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Kellie Coffey Interview
She’s one of the fastest rising Country singers in the business.
She’s toured with Kenny Chesney.
She records for BNA/RCA records.
She – is Kellie Coffey.
Q – What was it like opening for Kenny Chesney?
A – Oh, my gosh. It was so amazing. The first show I will say I was
nervous because you know, he packs ‘em in every night. He is just
a superstar. He’s just hit the big stride in his career and it’s
so exciting to be on tour with him and see that happening for him. He’s
worked for it for a long time. He deserves it. I was nervous, but, it was
really cool ‘cause his crowds are really energetic and ready to have
a good time. They’re always fun shows.
Q – They weren’t shouting “Kenny” when
you were onstage were they?
A – (Laughs). No. They weren’t doing that. They weren’t
throwing beer bottles at me or anything.
Q – How is it determined by a headliner like
Kenny Chesney who will open the show? Is it based on CD sales? Radio airplay?
Do you know?
A – It’s so funny that you asked me that. I think it is that
way normally, but Kenny and I are represented by the same manager-----Clint
went to Kenny and said, ‘Here’s Kellie’s CD. See if you
like it’. Kenny has been a huge supporter of me. He was all for me
going out there. I owe a lot to him and my management. It was very sweet
to be on that tour (2002). It’s a lot of visibility for me. So, it’s
really Kenny who said, ‘C’mon’.
Q – As long as we’re talking business
here, I see you have the William Morris Agency behind you?
A – I do.
Q – Does that make a difference as well?
A – I think normally, yes. Definitely. They’ve been really
great. Chris Burke was my contact with William Morris way before I even
got a deal. He has just been such a huge supporter of me, before anybody
was on the Kellie Coffey bandwagon. That means a lot really to me. So, I’ll
never forget that and I’ll always be loyal to them.
Q – “My parents were very supportive. They always believed
in me”. That’s kind of rare for someone contemplating a career
in show business isn’t it? And your father was a dentist!!!
A – My dad has always kind of supported me 150 million percent!!
When I went out and said I’m gonna try and do this for a living they
both said, oh, my goodness, well, just go do a good in it. You know, it
was scary in the beginning. I had never been more than 30 minutes away from
home. So, that was really tough. I missed them so much. Just to have my
dad call me up and say, ‘We’ll come get you at any point’,
I think that gave me the strength. Also, I’m kind of stubborn. I stayed
out there ( California) until I got the job done.
Q – You were in Oklahoma, but you knew early on you wanted to be
a country singer didn’t you?
A – Yeah. Really, when I started writing songs it was my Senior Year
in College and they were country songs. But, I had a friend in L.A. and
I didn’t know anybody in Nashville so I foolishly thought it would
be an easier transition if I moved to L.A. But, it was the hardest thing
I’ve ever done really. It took me about 4 years to start making a
living as a singer. I thought if I could support myself as a singer then
I can go out and try to get my dream which is becoming a country music singer.
As soon as I was making a living I started going back and forth to Nashville
to try and get a record deal.
Q – You worked as a waitress at one point?
A – Yes. I worked as a waitress for a long time.
Q – Did you ever wait on a famous country singer?
A – I never did wait on a country singer. I heard that one day Garth
Brooks came in there and all my friends who wait tables with me were all
very sad for me ‘cause they knew I was a huge fan. So, I missed out
on waiting on Garth Brooks. That was a bummer. But, I saw a lot of famous
people in there. Dalt’s Grill is where I worked.
Q – How many people are trying to do what you
did and have done in L.A.?
A – Oh, man, I just have no idea. It hurts your brain to kind of
think about that. The way I did it is not the way to go about doing it.
If you want to be a country music singer-----move to Nashville. (Laughs).
But, I met my husband out in Los Angeles and I got a lot of experience under
my belt. So, if felt like whenever it was time for me to walk through the
doors and actually be in the studio making my album-----I felt ready for
it. I wouldn’t change it for anything. I can’t imagine how many
people are wanting to do…..I don’t know why I got the chance
to do it, but, I’m very grateful.
Q – Home is where for you – Nashville?
A – Yes. We actually bought a home in Nashville. We had been living
in an apartment here in Nashville for 2 years.
Q – What instrument do you play?
A – I play the piano. That’s how I write.
Q – You sent a demo tape around that resulted
in getting work as a demo singer?
A – Right.
Q – Who did you send that demo tape to?
A – Well, for my demo singing it was an entirely different thing.
You just kind of work yourself up to getting a lot of people you work for-----you
sing a lot of bad songs! I finally got a bunch of people I worked for regularly,
great people. Also, as far as getting my deal I had my publishing deal first.
Q – Your husband, Geoff Koch wrote songs for “Walker Texas
Ranger”?
A – Yes.
Q – Did you also write for the show?
A – I did. I wrote a couple of ‘em with him. He hired me to
write some songs with him. Then after that, I got my publishing deal. He
pretty much wrote the songs so there wasn’t any confusion on my publishing
end. Then he would just hire me to sing ‘em. So, that was good.
Q – I used to watch “Walker Texas Ranger”. Usually, at
the very beginning or certainly at the end of the show there would be a
band playing in CD’s Bar and Grille. Would you have been onstage?
A – No. I was never on camera. A lot of times when the bands were
on the show it was probably somebody else’s music. A lot of times
if there’s a song playing in the background; they call it source music
or if there’s a song on the jukebox that’s usually my husband’s
songs. If it’s a woman singing-----it’s me! If it’s a
man singing a lot of times it’s my husband. He’s a really great
singer.
Q – That’s an entirely different gig isn’t
it to have your music placed on a top-rated t.v. show?
A – Yes. That’s impossible too.
Q – Do you have to have an agent to do that?
A – No. That’s definitely by referral as well. My husband knew
the Executive Producer which was Tom Blunquist at the time. Tom and Geoff
are really good friends. That was a great gig. It kept us afloat for awhile.
© Gary James All Rights Reserved
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