Cary Cooper is a woman to watch. She is turning heads and opening hearts everywhere she goes. Cary has spent the last ten years rediscovering her passion, perfecting her craft and learning to tell the truth. The fruit of her labor is shamelessly clear on her new 2009 release, DIRTY LITTLE SECRET. On DLS, Cary eloquently says the things we ALL think, but rarely have the courage to say; and she does so within the framework of hauntingly beautiful melodies and hip grooves. Mary Gauthier met Cary in 2007 at the Rocky Mountain Folks Festival where Cary was a finalist in the Songwriters Showcase. Mary sings background vocals on one of the songs on DLS and has this to say about Cary's latest project: "Cary Cooper's new CD has captured me. It is so very well written, well sung and well recorded that I've found myself listening over and over again for the sheer pleasure of it, and the songs now sit in my heart like old friends. Her song stories are tales of a woman's hard earned wisdom as she embarks on that lonely spiritual journey that leads her to her self. Cary's voice is disarming and seductive, beautiful and inviting, but beware, these tales are not all easy to swallow. The road is rocky and the lessons come hard. But what an honest ride she takes us on! This is a wonderful record, and I hope that people will discover it and fall in love with it like I have." (Mary Gauthier) Along with Mary Gauthier, Cary hosts an impressive cast of guest artists on her new release. Tom Prasada-Rao serves as producer and plays everything from guitar, to piano, to strings. With Jagoda on drums and percussion, there's also guitar work by Jonathan Byrd, Michael Lille and Tim Burlingame; and background vocals by Dave Crossland, Molly Venter, Emory Joseph, Sarah Sample, Kate Graves and Melanie Hersh. Jeffrey Barnes (Brave Combo) is featured on flute, along with Dirje Smith and Gordon McLeod (on cello and penny whistle, respectively). In addition to being named a 2007 finalist at the Rocky Mountain Folks Festival Songwriter Showcase, Cary has also been an Emerging Artist at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival, a finalist at the Mountain Stage Newsong Contest and a 2004 WINNER of the Kerrville Folk Festival New Folk Competition. Cary loves to teach almost as much as she loves to write and perform, and has had many opportunities around the country to hone her teaching skills. She has served as one of the songwriting teachers for Young Writer's Workshop at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. She has taught at Summersongs both in New York and California. She currently works with Paul Reisler helping conduct "Kid Pan Alley" workshops across the country as well as with the Dallas writer's organization, Writer's Garret where she is an artist in residence. She makes her home in Dallas, TX with her husband and musical partner, Tom Prasada-Rao, her daughters, 13 year old Caroline and almost 9 year old Hannah Kate, and Thurman, an obnoxiously large and unusually lovable, Goldendoodle.