Professional Experience:
Karen has appeared in
countless venues including:
in the Denver Metro Area with a variety of groups
ranging from country to dixieland: 1978-1992
Suzy-Q
Nashville West
Gabriel’s Dinner Club
My Brother’s Place
Mount Vernon Country Club
Bar Lake Bar
Elk’s Club
Moose Lodge
Son’s of Italy Lodge
American Legion
VFW Clubs
The Shriner’s Temple
Knights of Columbus
Tirolian Club
Other Related Musical Experience in the Denver area
includes:
Camp Counselor for the CSU Music Camp (1983/1985/1986)
Head Counselor and Emergency Medical Technician (700+ kids) 1987
CSU International Festival
Denver Nuggets Games/ Denver Broncos Half-Time Shows (1981-1986)
Northern Colorado Concert Band
Percussion for Ekklesia Salt of the Earth Album (Christian Rock) Released Dec.
1982
The Illegitimates New Wave Band
Denver Concert Band
Starway Concert Band
Ray Iverson Band at Grant’s Mansion (Denver/ CO)
Rock Group Safyre (various School Dances)
Phase 5 Group (various weddings)
Placed 2nd (out of 247 contestants) in KLAK Radio Talent Search 1980 Finals
held at Elitch Gardens in Denver
The Carrie French Band who subsequently toured with Tom T. Hall 1980
Percussionist for the Pit Orchestra for The Evergreen Chorale production of
Rudigore (1980)
The Denver Conference of Learning Disabilities Convention at The Denver Hilton
Hotel 1980
Colorado Junior Miss (Regional and State events) 1979-1981
Gold Nugget Brass Band (Dixieland/Jazz) Professional appearances since 1978
including Nov. 1982 Sammy Davis Jr. hosted Benefit for Rose Medical Center at
Boettcher and The Denver Auditorium
Disc Jockey for Golden High School Radio Station 1980-1981
in the Tampa Bay area:
Beach Lounge (with top 40 cover band) 1989
Audition Accepted for Employment for Busch Gardens Entertainment- 1989
Tampa/FL
in the Colorado Springs area with Blues Band: Gordon, Stone & Wise 1991
The Hatchcover Restaurant and Bar
Ancient Mariner
Poor Richards
The Manitou Arts Festival
The Ritz
in the Colorado Springs area with an
original rock group: 1991
Rack n Roll
Air Force Academy Cadet Graduation Party
in the Colorado Springs area with classic rock n
roll band: Nuthin’ Fancy 1991
Numerous Weddings
Western National Bank Christmas Party
McCallister’s Tavern
American Legion
Curly’s (Calhan, CO)
Lake George Inn (Lake George, CO)
Monarch Ski Resort Budweiser Festival 1992
in the Colorado Springs area with variety dance
band: Double Take 1991
Thunder & Buttons Halloween Party
International Polka Club
in the Colorado Springs area with variety dance
band: Dance Time 1991-1992
Country Club of Colorado
Saddle Club (Woodland Park, CO)
Air Force Academy Officers Club
Sweet Hearts and Sweet Sounds- Sheraton South Valentine Package
Other Colorado Springs:
Frank Finelli Broadmoor Quartet with Juanita Martin (Also Bob Alexander, Al
Jacobs, Dexter Petes) 1991
The Pikes Peak Civic Orchestra 1990-1991
Colorado College Concert Band 1990-1991
A Chorus Line Production 1990 Pikes Peak Center/ Colorado Springs/ CO
in the Atlanta Area:
Scleroderma Foundation Fundraiser 1997
Christ Covenant Metropolitan Community Church
- Several Productions of Nunsense (1997)
- Numerous Productions of Godspell (2001)
-Anniversary Dinner 1998 at The Mill, 1999 at the Georgian Terrace and 2000 at
the Holiday Inn in Decatur
Wildwood Performance (Xmas 1996/ Spring 97/Xmas 03)/ Central Congregational
Church
Emory University Jazz Band Fall 96
Emory Javanese Gamelan Ensemble Fall 96
Columbus Octoberfest 1994/1995/1996
New Years Eve 1995-1996 Roswell Mill Edelweiss Restaurant
1997 New Years Eve/ Private Geriatric Facility
1997-2000 New Years Eve/ Jewish Tower
Emory University School of Medicine Physician Assistant Masters Program
Graduation Party Dec. 1995
Emory Clinic Orthopedic Surgery Department Christmas Party with Bill Miller
Dec. 1995
and 1996/1997 Octavia Jones
Emory Emergency Medicine Dept. Xmas Party 1997
Neighborhood Playhouse Theatre: Della’s Diner Fall 1998/ Annie
Heart Sounds Fall 1998/ GAPA 1998/ Anaheim AAPA 2001/ Boston 2002/ Las Vegas
04/etc...
Diversity Variety Show American Academy of Physician Assistants Conference 2002
with the David Patterson Group: 1994-1995
-Cappucino Joe’s (Emory Coffee house)
-Good Ole Days (Sandy Springs-Summer 1994)
-J. W. Dobbs
-Dark Horse Tavern
-Star Bar Benefit
-Olde Smith Bar
-Eddie’s Attic
Springys 1994
Club Topaz 1994 (Melvin Miller)
numerous performances with the Atlanta Rainbow Ensemble between 1993-1994
numerous corporate and private functions with band "Karen Newell and
Friends" including:
-Interpride Conference 2000
-Good Friends for Good Causes Dec 2000
-Southern Comfort Conference Fall 1998
Gwinnett Civic Orchestra 1993
Gwinnett County Jazz Band 1993
Drum Off Finals Guitar Center 1997/1998
The Homage 1993
The Penta Hotel 1993
Atlanta Concert Band 1993
Elk’s Club Christmas in Stone Mountain 1992
Cover to Cover Christian Band 1992 Youth Group Conference
Wesphalia German Group 1992-1993 monthly dances for Friends of German Language
and Culture at Knights of Columbus Hall
Kurt’s Restaurant and Bar (with German Band- Jake Herzog & The Bavarian
Express) Octoberfest 1992
Group Freeflight 1992
Cafe 290 1992
Just Jazz 1992
Fellini’s Pasta (formerly and currently known as The Pub in Little Five Points)
1988 Band of Braves (performed for Clubhouse, Stadium Large Screens, live
between innings and various performances for all home games (about 140) of
the Atlanta Braves Baseball Team including openings for Alabama and The Beach
Boys
The following several photos were of a typical corporate event. However, this particular event in 1999 was very special to Karen as she had often struggled with living in two different worlds in which neither knew much of the other. This was one of a handful of events that bridged the gap between living a dual life between music and medicine. For one evening they were integrated into one.
Karen and drumming buddy Karrie (Kolacny) Jeffris in the mid 1980s after a Colorado State University Percussion Recital in which several hundred percussion instruments were played by the duo in an original 25 minute piece called Ancient Future.
Monarch Ski Resort Budweiser Weekend with the Nuthin' Fancy Band
Sheraton Hotel Valentine's Weekend Package with entertainment by the band: Dance Time
Karen played once a month for several years in the early to mid- 1990s for the German Club of Atlanta for their monthly dances. Larry Barr (left) played 9 instruments during these gigs and often played two trumpets at once.