Kim Carnes

b. 20 July 1945, Los Angeles, California, USA. The gravelly-voiced Carnes is best known for her 1981 pop classic Bette Davis Eyes which won a Grammy award. Her career started as a member of the influential New Christy Minstrels in the '60s. The solo KIM CARNES in 1975 brought her critical favour, although she was reaping greater success as a songwriter with her husband Dave Ellington. Quality artists like Frank Sinatra and Barbra Streisand recorded her songs, as did Kenny Rogers who duetted with her on their hit Don't Fall In Love With A Dreamer in 1980. The previous year Carnes/Ellington had written all the material for Rogers’ best selling GIDEON. In 1981 the Jackie DeShannon/Carnes composition Bette Davis Eyes topped the US charts for an astonishing nine weeks. This lyrically strong number featured Carnes’ husky vocal over a chiming guitar, utilizing one of the best examples of ‘flanging guitar effect’ ever recorded. The follow-up Draw Of The Cards gave prominence to a contagious, swirling organ-dominated sound that stalled inside the US Top 30. MISTAKEN IDENTITY contained both these tracks and topped the US chart for a month during its year-long stay. Subsequent albums have made a respectable showing in the best sellers and Carnes enjoys regular visits to the US singles chart. During 1984 she had two major duetted hits, the first What About Me with Kenny Rogers and James Ingram; three months later she scored with Barbra Streisand and Make No Mistake, He's Mine. Carnes was one of the select few stars to appear on the USA For Africa single We Are The World. Her country roots returned with the 1988 VIEW FROM THE HOUSE, featuring the country hit Speed Of The Sound Of Loneliness with Lyle Lovett on backing vocals. Carnes has now completed a full circle, having proven herself as an outstanding songwriter in rock, pop and country and going in the record books as one of the longest stays at the coveted number 1 position.