts - DANCE WITH ME by CAROL KENYON Discogs - Carol Kenyon – Fascinating Music & Media, Volume 6 Issue 18 May 6, 1989 - Page 32 STATION REPORTS, GERMANY, NDR Hamburg, Axel Lerche DJ/Prod, AD, Carol Kenyon- Fascinating Music & Media, Volume 6 Issue 21 May 27, 1989 - Page 33 STATION REPORTS, SWEDEN, HIT FM - Stockholm, Johan Bring. Prod. Dir., AD, Carol Kenyan- Fascinating Music & Media, Volume 6 Issue 21 May 27, 1989 - Page 33 STATION REPORTS, SWEDEN, RADIO CITY 103 - Gothenburg, Margarere Anderberg - DJ, AD, Carol Kenyan- Fascinating Music & Media, Volume 6 Issue 21 May 27, 1989 - Page 33 STATION REPORTS, DENMARK, RADIO ROSKILDE - Roskilde, Morten Rune - DJ/Prod., AD, Carol Kenyan- Fascinating Music & Media, Volume 6 Issue 23 June 10, 1989 - Page 38 STATION REPORTS, DENMARK, RADIO HERRING - Herning, Ulrik Hyldegaard DJ/Prod., AD, Carol Kenyon- Fascinating McGuinness, Paddy (2017). Castlebar International Song Contest 1966–1988. ISBN 978-1527202306. Betts, Graham (2006). Complete UK Hit Singles 1952–2006 (illustrated ed.). Collins. p. 364. ISBN 9780007200771. "Carol Kenyon". Official Charts Company. 9 July 2011. "Rapination Featuring Carol Kenyon". Official Charts Company.