Artist of the Day: Kim Carnes

I grew up listening to country music-- from Alison Krauss to The Eagles and anything in between. I've even sang Leann Rimes songs at talent shows. So when I read Kim Carnes wrote “A Heart Won’t Lie,” a song made famous by Reba Mcentire and Vince Gill, I instantly recognized the tune and the melody started playing in my head.

But “A Heart Won’t Lie” is not the only hit Carnes has produced. In 1975, “You’re a Part of Me” from her self-titled debut album, charted at No. 32 on the Adult Contemporary charts. Sailin,’ her second album, produced “Love Comes from Unexpected Places," a song later recorded by Barbra Streisand after gaining recognition from winning best song at the 1977 American Song Festival.


A year later, the duet track “You’re Part of Me” with Gene Cotton reached No. 36 on the Billboard Hot 100. Carnes also did a duet with Kenny Rogers titled “Don’t Fall in Love with a Dreamer"--sound advice that blasted the song to the top of pop charts in 1980.

One of Carnes' biggest hits by far came in 1981 with “Bette Davis Eyes.” It was the first single released from Mistaken Identity. The hit spent nine weeks at No. 1 on the U.S. singles charts. A worldwide success, the track kept the album at No. 1 for four weeks. The single gave the singer/songwriter two Grammy Awards, Song of the Year and Record of the Year. She even sang the song live at a tribute to Bette Davis before the actress died.

Though never topping the success of "Bette Davis Eyes," Carnes has become a very successful songwriter for country music. Deana Carter, Sawyer Brown, Tanya Tucker, Tim McGraw, and Pam Tillis have all recorded songs she has written. Fittingly so, Carnes calls Nashville,Tenn. home,and she’s coming to the Classic City in a little less than a month--November 6-- to grace the stage of The Rialto Room, a venue that’s showcased artists such as Christopher Cross and T. Graham Brown.

Who's Who: Kim Carnes
Latest Release: Chaisin' Wild Trains (2004)
Records Labels:A&M, Capitol, EMI, MCA, Spark Dawg Music, CoraZong


--Ashley Thompson
Currently listening to "Bette Davis Eyes" by Kim Carnes

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