This week’s Artists You Should Know is a treat to introduce, because she’s one of my favorite songwriters, Kim Richey. She’s had her songs recorded by Trisha Yearwood, Jim Lauderdale, Patty Loveless, Suzy Bogguss, Terri Clark, Brooks and Dunn, and Radney Foster. She’s recorded harmony vocals on songs for Jason Isbell, Reba McEntire, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Ryan Adams, Rodney Crowell, Radney Foster, and Trisha Yearwood. Most recently, her 10th studio album, Every New Beginning, reached number 10 on the Billboard Americana/Folk chart. One of the best writers in the business, with impeccable timing and soaring vocals that melt like butter, here’s our interview with Kim Richey.

Where did you grow up and where do you call home now?

I was born in Zanesville, OH. My parents lived in McConnelsville, OH where there is no hospital so it was off to Zanesville. My dad passed away when I was two so my Mom and sister and I went to live with my Grandparents in Dayton, OH and that’s where I grew up. I moved to Nashville, TN in 1988 and that’s where I have been on and off since then. Right now, I’m on and living in Nashville.

It’s just me and one good wiper blade
Up against the rain
And I still hear the echoes of those
Bitter words we said
And I could drive a million miles
And never drive them from my head
Those words we said

Kim Richey, from the song “Those Words We Said”

How have the life experiences of where you lived affected your songwriting or the songs you choose to record?

I think, when I lived has had more effect on my songwriting than where really. I grew up listening to all kinds of music on the radio. The stations didn’t seem as pigeon holed then. I was also fortunate enough to have a great aunt, Aunt Helen, who owned a record shop in the bottom of an old house in McConnelsville, OH. We were allowed to pick as many 45s as we wanted when we visited. I sang in the church choir. I sang in the school choir. My Mom’s record collection was mostly musicals. (I love old classic musicals) I was introduced to Bluegrass at summer camp where I was a counselor. And then I discovered Joni Mitchell…. I guess my influences are kind of all over the place – hopefully, in a good way.

What artists/songwriters have impacted or influenced your work the most?

Joni Mitchell and Karla Bonoff and Carol King for their songwriting.

When you perform, what do you hope is your audience’s biggest takeaway?

The biggest takeaway would be a connection between the audience, myself and the music. There is nothing better. When the audience is engaged there is just this really great energy that flows back and forth between the performer and the crowd. To my way of thinking, my best and most memorable shows have all been because of good audiences.

And I made some good friends and I made mistakes
Lost my religion and I found my faith
And I tried to walk down every path I chose
So it goes

Kim Richey, from “So it Goes”

Tell me a little bit about your latest project?

My latest album “Every New Beginning” was released on Yep Roc Records May 24th, 2024. It still seems very new. The songs on this record were written at different times in my life – some very recently and some are 10 or 12 years old. I love writing songs and write all the time. I don’t write for a specific album so, after about 30 years I have a very large back catalog to draw from. Doug Lancio mixed, produced and played guitars along w/ some percussion loops. I love his playing and hanging out with him. Doug has a such a beautiful sense of melody. This is the first time we have worked together on a proper record of new songs. Lex Price played bass and some mandolin. I was a fan of his long before we recorded this album. Dan Mitchell played all the keyboards and flugelhorn. I can’t imagine making a record without him. Neilson Hubbard played drums. I’ve know and worked with Neilson for years. He is one crazy talented fellow. Aaron Lee Tasjan played guitar and sang on the two songs we wrote together. I am a huge fan of his playing and writing – and he makes me laugh. Sav Buist and Katie Larson from The Accidentals came in with cello and violins and created beautiful string parts on the fly. We recorded at Skinny Elephant for most of the record. Dylan Alldredge was at the board. He’s a sweetheart to work with. This record is dedicated to my mom, Patricia Gimmison, who passed away unexpectedly before the record was finished. She was a beautiful singer. I wish she had had the chance to hear it and learn the words so she could sing along at shows the way she always did.

What was different or unique about your approach to this last project as compared to previous ones?

We were on a tighter time schedule do to money constraints. Maybe that gives it a good energy – light on its feet sort of energy. Doug also did a lot of post tracking work in his own studio. I sang most of the backgrounds too. It was cheaper that way. Coming up with background parts and singing harmony is my most favorite thing to do so, I won’t complain about that.

Was there ever a time you felt like you wanted to quit making music? Tell us a little bit about your answer.

All the time. It’s been an up and down profession for me. I think that is probably the norm for most musicians. After a good show or songwriting session I can’t imagine doing anything else. It really is all about connecting for me – with my songwriting friends, with my musician friends and with the fans. I have pretty great fans.

What is your funniest or favorite “on the road” story when touring?

Well, there was this time when I couldn’t find my keys after a show I did at Freight and Salvage in Berkeley. After we looked for a while (fanatically) one of the fellows we played with said he remembered seeing my keys at the restaurant where we had dinner before the show. I ran over there but, the restaurant was closed and no one was there. Also, the place where we had parked our car was now closed as well and we couldn’t get to our car where our suitcases were. I started calling around for a hotel room. Turned out, NASCAR was in town and every place was sold out. NASCAR – Berkeley?? Anyway, the manager offered to put us up at his group house. In our “show clothes” we headed there. The manager and his roommates were so kind to us. It turned out one of the roommates was a friend of the guy that engineered “Rise” – the record I made with Bill Bottrell and Co. in Mendocino. Another roommate turned up with a 6 pack of beer. She figured we might need a drink after hearing all we had been through. Dean (the other part of the”we”in this story) slept on the coach and was licked throughout the night by an overly friendly wolfhound. Bright and early we headed back to the restaurant – “CLOSED”. :-(. We wasted time until the restaurant opened at the mini-Target, browsing the aisles in our “show clothes”. Once the restaurant opened we went in to see about the keys. The waitress there looked through the drawer for us “no, I don’t see them”. But wait! …..they were in the drawer after all! We ran back to the car and set off for our show in Huntington Beach. We pulled up about 5 min before show time but, not to worry. We already had on our “show clothes”. This is funnier after the fact while it was in progress for sure.

Who or what keeps you grounded the most?

It was my Mom. I’m a little a drift at the moment but, I have a great family. My guitar playing friend Dean Tidey is the voice of reason on tour. He’s pretty much unflappable. I’m very flappable so we compliment each other.

What advice would you give artists just starting out?

Do it because you love it – not to make money or become famous – because you love it.

Listen to Kim Richey and other Artists You Should Know on our Spotify Playlist.