Kimmie Rhodes
Singer-songwriter Kimmie Rhodes is a native Texan who calls Austin
home. Kimmie’s multi-platinum selling songs have been recorded by such
stellar acts as Willie Nelson, Wynonna Judd, Trisha Yearwood, Amy
Grant, CeCe Winans, Joe Ely, John Farnham, Waylon Jennings, Peter
Frampton, Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris. A creative and prolific
artist, she has recorded and released a total of twelve solo CDs,
written and produced three musical plays and a catalogue of hundreds of
songs, and published a book.
For the past two years she has been busy writing and recording songs
for her new CD, “Walls Fall Down”, scheduled for release in Spring
2008. In February, she will embark on a 20-date tour as a special guest
with Kieran Goss beginning in Berlin and ending with a concert at the
Grand Opera House in Belfast where, for a night, they will join friends
Beth Nielsen Chapman and Rodney Crowell. She will then tour with her
own band in Great Britain, Europe and Ireland through April. (If you
would like more information on Kimmie Rhodes tour dates please visit
http://kimmierhodes.com/touring.html)
“Walls Fall Down” was recorded with an international cast of musicians
including John Gardner (percussion), Glen Fukunaga (bass), Gabe Rhodes
(guitars, keyboards), Brian Standefer (cello) and Kieran Goss and Ann
Kinsella on backing vocals. The CD, co-produced by Kimmie and Gabe, was
recorded, mixed and mastered by Joe Gracey in Kimmie’s studio in
Austin. Kimmie and Joe plan to release the record on their own
independent label, Sunbird.
In typical Kimmie Rhodes eclectic fashion, the new songs range from the
political (“Your Majesty”) to cosmic imaginings (“Last Seven Seconds of
the Universe”), to straightforward Americana (“Make the Morning Shine”,
co-written with Ireland’s Kieran Goss and Brendan Murphy). She also
revisits the Townes Van Zandt classic “If I Needed You” and
reinterprets The Beatles’ “Fool on the Hill”.
Kimmie grew up in Lubbock, Texas and began her singing career at the
age of six with her family gospel trio. She moved to Austin in 1979,
where she met DJ and producer Joe Gracey, an instrumental figure in the
Austin progressive country scene, who she eventually married. In 1981
she recorded her first album, "Kimmie Rhodes and the Jackalope
Brothers" when Willie Nelson invited her to use his studio. In 1985 she
recorded her second album, "Man In the Moon". Her third album "Angels
Get The Blues", recorded at the original Sun Studio in Memphis, was
released in 1989. These records led to a series of British and European
tours which received rave reviews. Kimmie’s 1998 CD release is a
compilation of original songs from these three albums called
"Jackalopes, Moons & Angels". This Jackalope Records release marks
the first time these songs have been available on CD in one collection.
Her promotional tours created a solid fan base in the U.K., Ireland and
Europe. She has headlined with her band at festivals all over the world
and has appeared on many European and American TV and radio broadcasts.
She has also appeared at many of Willie’s Farm Aid concerts and July
4th Picnics. Willie says Kimmie is “an undiscovered superstar” and
together they recorded two of her originals for his album Just One Love
and a duet CD, Picture in a
Frame.
Kimmie appeared on Austin City Limits with Emmylou Harris, Dave
Mathews, Patty Griffin, and Buddy & Julie Miller, where she and
Emmylou performed their song “Ordinary Heart”. She guested on Late
Night With David Letterman, performing “West Texas Heaven” at his
request. Kimmie’s TV appearances also include a songwriter “guitar
pull” Austin City Limits show with Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Kris
Kristofferson and Billy Joe Shaver. New West Records recently released
a DVD of that show titled “Outlaw Country”. She performed in two
segments of The Nashville Network’s “Legend Series” hosted by Willie
Nelson and another hosted by Waylon Jennings. Waylon said, “When I hear
Kimmie sing it makes me know what the phrase ‘pulling on your heart
strings’ means.” Kimmie co-wrote a song, "Lines", with Waylon for his
Justice release "Right For The Time".
Kimmie’s movie soundtrack credits include “A Heart That’s True” for
the “Babe: A Pig in the City” CD, “I’m Not An Angel” featured in
the soundtrack of “Mrs. Winterbourne” and a song in the “Daddy’s Dyin’
Who’s Got the Will” soundtrack. Her song, “Shine All Your Light”,
co-written with Beth Nielson Chapman, was recorded by Amy Grant for the
Touched By An Angel TV series soundtrack and CD, which reached the Top
Ten in Billboard’s CD charts. Beth recently chose the song as her first
single off her new CD “Prism”. She co-wrote “Ordinary Heart” with
Emmylou Harris and the song was featured in the soundtrack to the movie
“Happy Texas”. Emmylou’s performance of the song was nominated for a
Grammy.
Kimmie’s 1996 CD West Texas Heaven features 12 of her original songs
and includes duets with Waylon Jennings, Townes Van Zandt and Willie
Nelson. USA Today said, "listening to West Texas Heaven is like a sweet
unhurried ramble through bluebonnets", picking the album for their
"Best Bets" section. USA Today later picked the CD as one of the Top
Ten Country Records of 1996.
Kimmie 2000 release was Rich From the Journey (Sunbird), produced by
her son Gabe Rhodes. Featuring a guest appearance by Gillian Welch and
David Rawlings and performances by such great musicians as Kevin
Savigar, the late Jimmy Day and John Gardner.
A playwright and actress as well, her debut theatrical project was her
musical, Small Town Girl, directed by and starring Joe Sears of Greater
Tuna. She also released a CD by that title of the music featured in the
play. She and Joe Sears then wrote and produced a musical review called
Hillbilly Heaven. She worked with Sears as Musical Director for his
outdoor drama production of Trail of Tears for the Cherokee Heritage
Center during 2001 through 2003.
She and Joe Gracey co-authored a novella/cookbook, The Amazing
Afterlife of Zimmerman Fees (Sunbird Press).
In 2002, Kimmie released Love Me Like A Song (Sunbird). The CD features
duets with Willie Nelson, Emmylou Harris, Beth Neilsen Chapman, and Tom
Petty and the Heartbreakers keyboardist Benmont Tench. The CD artwork
comes from a series of Kimmie’s original oil paintings, prints of which
are available on her website. For purchasing information on the
originals, contact Austin Galleries.
In 2003 she released a compilation of duets with Willie Nelson titled
“Picture In A Frame”. It’s their first duet CD, featuring the Tom
Waits-penned title track, a new Willie song (“It Always Will Be”), five
original Kimmie tunes, and classics from Rodney Crowell and Willie.
Recorded at Willie’s World Headquarters in Luck, Texas with a small
acoustic group, this CD captures Willie and Kimmie at their most
intimate and relaxed.
Her 2004 CD release titled “Lost & Found”, a set of never-released
songs recorded between 1996 and 2003, features a song co-written with
Waylon Jennings and other tracks with a host of talented writing
partners, as well as some of Kimmie’s best self-penned tunes.
In 2005 Kimmie released “Windlbown”, which also served as the
soundtrack for a performance art piece featuring live music,
interpretive dance, and character portrayals by Joe Sears, with its
debut performance in January 2005. More information about the play can
be obtained here: http://www.windblown.biz
Kimmie recorded a duet, “Why Should I Be Lonely” with Irish
singer-songwriter star Kieran Goss for his CD “Blue Sky Sunrise” and
toured Ireland with him. Kimmie also co-wrote two songs with Kieran for
the CD, "Nothing's Changed Again" and "Sacred Ground".
In 2005 Sunbird released “Ten Summers”, a compilation CD reprising ten
years of Kimmie’s favorite recordings from 1995 to 2005.
Email:<kimmie@kimmierhodes.com> Website:
<http://www.kimmierhodes.com>
Mail: Gracey-Rhodes Productions P.O. Box 90183, Austin, TX
78709-0183