By Lenisha Williams-Bekheet
January 10, 2021
Faye Carol’s decades long career has allowed her to travel the world and meet amazing individuals along the way. As a little girl in Meridian, Mississippi, Carol sang in the church and was destined to become an entertainer. Music is with Carol everywhere she goes.
When Carol's family moved to Pittsburg, California, she joined a coral group. In the mid 1960’s, Carol won a singing contest at the Oakland Auditorium. She was awarded a job singing with a professional band at the California Hotel. This was just one destination in a long journey of opportunity. Carol sang for Nelson Mandela, founded the organization Music in the Community, and currently hosts social distanced workshops called “The Faye Carol School of the Getdown”.
Q: When did you decide to become a singer?
A: When I was five, I knew. In Mississippi they would always give me money at the hair salon when I sang under the hair dryer. It seemed like a pretty good deal to me.
Q: What is the fondest memory of your long-lasting career?
A: I played at the same show as Ray Charles at the Concord Pavilion. I played with Marvin Gaye. I enjoyed having my daughter play music with me. In 2018, the City of Berkeley declared March 13th “Faye Carol Day” . In 2020, I was inducted into the Meridian,Mississippi Hall of Fame. I feel blessed to have had a great, long career.
Q: Who/what inspires you?
A: The musical ancestors- Mahalia Jackson, James Brown, Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, BB King, Muddy Waters, Koko Taylor, Aretha Franklin. There is not just one genre. To me it is just black music. I don’t see why it should be one thing or another. In my world, nothing takes a back seat. It’s all equal. Musically speaking, we should not forget those who came before. It’s not just the Top 10 or what is commercial. We should be inclusive. Black people have a proud heritage . Our music has influenced the entire world. So many people have lended their talent to this world. Music is my cause. Black music in particular. Preserving our culture is important because it inspires everyone.
Q: What motivates you to continue to pursue musical career?
A: To preserve and hold music up. It motivated me to do it and keep doing it. Music is a healing force. That makes me love it because it helps people. Music crosses all boundaries. Music is inspirational.
Q: What message would you give to artists just starting out in the business?
A: Study your craft. Have respect for yourself. Make incremental goals. Be open-minded. Work hard and have fun. Keep your joy!
The Dynamic Miss Faye Carol believes that “music feeds your soul”. She continues to use her musical gift to lift and empower others.
You can find Miss Carol's music on iTunes, Spotify, or Pandora. Follow her on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @thedynamicmiss and subscribe to her YouTube channel - Faye Carol
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