Valerie Carter

Valerie Gail Zakian Carter (February 5, 1953 – March 4, 2017) was an American singer.

Carter began her career singing in coffeehouses as a teenager, and eventually became one-third of the country-folk band Howdy Moon.

Carter wrote the song "Cook with Honey", which was a hit for Judy Collins on her 1973 album True Stories and Other Dreams.

They debuted at the Troubadour in Los Angeles in 1974.

Their one album is notable for the Carter-penned song "Cook with Honey", later a hit for Judy Collins, and for the introduction of Carter to Lowell George, who produced the next album.

Carter also co-wrote the Jackson Browne track "Love Needs a Heart" that was featured on his 1977 album Running on Empty.

She also co-wrote "It Is One" and "Niño" on Browne's album Looking East.

In 1978, she performed the singing voice of the character Jan Mouse in the animated Halloween special, The Devil and Daniel Mouse, produced by 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 singer John Sebastian of The Lovin' Spoonful fame.

He was a mentor to her until his death in 1979 and introduced her to Jackson Browne, James Taylor, and many of the artists working with her throughout her career.

Her first solo album, Just a Stone's Throw Away, featured an array of guest artists, including Maurice White, Lowell George, Linda Ronstadt, Jackson Browne, and Deniece Williams.

The album was well received and garnered favorable reviews and placed her as the opening act for the Eagles in Europe.

Two years later, she released another album Wild Child, and began touring with various artists, primarily James Taylor, Jackson Browne, and Linda Ronstadt.

Carter then released another solo album, The Way It Is, with guest artists including Phoebe Snow, Lyle Lovett, Edwin McCain, James Taylor, Linda Ronstadt, and Jackson Browne.

Japan released a limited edition of this CD with an additional song by Tom Snow.

She followed two years later with EPs Find a River, Vanilla Grits, and a compilation CD Midnight Over Honey River.

Carter worked as a backup vocalist for a number of recording artists.

These included Linda Ronstadt, Don Henley, Christopher Cross, Little Feat, Jackson Browne, the Outlaws, and James Taylor.

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 worked as a writer for the Brothers Johnson on the track "Deceiver", Earth, Wind & Fire's "Turn It into Something Good", featured on the band's 1980 album Faces, and Cher's Black Rose band's "Never Should've Started".

In the December 11, 1999, issue of Billboard, the marriage of Carter to Seth Katz, a television executive with Sony, was reported to have taken place on November 26, 1999, in Montclair, New Jersey.

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

She completed all of the court's requirements 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 of a heart attack on March 4, 2017, at the age of 64.

The song "Valerie", recorded by Steve Winwood, was reportedly about her as was Jackson Browne's song "That Girl Could Sing".

In 2018, Carter's long time friend, Kathy Kurasch, produced The Lost Tapes, the first posthumous stand-alone album of previously unreleased material by Carter.

It includes unreleased tracks recorded during her career, including "I Got Over It", co-written by Prince.

It was released on Cowboy Angel Records, an indy label formed by Kurasch and Valerie's sister, Jan Carter.

In 2022 they released The Lost Tapes Vol. 2.

In 2024, the Valerie Carter estate and Faragher Brothers joined forces and recreated the Faragher Brothers "Never Get Your Love Behind Me" and "What My Baby Needs Now" by James Brown as a special edition 7" vinyl.