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Karen joined YTT towards the end of 1975, after having appeared as a contestant.
She soon caught the eye and ear of Ron Tudor, a great pioneer in the
Australian record industry, who signed her to his Fable label in 1980.
Success was swift - Karen soon made history by
becoming the first Australian schoolgirl to receive
a Gold record with her first Top Ten hit single
"Why Won't You Explain".
The following album
"You Are The Reason" reached Platinum status, making
her the highest selling female artist in Australia
for two consecutive years.
After the release of her second record
"Loves Us All" which achieved gold status,
the Top 30 single "You Don't Know Love" and
"The Third Time" album, in 1984 Karen left
the Fable stable to spend a period in London
writing new material and honing her talents.
Karen returned to Australia in 1988 to star in the hit
stage musical 'Big River' during its popular eighteen
month national tour, she received a nomination for a
Green Room Award for Best Supporting Actress in a
Musical for her performance as Southern belle
Mary Jane Wilks.
While still maintaining her solo career, in 1990 Karen
joined The Seekers touring nationally and
internationally.
The following year,
joined by the group's main song writer
Bruce Woodley and the National Boys Choir she
recorded the much loved song
"I Am Australian" which she has since performed at various events
including the Prime Minister's Dinner for Melbourne's Olympic Bid.
In 1999 she acted as joint executive producer for the
program Christmas In Concert with Karen Knowles
broadcast throughout Queensland on the Seven Network
with top ratings.
Parallel to her recording career, Karen has always
maintained an extensive national and international
live schedule with performances at the Australian
Olympic Committee Dinner, Australian Tourism Awards,
ABM Top 500 Business People of the Year Awards,
Tokyo's Australian Society Ball, Expo `90 Osaka,
corporate conventions for Mercedes Benz, UTAG and
AMP, guest appearances with Australia's leading
Symphony and Philharmonic Orchestras and solo
concerts at all major Arts Centres.
In 2002 she toured all major Arts Centres in
Queensland, performed in cabaret at Capers and
Chapel Off Chapel in Melbourne and in concert at
various venues and appeared at many special events
and Christmas concerts throughout the country.
Toward the end of 2003 Karen released her most
recent CD "On a clear day" which has been well
received.
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