Kim Carnes facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kim Carnes
Carnes performing in 1981
Background information
Born	(1945-07-20) July 20, 1945 (age 79) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres	Pop rock soft rock country folk
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter
Years active	1962–present
Labels	Amos A&M EMI America MCA Sparky Dawg

Kim Carnes (born July 20, 1945) is an American singer and songwriter. She was born and grew up in Los Angeles, California. Kim Carnes has written many of her own hit songs. She has also written songs for other famous artists.

She started her music journey in 1966. She was part of a folk group called The New Christy Minstrels. In the early 1970s, she began her solo career. She performed in local clubs and wrote songs for herself and others. In 1971, Kim Carnes released her first album, Rest on Me.

In 1980, she had a big hit song with Kenny Rogers. It was a duet called "Don't Fall in Love with a Dreamer". It reached number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Later that year, her song "More Love" reached number 10.

Her most famous song is "Bette Davis Eyes". It came out in 1981. This song was a huge hit all over the world. It stayed at number 1 in the United States for nine weeks. It also won two Grammy Awards: Record of the Year and Song of the Year. Her album Mistaken Identity also reached number 1.

Kim Carnes has continued to write and perform music. Her songs have been used in many movies and TV shows. Since 1994, she has lived in Nashville.

Early Life

Kim Carnes was born on July 20, 1945. Her birthplace was Los Angeles, California. Her father, James Raymond Carnes, was a lawyer. Her mother worked as a hospital manager.

Kim knew she wanted to be a singer and songwriter from a very young age. She was only three years old when she decided this. Her family was not musical. She once said, "My mother didn't get my career, and my father, who was an attorney, didn't think singing and writing was even a job." She grew up in Pasadena, California. She finished high school in 1963.

Career Highlights

Starting Her Music Journey

In 1966, Kim Carnes joined a folk music group. It was called The New Christy Minstrels. She stayed with them for a few years. During this time, she met Kenny Rogers. They would later sing together as solo artists.

Kim Carnes signed her first music deal with producer Jimmy Bowen. She also sang a song called "Nobody Knows" for the 1971 movie Vanishing Point. Her first solo album, Rest on Me, came out in 1971.

In the early 1970s, Kim and her husband, Dave Ellingson, wrote songs with David Cassidy. He was a very popular singer at that time. Kim also sang background vocals for his albums.

First Hits and Awards

In 1975, Kim Carnes released her second album. It included her first song to appear on the music charts. The song was "You're A Part Of Me". It reached number 32 on the US Adult Contemporary charts.

Her third album, Sailin', came out in 1976. A song from this album, "Love Comes from Unexpected Places", won a big award. It won the Grand Prize at the American Song Festival. It also won an award in Tokyo. Famous singer Barbra Streisand later recorded this song. Streisand also recorded another one of Kim's songs.

In 1978, Kim had her first song on the Top 40 chart. It was a duet with Gene Cotton. They re-recorded "You're a Part of Me" together.

Big Success with Kenny Rogers and "Bette Davis Eyes"

In 1980, Kim Carnes sang a duet with Kenny Rogers. The song was "Don't Fall in Love with a Dreamer". It became a huge hit on many charts. Kim and her husband wrote all the songs for Kenny Rogers' album Gideon.

Later that year, Kim's cover of "More Love" became her first solo top 10 hit. The original song was by Smokey Robinson. Smokey Robinson was so impressed that he wanted to write another song for her.

In 1981, Kim Carnes recorded "Bette Davis Eyes". This song was originally written in 1974. When Kim released it, it became a massive worldwide hit. It was number one on the U.S. charts for nine weeks. It was the biggest hit song of 1981 in the United States.

"Bette Davis Eyes" won two Grammy Awards. It won Record of the Year and Song of the Year. Kim's album, Mistaken Identity, also reached number one. It was nominated for Album of the Year at the Grammys.

The famous actress Bette Davis loved the song. She wrote to Kim Carnes to thank her. Bette Davis said she was thrilled to be part of the "rock generation." Kim Carnes even visited Bette Davis at her home. Kim performed the song live for Bette Davis at a special event.

Later Career and Songwriting

In 1988, Kim Carnes released her album View from the House. This album went back to her country and folk music roots.

In the early 1990s, Kim released some songs only in Japan. She also sang duets with Neil Diamond.

In 1994, Kim Carnes moved from Los Angeles to Nashville. She kept writing songs for other artists. One of her songs, "The Heart Won't Lie", became a number one country hit for Reba McEntire and Vince Gill.

In 2004, Kim Carnes released her most recent studio album, Chasin' Wild Trains. She wrote songs for this album with many other talented writers. The album had a country and folk sound. She also sang background vocals for Tim McGraw's album in the same year.

Kim Carnes has continued to write and record songs for movie soundtracks. She also performs live.

Her Unique Voice

Musical and Vocal Style

Kim Carnes has a very special voice. It is often described as "raspy" or "throaty." Because of this, people sometimes compare her voice to singers like Rod Stewart and Bonnie Tyler. In 1993, a magazine article called her "The Queen of Rasp 'n' Roll."

Personal Life

Kim Carnes lives in Nashville. She has been married to Dave Ellingson since 1967. They have two sons, Collin and Ry.

Her son Ry is named after the musician Ry Cooder. Ry sings with his mother on her song "Rough Edges." Her son Collin is featured at the beginning of her song "Crazy in the Night." Collin also helped his mother write several songs, including "Gypsy Honeymoon."

Awards

Grammy Awards

The Grammy Awards are very important music awards in the United States. Kim Carnes has won two Grammy Awards and been nominated eight times.

• The song "Bette Davis Eyes" also won the Grammy Award for Song of the Year. This award goes to the songwriters, Donna Weiss and Jackie DeShannon.
• Kim Carnes was one of many artists on the song "We Are the World". This song won four Grammy Awards in 1986.

Other Awards

Discography

• Rest on Me (1971)
• Kim Carnes (1975)
• Sailin' (1976)
• St. Vincent's Court (1979)
• Romance Dance (1980)
• Mistaken Identity (1981)
• Café Racers (1983)
• Barking at Airplanes (1985)
• Light House (1986)
• View from the House (1988)
• Checkin' Out the Ghosts (1991)
• Chasin' Wild Trains (2004)