ABOUT
Folksinger-songwriter Kelley Smith is a hopeless romantic who fancies old poetry and grandpa sweaters. All at once whimsical and haunting, Smith delivers deeply affecting lyrics with wry charm and a time traveler's voice. Prone to melancholy and daydreaming, Kelley spent her childhood roaming the woods of Minnesota and singing to forest animals. To this day, her longing for that landscape runs deep and seems to find its way into her songs in one way or another.
Raised by musicians, Smith always had music in her bones, but it wasn't until she was 40 and a mother of four that her first record, Moon Child (2022), came to be. As an insomniac, she wrote this first batch of songs by moonlight. They evoke a sense of belonging, juxtaposed with escapism, as she croons about long-term love, grief, and her draw to the night sky. ”Her authentic, rootsy sound, falling somewhere between country, folk, bluegrass and old-time music, is a pitch-perfect vehicle for the themes she explores...” - Adventures in Americana
Since 2022, Kelley has had the honor of sharing stages with folks like Charlie Parr, Dave Simonett, Alan Sparhawk, Wild Horses, Drew Peterson, Stephen Wilson Jr., Molly Maher, and more. Most often performing solo or as a duo, Smith interprets old folk songs on guitar and banjo, in addition to her original music.
MUSIC
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QUOTES
“Her ability to close the distance from the stage to your ears, while portioning out strong emotions, keeps you constantly leaning in more and more.” - Smouse In The House
”[Smith] has been making waves in the local folk and Americana scene. Her rustic sound, combined with relatable gut-punchy lyrics has been resonating with audiences up north and beyond.” - Southern Minn Scene
”In its truest form, folk music requires us to slow down, listen closely, and let ourselves be absorbed by stories that take us to another place and time. And there might be no better example of that in the Minnesota music scene than Kelley Smith. These organic and unvarnished songs reflect life experiences that could as easily come from past lives as they could from Kelley’s soul.” - Rieder Homestead Concerts
“Kelley has performance sparkle that’s simply youthful. It belies innocence without being sugary...Kelley is similar in tradition to New Zealand’s marvelous Jenny Mitchell. Ladies who don’t adhere to the path of showboating yet exhibit extraordinary songwriting & performance skills.” - Americana Highways
”...armed only with her guitar and a spine-tingling voice, you couldn’t tell she’s only been at this a couple years. Smith transported the room into a realm of enchantment both beautiful and sorrowful. With deeply affecting lyrics and haunting melodies, Smith shared stories we could all relate to. Her solo acoustic set created an atmosphere of intimacy and vulnerability, allowing the audience to connect on a deep and personal level..” - Adventures in Americana
“Sometimes, just sometimes, a record comes along and stops you in your tracks.” - Lonesome Highway
“Sure enough, her writing and singing are both full of soul. Absorb this and be moved.” - Americana UK
”Heartfelt without ever feeling mawkish or cliche, Moon Child is a rumination on love, loss and aging that celebrates the beauty and pain of nature’s implacable progression and the fleeting nature of our lives. Smith perfectly captures the human tendency to alternately struggle against and flow with the natural world and the passage of time.” - Adventures in Americana
“Moon Child is a great listen. Intimately personal with a wry sense of humor, Kelley takes the listener on a journey of becoming. A deep look inward to which we can all relate in one way or another.” - Dave Simonett (Trampled by Turtles)