Let me preface this page with an acknowledgement that for whatever reasons people have, not all wish to discuss their past accomplishments nor to acknowledge their
fans. This however does not diminish their talent nor their contributions to the disco music scene.
While doing research to document Karen Silver's many recordings I came across a website that seemed odd. Odd in the fact that the person on it, looked vaguely like our
Karen. I wrote this person and she responded that yes indeed she was "that" Karen Silver. She also shared with me that she "gave up singing" over several years ago. I wrote
back asking for ANY information she could (or would) share with my loyal readers, and to help me document her career. Needless to say I never received a response back,
perhaps she is too busy or perhaps she doesn't care that people still want to know about her and her career. Either way, and regardless of my personal feelings on etiquette, I
still intend to give her a page and talk about her music.
Karen, a presumed Canadian, first came to the attention of American club goers as the vocalist on the Star City Band album. "I'm A Man" was released in 1978 on the Marlin
branch of T.K. Records. The title track was also issued as a 12" single, but with competition from Macho it failed to scale the charts. Karen was the lead vocalist, while Jim
Rigon did the keyboards, Valentino Mancuso strummed the guitar, Gilles Maheu worked the bass and brother Joe Rigon handled the percussion. The album was produced by
John Driscoll.
The following year Driscoll and fellow Canadian Gino Soccio decided to utilize Silver for a solo project. With genius Soccio behind a project it was guaranteed to be first
rate. First issued on Quality Records and then distributed in America on Arista, "Hold On I'm Coming" was first rate, top shelf. A 12" single, the title track, was released to help
promote the album. It shot up the club charts and made Karen a familiar name in the disco world. But American sales of the album lagged and Arista didn't release another.
Quality however picked the plum "Fake" as a follow-up. The strength of either song alone would garner Karen a spot on our website, but the songs and hits didn't stop there.
During 1980 Soccio was busy promoting his release "S-Beat" and with recording his "Closer" album. However he still found time to get Karen back in the studio to work on
her own tracks. The two had presumably become friendly and the working arrangement was definitely magical.
fans. This however does not diminish their talent nor their contributions to the disco music scene.
While doing research to document Karen Silver's many recordings I came across a website that seemed odd. Odd in the fact that the person on it, looked vaguely like our
Karen. I wrote this person and she responded that yes indeed she was "that" Karen Silver. She also shared with me that she "gave up singing" over several years ago. I wrote
back asking for ANY information she could (or would) share with my loyal readers, and to help me document her career. Needless to say I never received a response back,
perhaps she is too busy or perhaps she doesn't care that people still want to know about her and her career. Either way, and regardless of my personal feelings on etiquette, I
still intend to give her a page and talk about her music.
Karen, a presumed Canadian, first came to the attention of American club goers as the vocalist on the Star City Band album. "I'm A Man" was released in 1978 on the Marlin
branch of T.K. Records. The title track was also issued as a 12" single, but with competition from Macho it failed to scale the charts. Karen was the lead vocalist, while Jim
Rigon did the keyboards, Valentino Mancuso strummed the guitar, Gilles Maheu worked the bass and brother Joe Rigon handled the percussion. The album was produced by
John Driscoll.
The following year Driscoll and fellow Canadian Gino Soccio decided to utilize Silver for a solo project. With genius Soccio behind a project it was guaranteed to be first
rate. First issued on Quality Records and then distributed in America on Arista, "Hold On I'm Coming" was first rate, top shelf. A 12" single, the title track, was released to help
promote the album. It shot up the club charts and made Karen a familiar name in the disco world. But American sales of the album lagged and Arista didn't release another.
Quality however picked the plum "Fake" as a follow-up. The strength of either song alone would garner Karen a spot on our website, but the songs and hits didn't stop there.
During 1980 Soccio was busy promoting his release "S-Beat" and with recording his "Closer" album. However he still found time to get Karen back in the studio to work on
her own tracks. The two had presumably become friendly and the working arrangement was definitely magical.
In early 1981 the first 12" single from those sessions was released. "Set Me Free" was a lower beat track and given the current state of club music at the time it blended right in. After two years away from the American
club market many were unfamiliar with her name and her previous work, but they embraced the song anyway, making it a sizeable hit. The Quality Records 12" single and it's follow-up, "Nobody Else," traced the musical
vein Soccio was mining at the type with his own hit "Try It Out." In late 1981 Quality Records released those tracks and several others as Karen's second solo album. A third and final 12" single was released in early 1982.
"Clean Up Woman" was used to promote the album, but American audiences weren't buying it. It was hard to beat Betty Wright's version and Karen's became her last American charter.
The next 20+ years are a void, It is believed that Karen continued to perform and perhaps do studio session work. To supplement her income and because of her love of fashion, beauty and makeup she started working
as a makeup artist. In her own words she "gave up singing several years ago" around 2002 and opened her own makeup business specializing in doing wedding makeup. We thank Karen for the wonderful tracks that she gave
the disco community and wish her well in her new career.
club market many were unfamiliar with her name and her previous work, but they embraced the song anyway, making it a sizeable hit. The Quality Records 12" single and it's follow-up, "Nobody Else," traced the musical
vein Soccio was mining at the type with his own hit "Try It Out." In late 1981 Quality Records released those tracks and several others as Karen's second solo album. A third and final 12" single was released in early 1982.
"Clean Up Woman" was used to promote the album, but American audiences weren't buying it. It was hard to beat Betty Wright's version and Karen's became her last American charter.
The next 20+ years are a void, It is believed that Karen continued to perform and perhaps do studio session work. To supplement her income and because of her love of fashion, beauty and makeup she started working
as a makeup artist. In her own words she "gave up singing several years ago" around 2002 and opened her own makeup business specializing in doing wedding makeup. We thank Karen for the wonderful tracks that she gave
the disco community and wish her well in her new career.
