Carla Olson, a multifaceted artist, is a renowned songwriter, performer, and producer based in Los Angeles. Born and raised in Austin, Texas, she relocated to Los Angeles in 1978, where she co-founded the Textones, whose debut album Midnight Mission reached the Billboard 200 chart.
Throughout her career, Olson has garnered critical acclaim for her work as a solo artist, band leader, and producer. She has collaborated with an impressive array of notable musicians, including former Rolling Stones guitarist Mick Taylor, Percy Sledge, Ry Cooder, Gene Clark, Don Henley, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, John Fogerty, Mikael Rickfors, and many others.
In the 1980s, Olson formed musical partnerships with notable artists, including Gene Clark and Mick Taylor. Her collaboration with Clark resulted in a duet album, So Rebellious a Lover, while her work with Taylor led to the formation of the Carla Olson and Mick Taylor band, which featured George Callins on guitar, Jesse Sublett on bass, Tom Jr Morgan on saxophone, and Rick Hemmert on drums.
Their live album, Too Hot For Snakes, included additional musicians, such as Ian McLagan and Barry Goldberg, on keyboards. Olson's subsequent studio albums, Within An Ace, Reap The Whirlwind, and The Ring Of Truth, featured varying combinations of these musicians.
Olson also made a notable appearance in Bob Dylan's first music video, for the song "Sweetheart Like You". As a token of appreciation, Dylan gifted Olson his previously unreleased song "Clean Cut Kid", which she recorded on Midnight Mission. Ry Cooder played slide guitar on the track.
