Kelley Smith is Making a Scene

December 10, 2022

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Making a Scene Brings you an Interview with Kelley Smith

Spoken words have never come easy for folk musician Kelley Smith, so in her late 30’s she decided to become an artist. “I was tired of being tongue-tied,” she says, “…I just wanted to paint little word pictures of what was in my head with no pressure to be profound, or correct or catchy. Just me, my soul, coming out.”

Raised in the woods of Minnesota by musicians, Smith had always been inclined towards music. However, as a mom of four, the years rolled by wherein all her creative energies “…went into puppet shows, being a kitchen witch, and whatnot.” The ups and downs of love, parenting, mental health, and a global pandemic were catalysts that eventually led her back to music. Smith began teaching herself guitar late at night when the house was quiet. Later, pandemic lockdowns provided her with extra space and time to write songs. Within a few short years, she has become a regionally recognized folk musician, and has shared stages with MN greats such as Dave Simonett of Trampled by Turtles and Drew Peterson. In 2022, she was awarded the Individual Artist Grant by the Five Wings Arts Council of Minnesota.

Reminiscent of classic artists like Iris Dement and Gillian Welch, Smith’s voice has an old-timey, bluegrass vibe. An emotive performer, she provides “a safe space for folks to feel their feelings.” She’s also an expressive guitar picker. Studying performances by the greats of American roots music, such as Doc Watson and Elizabeth Cotten helped her develop her style. Smith continues to evolve, musically. More recently, she has been incorporating clawhammer banjo and harmonica into her routine.

Her debut album, Moon Child, released on Nov. 14, 2022. The album comes across as a mid-life coming-of-age story. As an insomniac, Smith wrote this first batch of songs by moonlight. Moon Child evokes a sense of belonging, juxtaposed with escapism, as Smith croons about long-term love, grief, and her draw to the night sky.

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