Smooth vocals, a skill on the ivories and songwriting skills are three reasons to listen to the music of Kelley Hunt.
A Kansas City native, you can hear the powerful influences from the blues, R&B, jazz and gospel that echoes from that area of the country.
Think of the great piano players from this area and New Orleans including Jay McShann, Mary Lou Williams and even a little Professor Longhair and you can imagine the music Ms. Hunt was weened on.
With a grandmother who sang New Orlean's Gospel and a mother who a mother who filled the house with jazz and blues there was no where else for Ms. Hunt to go but into the music.
The word is her live performances are something to see and hear.
The newest CD is called MERCY and shows the growth in her musical skills. The song "Emerald City" begins with a jazzy piano run and then the song veers into a rockin' beat before finally settling into a bluesy stomp with a growl coming from Ms. Hunt.
The song contains a blistering guitar solo laid on top of her piano and even more blistering lyrics "I associated the Emerald City with the reason we first went to war. A lot of people in this country don't want to look at those reasons; they still say, 'I'm happy to live in the Emerald City."
She co-scored the film "The Battle For Bunker Hill" which was set in Kansas, and Kelley sings “Mountain To Move" over the closing credits. You will also find this song on MERCY.
From her press release we learn the following; “When my mom was younger,” Kelley says, “she sang and danced professionally in Kansas City. My father grew up in Kansas City and he played upright bass in the Navy band. My parents were very hip people. While my friends were growing up with sitcoms and show music, I was growing up with Etta James and Billie Holiday. When my siblings brought home Hendrix, my parents didn’t say, ‘Turn that down’; they said, ‘Turn that up.’ I was playing piano by ear by the time I was three, emulating what I heard all around me."
You can check out her website HERE where you can hear some her songs and order any of her four CDs.
Some dates on her calendar are;
04/09/2010 - Friday Lawrence, KS LAWRENCE HOLIDOME BALLROOM benefit for Lawrence Humane Society
04/16/2010 - Friday Manhattan, KS THE WAREHAM THEATER - benefit for the Beach Museum of Art at KSU
06/04/2010 - Friday Eureka Springs, AR EUREKA SPRINGS BLUES WEEKEND
Then she is part of the Legendary Blues Cruise sailing out of San Diego on June 6th with the likes of Los Lobos, Johnny & Edgar Winter, Elvin Bishop and more.
Kelley Hunt is one of those little known artists that I am thankful my Fraternity Brother Greg had the good sense to turn me on to.
Now, I pass on the knowledge to y'all.
A Kansas City native, you can hear the powerful influences from the blues, R&B, jazz and gospel that echoes from that area of the country.
Think of the great piano players from this area and New Orleans including Jay McShann, Mary Lou Williams and even a little Professor Longhair and you can imagine the music Ms. Hunt was weened on.
With a grandmother who sang New Orlean's Gospel and a mother who a mother who filled the house with jazz and blues there was no where else for Ms. Hunt to go but into the music.
The word is her live performances are something to see and hear.
The newest CD is called MERCY and shows the growth in her musical skills. The song "Emerald City" begins with a jazzy piano run and then the song veers into a rockin' beat before finally settling into a bluesy stomp with a growl coming from Ms. Hunt.
The song contains a blistering guitar solo laid on top of her piano and even more blistering lyrics "I associated the Emerald City with the reason we first went to war. A lot of people in this country don't want to look at those reasons; they still say, 'I'm happy to live in the Emerald City."
She co-scored the film "The Battle For Bunker Hill" which was set in Kansas, and Kelley sings “Mountain To Move" over the closing credits. You will also find this song on MERCY.
From her press release we learn the following; “When my mom was younger,” Kelley says, “she sang and danced professionally in Kansas City. My father grew up in Kansas City and he played upright bass in the Navy band. My parents were very hip people. While my friends were growing up with sitcoms and show music, I was growing up with Etta James and Billie Holiday. When my siblings brought home Hendrix, my parents didn’t say, ‘Turn that down’; they said, ‘Turn that up.’ I was playing piano by ear by the time I was three, emulating what I heard all around me."
You can check out her website HERE where you can hear some her songs and order any of her four CDs.
Some dates on her calendar are;
04/09/2010 - Friday Lawrence, KS LAWRENCE HOLIDOME BALLROOM benefit for Lawrence Humane Society
04/16/2010 - Friday Manhattan, KS THE WAREHAM THEATER - benefit for the Beach Museum of Art at KSU
06/04/2010 - Friday Eureka Springs, AR EUREKA SPRINGS BLUES WEEKEND
Then she is part of the Legendary Blues Cruise sailing out of San Diego on June 6th with the likes of Los Lobos, Johnny & Edgar Winter, Elvin Bishop and more.
Kelley Hunt is one of those little known artists that I am thankful my Fraternity Brother Greg had the good sense to turn me on to.
Now, I pass on the knowledge to y'all.
Remember...if you missed the show, you can always find out all you need to know, as TRAVIS gives you the full rundown...almost like watching it live!
Tonight on the RADIO HAPPY HOUR, we welcome Carmine Agnello Jr. AKA Carmine Gotti is the son of Victoria Gotti and grandson to the late John Gotti, the notorious Boss of the Gambino Crime Family.
Carmine is best known from the A&E reality series Growing Up Gotti. He’s currently a recording artist with a new single, “Jealous”.
AND...we welcome back Former Radio Happy Hour co-host Dangerous Lee.
She’s the author of a brand new book Keep Your Panties Up and Your Skirt Down featuring “six erotic tales of safe sex.”
Carmine is best known from the A&E reality series Growing Up Gotti. He’s currently a recording artist with a new single, “Jealous”.
AND...we welcome back Former Radio Happy Hour co-host Dangerous Lee.
She’s the author of a brand new book Keep Your Panties Up and Your Skirt Down featuring “six erotic tales of safe sex.”
