The Wonder of Carolyn Wonderland

If you wanted to distill what makes Austin Austin, you could do a whole lot worse than to start with Carolyn Wonderland.

Originally from Houston but now a central player on the Austin music scene, Wonderland has for years been one of Texas’s best kept cultural secrets. She’s known primarily for two astonishing gifts: her lion-esque singing voice and her aggressive, soulful guitar playing. But she’s also known to take out the trumpet and dazzle her audiences every once in a while.

Parallel to Wonderland’s musical interests are her interests in activism. She feels that she’s in a position to help others. One of those opportunities is participating in a forum called “Instruments of Freedom,” in which musicians discuss how their artistic work can lead to making a socio-political contribution. She also works to distribute musical instruments to those who otherwise can’t afford them, and to help in establishing affordable health care for musicians.

But perhaps her most passionate political commitment is in addressing what she sees as the injustice of marijuana prohibition. Her tune “Annie’s Scarlet Letter” is told from the point of view of a woman serving time for selling pot to provide for her young son. The song has been used as a rallying cry for groups looking to decriminalize pot, and Wonderland has lent her efforts to such groups as the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws and the Santa Cruz-based Wo/Men’s Alliance for Medical Marijuana.

“I strongly believe in the legalization of marijuana,” said Wonderland. “It should be a right to use it. It’s a plant. It should be available for recreational use, whatever use you see fit. And, right now, it would be a great boon to the economy.”