Awards and Recognitions
In 2003 her song "I Should Have Known Better" was recorded by Nickel Creek on their Grammy Winning Best Contemporary Folk Album "This Side".
In 2003, Newcomer was named Woman of the Year by the City of Bloomington's Commission on the Status of Women. "The 2003 Woman of the Year, Carrie Newcomer, is best known as a singer/songwriter; however, Jennifer Bass, nominator, says Newcomers significant contributions go beyond her music. Nine years ago Newcomer and her husband Robert Meitus organized Bloomingtons first Soup Bowl Benefit and they continue to assist with the benefit. What is less known is Carrie's dedication to community and her generous support of local and national organizations, said Bass. She has donated money from sales of her cds to the Nature Conservancy and she has participated in benefit concerts in St. Louis and Tucson." Newcomer's "I Wish I May, I Wish I Might" was chosen as the official song of the two year Food For Thought campaign by The Indiana Humanities Department. Newcomer added "Newcomer added, “‘I Wish I May, I Wish I Might’ was inspired by the essays ‘Carnival” and “Bill and Bunny” by celebrated Indiana author, Philip Gulley."
In 2007, her album The Geography of Light received the Artist of the Year and Album of the Year awards from Folk Wax Magazine. In 2003 her Album "The Gathering of Spirits" also received the Artist of the Year and Album of the Year awards from Folk Wax Magazine. That year she wrote the national theme song for the YMCA and collaborated with Scott Russell Sanders and folk songwriters Krista Detor, Tim Grimm, Michael White and Tom Roznoski on an album and theatrical production entitled Wilderness Plots. The author, cast members and director of Wilderness Plots were honored by the Indiana House of Representatives and Senate in a joint resolution which described it as "a musical tribute to the early pioneer settlement of the Midwest and embodies the rich history and artistic excellence of the State of Indiana." Wilderness Plots received a 2012 CINE award for the professional telecast non-fiction division.
In 2008 Boston's WUMB radio station, included her on their list of the Top Most Influential Artists of the past 25 years. In 2010 Chicago's WBEZ radio and The Chicago Tribune included her on their list of Top 50 folk artists of the last 50 years.
In 2010, Rich Warren host of the Midnight Special radio program selected Carrie Newcomer as one of the 50 most significant singer-songwriters of folk music for the last 50 years. Warren also selected her Geography of Light as one of his (13) favorite CD's for 2008. He said "Newcomer is philosopher, sage, mystic and poet with an alto voice that I would follow to the ends of the earth. She also finally reached the perfect balance of accompaniment/production with her voice. The thoroughly engrossing songs require several listenings to see all the light (and dark) within them. Newcomer improves with every CD and her poetry grows more complex and luminous."
In 2012 Newcomer performed at various locations in rural Chulaimbo Kenya as a part of the Interfaith Hunger Initiative and at the AMPATH HIV center in Eldoret.
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