Candi Carley-Roth

At this time Candi does not have an EPK. You may hear her here; candi+carley+willow+weep+for+me and here; candi+carley+9+to+5 and read the 3 biographys on the right.    

To discuss booking Candi, call her at (267)304-0727.

Biographys

Short Biography of Candi Carley-Roth

Birth and Early Life
Born three months premature, Candi weighed just two and a half pounds. She spent the next two months in an Incubator where she lost her sight.
Growing up, Candi rode her bicycle and skateboard, learned DOS, Judo, horse back riding, navigated in road rallys, and tried surfing. She went to the local public schools, was sent on errands, and was never cloistered or sheltered.

Learning to Play
Before she was two, it was noticed that Candi was attracted to music on the radio, and her parents began playing 78's to her delight, so much so, that she learned to operate the turntable herself shortly after her third birthday, after that, she progressed quickly. At 3 1/3 years, Candi received an Emenee Golden Pipe Organ chord organ for Christmas, at 5, she began playing piano from memory, progressing to fully chorded music with harmony, rhythm and embellishments by the time she was seven, began playing organ at age seven, and performing organ, piano  and vocals in concert a month past her eighth birthday, about the same time she began receiving piano lessons.
At seventeen, Candi first heard a theatre organ in person and immediately switched from Hammonds to pipes. Though Candi made the change from Hammond to Unit Orchestra, she did not change her musical preferences. As a result, her reception by the theatre organ establishment was cool.

Education
Candi graduated with honors from high school and completed 2 years of college. She received private lessons in classical organ from Richard Purvis,  in popular organ from Gordon Kibbee, and classical piano from Nella Bettinger, Victoria Bond & Maurice Zam.

Pipe and Pizza’s
Candi played in pizza parlors for seven and a half years. Some patrons loved to hear their favorites, others loved to challenge Candi by requesting obscure pieces, and if Candi didn’t know it (she usually did), she would by the following week.

Band Participation
Candi was ‘front girl’ for the ‘Paul Beaver Combo’ singing and playing organ and piano. She also played keyboard for the ‘White Horse Band,’ a country band for a year and a half, providing bass, fiddle, piano and vocals.

Convention Concerts
Candi has appeared in 5 American Theatre Organ Society convention concerts and 1 Theatre Organ Society of Australia convention concert.

Church Organist
Candi has played for four churches

Recordings
Candi has made 6 recordings, ‘Candi’ (LP), ‘Just For You’ (LP & CD), ‘Sweet City Woman’ (LP), ‘Candi Carley in Concert’ (Cassette), ‘Joy’ (Cassette & CD) and ‘Sharing the Love’ (CD).

Medium Length Biography of Candi Carley-Roth

Birth and Early Life
Born three months premature, Candi weighed just two and a half pounds. She spent the next two months in an Incubator where she lost her sight.
Growing up, Candi rode her bicycle and skateboard like any other kid, and later learned DOS , Judo, horse back riding, navigated in road rallys, tried surfing, and wanted to sky dive, but her Mom said no to that one. She went to the local public schools, was sent on errands and was never cloistered or sheltered.

Learning to Play
Before she was two, it was noticed that Candi was attracted to music on the radio, and her parents began playing 78 rpm records to her delight, so much so, that she learned to operate the turntable herself shortly after her third birthday.
When she was 3 1/3 years old, Candi received an Emenee Golden Pipe Organ chord organ for Christmas , she didn’t like the sound, but what really bothered her was that her parents made her play the tabletop instrument on the floor.
When Candi was 5, her brother began to take piano lessons. After a while, she started sitting nearby and listening to his lessons, and when he had finished, she would then take his place and practice his lessons herself. Candi had discovered an outlet for all the music she had memorized, and her family discovered what a phenomenal memory for music she had (possibly the largest mental repertoire ever). Playing single note melodies at first, then progressing to fully chorded music with harmony, rhythm and embellishments by the time she was seven.

Discovering the Organ
About this time, a neighbor invited her to try out her new Hammond organ. Candi immediately changed her emphasis from piano to organ. Not long afterward, Candi met organist/synthesist Paul Beaver and violinist Papa John Creach who she would jam with for hours. Paul became Candi’s mentor and he insisted that Candi get formal training, which she did when she was eight and nine years old. He also staged a series of benefit concerts so an organ could be purchased for her. Candi appeared in some of these concerts fronting for ‘The Paul Beaver Combo’. A little more than a month past her 8th birthday, Candi had begun her concert career and a slightly used Hammond B3 and Leslie speaker were delivered just before Christmas.
Between the ages ten and thirteen, Candi received no instruction. She did, during this time, continue to expand her mental repertoire with songs from the radio, then Candi was awarded a classical piano scholarship with Nella Bittenger and Victoria Bond, which lasted throughout her high school years.
At seventeen, Candi first heard a theatre organ in person. Within a year, a new Rodgers 33E electronic theatre organ and two speaker cabinets arrived and she was receiving lessons in Classical Organ from Richard Purvis.
Though Candi made the change from Hammond to Unit Orchestra, she did not change her musical preferences. As a result, her reception by the theatre organ establishment was cool.

Education
Candi graduated with honors from Excelsior High School in Norwalk, California  and began studies at Bible Institute of Los Angeles (B.I.O.L.A.) and pursued a degree in music theory. She felt that her time there was being wasted and she transferred to Rio Hondo College where she received voice lessons from Lois Wells. After two years, Candi quit college and began private lessons in Popular Organ lessons with Gordon Kibbee, and Classical Piano from Maurice Zam.

Pipe and Pizza’s
At age twenty two Candi was hired by ‘Theatre Organ Pizza’ in Long Beach, California
and played there briefly until Mike Ohman of ‘The Great American Wind Machine’ in Reseda California  hired her. Some patrons loved to hear their favorites, others loved to challenge Candi by requesting obscure pieces and if Candi didn’t know it (she usually did), she would by the following week.

Band Participation
In addition to being ‘front girl’ for the ‘Paul Beaver Combo’ singing and playing organ and piano, Candi also played keyboard for the ‘White Horse Band,’ a country band for a year and a half.
The band was in need of a fiddle player and Candi was invited to a practice session where she imitated a violin and played bass on a Technics keyboard and added her vocals. 

American Theatre Organ Society and Theatre Organ Society of Australia Convention Concerts
Candi has appeared in 5 American Theatre Organ Society convention concerts and 1 Theatre Organ Society of Australia convention concert.

Church Organist
Candi has played for four churches, contributing the lion’s share to purchase the organ for one, and 1/2 the installation cost for a tremulant in another. She presently plays at 'Saint James Episcopal Church' in Langhorne PA.

Recordings
Since founding ‘Minx Record Company,’ Candi has made 6 recordings; ‘Candi’ (LP), ‘Just For You’ (LP & CD) , ‘Sweet City Woman’ (LP) ‘Candi Carley in Concert’ (Cassette), ‘Joy’ (Cassette & CD) and ‘Sharing the Love’ (CD). 

                     Long Biography of Candi Carley-Roth

Birth and Early Life
Born three months premature on August 21st, 1953, Candi weighed just two and a half pounds, she remained in the hospital, where she spent the next two months in an Incubator. After she came home from the hospital, her mother noticed that Candi’s eyes did not track when others came into the room. The family’s primary physician made the diagnosis of blindness.
Candi grew up in Norwalk, California where she rode her bicycle and skateboard. Candi later learned DOS , Judo, horse back riding,  navigated in road rallys, tried surfing, and wanted to sky dive, her Mom said no to the last one. 
Though Candi did go to Braille Institute and summer camps geared toward the blind, she was raised and treated like any other kid. She went to the local public schools, was sent on errands and was never cloistered or sheltered.

Learning to Play
By the time she was two, it was noticed that Candi was attracted to music on the radio. Later, a large collection of 78 rpm records and a phonograph  were given to the family which were played to her delight, so much so, that she learned to operate the turntable herself shortly after her third birthday.
When she was 3 1/3 years old, Candi received an Emenee Golden Pipe Organ chord organ for Christmas, already having a discerning ear, she didn’t like the sound, but what really bothered her was that her parents made her play the tabletop instrument on the floor.
When Candi was 5, a Wurlitzer piano was brought into the house and her brother began to take lessons. At first, Candi had no interest in the instrument, but after she heard “Teddy Bears' Picnic” she started paying attention to her brothers lessons. She would sit patiently nearby and listen to his lessons, and when he had finished, she would take his place and practice his lessons herself. Candi had discovered an outlet for all the music she had memorized from the radio and 78s and her family discovered what a phenomenal memory for music she had (possibly the largest mental repertoire ever). Playing single note melodies at first, then progressing to fully chorded music with harmony, rhythm and embellishments by the time she was seven.

Discovering the Organ
At age seven, a neighbor invited her to try out her new Hammond organ. Candi was hooked! Here was a whole orchestra to play with. She immediately changed her emphasis from piano to organ. Not long afterward, Candi met organist/synthesist Paul Beaver and violinist (Papa) John Creach who she would jam with for hours. Paul became Candi’s mentor, he would come to the Carley house and simply watch Candi play for hours, and he insisted that Candi get formal training, which she did when eight and nine years old.
With no lessons, Candi was learning to play organ at light speed, even though she had no organ of her own to practice on (she used other peoples organs every chance she could get). Paul, with the help of other musicians and the Los Angeles Organists Breakfast Club, the Orange County Professional Organist Guild, and the Long Beach Professional Organists, staged a series of benefit concerts where they would perform, occasionally including Candi with the Paul Beaver Combo, with the intent of buying her a Hammond B3 and a Leslie speaker. A little more than a month past her 8th birthday, Candi had unwittingly begun her concert career.
Between ages ten and thirteen Candi received no instruction. She did, during this time, continue to expand her mental repertoire with songs from the radio.
Candi was awarded a classical piano scholarship from the Braille Institute Women s Auxiliary when she was twelve. “I felt like I was going stale and needed a challenge” she later said. These lessons with Nelle Bettinger and Victoria Bond started when she was fourteen and continued until Candi finished high school.
At seventeen, Candi first heard a theatre organ in person. ”I felt like I was being showered with the sound.” Within a year, a new Rodgers 33E electronic theatre organ and two speaker cabinets arrived and she was receiving lessons in Classical Organ from Richard Purvis.
Though Candi made the change from Hammond to Unit Orchestra she did not change her musical preferences. As a result, her reception by the theatre organ establishment was cool.

Education
Candi graduated with honors from Excelsior High School in Norwalk, California and began studies at Bible Institute of Los Angeles (B.I.O.L.A.) and pursued a degree in music theory. At the institute, she was barred from taking notes, her teachers did not want their lectures being recorded and the Perkins Brailler made too much noise they said. Candi was also expected to play organ and piano one handed, while she read Braille Notation with the other hand instead of using her capricious memory for music.
After two years, Candi had had enough, and she transferred to Rio Hondo College where she received voice lessons from Lois Wells. After two years Candi quit college; she saw no need to continue because she was learning more from her private lessons and had an income from the pizza parlors she was working in.

Stars of Tomorrow
Candi appeared in the Los Angeles Theatre Organ Society’s ‘Stars of Tomorrow,’ a predecessor of today’s ‘Young Theatre Organist Competition’  when she was 20.

The Detroit Convention
Candi was the last to perform a cameo and the response was more than positive. Candi kept the audience glued to their seats as she played, no one left the auditorium while she played overtime.

Pipe and Pizza’s
At age twenty two Candi was hired by ‘Theatre Organ Pizza’ in Long Beach, California
and played there briefly until Mike Ohman of ‘The Great American Wind Machine’ in Reseda California  hired her. Some patrons loved to hear their favorites, others loved to challenge Candi by requesting obscure pieces, and if Candi didn’t know it (she usually did), she would by the following week.
Feeling that she might be going stale again, or feeling that she might still have more to learn, and now having the income to pay for it, Candi started getting lessons again. Candi received Popular Organ lessons from Gordon Kibbee, and Classical Piano from Maurice Zam.

Concerts
Almost five years after the Detroit cameo, Candi was finally asked to do a concert, this one being on the 4 manual 37 rank Kimball pipe organ at the Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles California. From then on, contracts for concerts gradually started coming in.

Band Parcipation
In addition to being ‘front girl’ for the ‘Paul Beaver Combo’ singing and playing organ and piano. Candi also played keyboard for the ‘White Horse Band,’ a country band for a year and a half.
The band was in need of a fiddle player and invited Candi to a practice session where she imitated a violin and played bass on a Technics keyboard and added her vocals. 

American Theatre Organ Society and Theatre Organ Society of Australia Convention Concerts                                        Candi has appeared in 5 American Theatre Organ Society convention concerts and 1 Theatre Organ Society of Australia convention concert.

Church Organist
Candi has played for four churches, contributing the lion’s share to purchase the organ for one, and 1/2 the installation cost for a tremulant in another. She presently plays at 'Saint James Episcopal Church in Langhorne PA.

Recordings
Since founding ‘Minx Record Company,’ Candi has made 6 recordings; ‘Candi’ (LP), ‘Just For You’ (LP & CD) , ‘Sweet City Woman’ (LP) ‘Candi Carley in Concert’ (Cassette), ‘Joy’ (Cassette & CD) and ‘Sharing the Love’ (CD).