Kim Carnes: "Kenny Rogers was a dreamer"
Interview with Kim Carnes for W Radio Colombia - March 26, 2020
Kim, hello. Good morning.
Good morning. How are you?
Why don’t fall in love with a dreamer? Why not?
Well, because Dave Ellingson and I wrote an entire album for Kenny called the Gideon album. Before we wrote the songs, we had to create a character, who was Gideon Tanner, and really, create his whole fictitious life story. After we did that, then we started writing the songs. This song was a caution to the girl, that he was in love with, to not fall in love with him. It was purely based on this character, Gideon.
Do you think Kenny was a dreamer?
Yeah, I think every artist is a dreamer. It’s funny, people have asked me that question over the years – We wrote it for the character, and his life situation. Do I feel that way? No way. As artists, we’re all dreamers and it’s a good thing. But in Gideon’s life, it was not a good thing.
Please, tell us how was that experience – let’s go back to 1980. How was your life, and how was working with and writing for Kenny Rogers?
My life was great. I’ve been a songwriter and had many cuts from other artists. Kenny, when he was in the First Edition, cut a song of mine before this. I was making my own albums as an artist, living in Hollywood at the time. Life was great, wonderful. Life got much better when, backstage at the Grammys in 1980, Kenny asked Dave and I if we’d consider writing a concept album for him. The only thing he knew was he wanted to be a modern day cowboy. We took it from there, and created the story and all the songs. We recorded a demo album of all of our songs. We got Kin Vassy, a really great singer, to do all the vocals. We played that demo album for Kenny, and he said “I love it” and agreed to record it. It was all good, very good.
When was the last time you spoke to Kenny and what did he tell you?
It was two years ago at a performing rights society called the SESAC, had their annual awards ceremony. They honoured Kenny and asked if I would sing “Dreamer” for Kenny. I did, and backstage in the green room before the show, and afterwards, Kenny and I had a great, long conversation, really good. That was the last time we took a photo together and that was the last time I saw him. I’m so glad we had that, it was very special.
Can you tell us what’s happening with your musical life right now? What are you doing right now?
I was in Europe promoting Chasin’ Wild Trains, which is my most current album, and doing shows throughout Europe. I was called back here because of the virus going around. Right now, I’m in my home in Nashville. Can’t go anywhere. I take long walks outside every day. The only thing, really, we all have to stay home. I write with other people, write songs. It’s a good use of our time. That’s about it, just trying to stay well and healthy.
Not a long time ago we spoke with Jackie, and she said she liked the cover of the song we’re listening to right now. What is your opinion about that - did you speak to her before?
When I heard her version of the song, I loved the lyrics and I knew I wanted to record it, but I got together with my band and we rehearsed it and tried to figure out how to change the chords and the music of the song for about three days. Finally, we figured out how to change it, make it dark – have a dark feeling to it as opposed to Jackie’s original recording. It was changed quite a bit to be more mysterious, so that’s how we changed it. i think it made a big difference. Again, it was – I think from the time Jackie recorded it, it had been seven years until I recorded it.
Kim, you’re a Californian girl. Why did you decide to move to Nashville?
As a songwriter I’ve always gotten lots of cuts out of people out of Nashville. I was writing songs with lots of people living in Nashville. I figured I would move here for one or two years at the most. Now it’s a lot of years later, I’m still here. My band is here, the songwriting community here is wonderful. But I miss California. I will go home. I will go back.
Kim, it has been a pleasure listening to you. After all this coronavirus crisis, we hope you will come to our country and sing this beautiful song of yours.
Oh, I would love to do that. That would be great. Thank you for scheduling this interview. I appreciate it.
It was an honour. Have a good morning.
You too, stay safe and stay well. And all your listeners – stay well.
See the original link here.
Kim, hello. Good morning.
Good morning. How are you?
Why don’t fall in love with a dreamer? Why not?
Well, because Dave Ellingson and I wrote an entire album for Kenny called the Gideon album. Before we wrote the songs, we had to create a character, who was Gideon Tanner, and really, create his whole fictitious life story. After we did that, then we started writing the songs. This song was a caution to the girl, that he was in love with, to not fall in love with him. It was purely based on this character, Gideon.
Do you think Kenny was a dreamer?
Yeah, I think every artist is a dreamer. It’s funny, people have asked me that question over the years – We wrote it for the character, and his life situation. Do I feel that way? No way. As artists, we’re all dreamers and it’s a good thing. But in Gideon’s life, it was not a good thing.
Please, tell us how was that experience – let’s go back to 1980. How was your life, and how was working with and writing for Kenny Rogers?
My life was great. I’ve been a songwriter and had many cuts from other artists. Kenny, when he was in the First Edition, cut a song of mine before this. I was making my own albums as an artist, living in Hollywood at the time. Life was great, wonderful. Life got much better when, backstage at the Grammys in 1980, Kenny asked Dave and I if we’d consider writing a concept album for him. The only thing he knew was he wanted to be a modern day cowboy. We took it from there, and created the story and all the songs. We recorded a demo album of all of our songs. We got Kin Vassy, a really great singer, to do all the vocals. We played that demo album for Kenny, and he said “I love it” and agreed to record it. It was all good, very good.
When was the last time you spoke to Kenny and what did he tell you?
It was two years ago at a performing rights society called the SESAC, had their annual awards ceremony. They honoured Kenny and asked if I would sing “Dreamer” for Kenny. I did, and backstage in the green room before the show, and afterwards, Kenny and I had a great, long conversation, really good. That was the last time we took a photo together and that was the last time I saw him. I’m so glad we had that, it was very special.
Can you tell us what’s happening with your musical life right now? What are you doing right now?
I was in Europe promoting Chasin’ Wild Trains, which is my most current album, and doing shows throughout Europe. I was called back here because of the virus going around. Right now, I’m in my home in Nashville. Can’t go anywhere. I take long walks outside every day. The only thing, really, we all have to stay home. I write with other people, write songs. It’s a good use of our time. That’s about it, just trying to stay well and healthy.
Not a long time ago we spoke with Jackie, and she said she liked the cover of the song we’re listening to right now. What is your opinion about that - did you speak to her before?
When I heard her version of the song, I loved the lyrics and I knew I wanted to record it, but I got together with my band and we rehearsed it and tried to figure out how to change the chords and the music of the song for about three days. Finally, we figured out how to change it, make it dark – have a dark feeling to it as opposed to Jackie’s original recording. It was changed quite a bit to be more mysterious, so that’s how we changed it. i think it made a big difference. Again, it was – I think from the time Jackie recorded it, it had been seven years until I recorded it.
Kim, you’re a Californian girl. Why did you decide to move to Nashville?
As a songwriter I’ve always gotten lots of cuts out of people out of Nashville. I was writing songs with lots of people living in Nashville. I figured I would move here for one or two years at the most. Now it’s a lot of years later, I’m still here. My band is here, the songwriting community here is wonderful. But I miss California. I will go home. I will go back.
Kim, it has been a pleasure listening to you. After all this coronavirus crisis, we hope you will come to our country and sing this beautiful song of yours.
Oh, I would love to do that. That would be great. Thank you for scheduling this interview. I appreciate it.
It was an honour. Have a good morning.
You too, stay safe and stay well. And all your listeners – stay well.
See the original link here.
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