Carol Solenberger

Carol Solenberger

Knoxville, TN

Carol McInnes (Reddick) Solenberger, 97, shuffled off the mortal coil on February 15, 2015 in Knoxville, TN. She died at home after a brief respiratory illness with her family at her bedside. She was preceded in death by her first husband William J. Reddick, her second husband, and the love of her life, Willard E. Solenberger, and her sister Janet Deschere. She is survived by her sister Gail Murray of Great Barrington, MA; her son James (JP) Reddick, (Katie); step-son Peter Solenberger, (Dawn Chaulker); step-daughter Susan Guilford, (Charles); and grandchildren Cameron McInnes Reddick, Briana Chaulker, Alice Guilford, and Samuel Guilford.

Born in Brooklyn, NY in 1917 she spent her formative years in New Rochelle, NY. She was born to Hamilton McInnes, a corporate attorney in New York City and Helen Dodge McInnes. She studied piano at a young age with her great-grandmother Ida Dodge, was a life long musician and a graduate of the Juilliard School of music in piano performance.

She had an interesting and varied musical career. Early in her career as an accompanist, she managed to secure an introduction/audition with Florence Foster Jenkins, a singer of note (?), in Jenkin's own maudlin apartment. Though no employment came of it, it was a dubious honor and a story Carol never tired of telling. Carol associated professionally and socially with a number of well known musicians. In the early days of her marriage to William Reddick, the Richard Rogers, and the Oscar Hammerstein's, were frequent dinner companions. Eugene Ormandy was a friend and close companion for a time and always remarked about Carol's excellent cooking.

In her years in Detroit, she entertained Meredith Wilson and Jose Iturbi was a frequent visitor. Dudleigh Vernor, composer of The Sweetheart of Sigma Chi was a close friend. Bess Bonnier (Detroit jazz pianist) and Carol swapped piano lessons. Carol always said that Bess got the better end of the stick in that Bess learned more classical style than Carol learned jazz. Carol worked closely with the notable Choir Director, Gordon Nelson, who once remarked that Carol was the best accompanist with whom he ever worked.

She taught piano all her life, played piano 4-hand concerts with her first husband William, became the Grosse Pointe Unitarian Church Pianist and later Organist, Choir Director, and Music Director after William died. She worked for the Detroit Public School System as an Accompanist and was the Accompanist for the remarkable Denby High School Chorus (with Nelson). She accompanied the chorus twice to Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod; the chorus won top honors both times.

In her "retirement", she and her second husband Willard moved to Fletcher, NC where they were founding members of the Hendersonville Unitarian/Universalist church and Carol soon became the church Pianist and later the Choir Director, and Music Director. The jobs were largely full-time, but she refused payment because she was "in retirement".

In the late 1970's she started a musical society called Parlor Players in the Hendersonville, NC area in which professional musicians must audition for a lifetime membership and where they could associate and perform for other musicians in a relaxed and supportive environment. The group remains active to this day with a waiting list.

While in Hendersonville, she was an avid supporter of the arts, especially music. She loved hiking, cooking, entertaining, gardening, and traveling the US and Europe. She and Willard traveled Europe extensively where they had many friends. After Willard's death, Carol volunteered at a number of humanitarian enterprises including Pisgah Legal Services.

Carol moved to Knoxville, TN in 2009 to be with her only child and family, and in typical Carol fashion, made strong connections with her new environment. She was proud to be asked to play the piano for a time at the Westside Unitarian Universalist church and she loved her friends there. She also loved playing bridge and was pleased to be accepted by her new friends at the Strang Senior Center.

A memorial service will be held at a later time. Carol's ashes will be scattered in the Walloon Lake area of northern Michigan this summer.

Donations in Carols name may be made to the Southern Poverty Law Center (https://donate.splcenter.org), Knoxville Opera 612 East Depot Ave. Knoxville, TN 37917, or the Hendersonville Symphony (www.hendersonvillesymphony.org).