Since winning the Artist of the Year Award (Gospel/Country) at The Josie Awards last year, Kathryn Shipley has been going non-stop. And that hard work has paid off, as she’s currently up for five Josie Award nominations as well as three for the inaugural KICMA Awards. Receiving nods in both is her current single “God Gave Me All I Need” which she and writer Chuck Thomas were invited to perform at The Josie Awards in Dollywood this September.
We caught up with Kathryn to talk about the journey she has taken to get to where she is today, The Josie Awards, as well as what is ahead for her.
CN: For our readers who may not be familiar with you, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
KS: Hey thanks so much for this interview. Wow I will tell you, honestly just someone who was Blessed about 8 years ago to finally be able to begin to get on the right path with God, through a huge nudge from my best friend Karen Garner. This “nudge” helped me end up singing at my community church (St Charles Christian Church) which is a stones throw from my house. It didn’t happen overnight, that I wanted to invest my heart into music or God. I won’t go into detail but I had this crazy dream and things really started to “happen” in my life. My best friend kept pushing the issue with me to go to Church, that God is trying to tell you something. The most important part out of all of this is that “God happened for me,” not the singing so much, because without him none of this would be possible for me to be where I am currently at. I realize now, even in my darkest times, I have always had God in my corner. The greatest thing of all is, if I stop tomorrow and not sing another note, God is still taking care of my lyrics on another level.
CN: At what age did you discover music? When did you realize that this was a passion that you wanted to pursue?
KS: Funny thing is when I was like 8-9 years old I could not stand to sing. My music teacher, I am sure I gave her many fits of saying the word “ugh” to herself as I had every excuse in music class “not” to sing. I always loved music I guess I can say, but the singing aspect of it, um nope, car singer, shower singer. I was a true Journey, Stevie Nicks, Dokken, Bay City Rollers (who remembers those guys!). Yes, this black chick loved some 80’s bands . . . still do! My first concert was when I was in college. I went to a Stevie Nicks concert with some friends, and I think I saw maybe four black people at the concert. I was a celebrity in the fact of that in itself haha, people high fiving me. I guess I was the cool black person that liked Steve Nicks.. lol! Seriously, that was the best concert EVER! Back in 2011 I really wanted to get involved in music as far as management. I also had a love to write poetry. At the time I was doing some freelance sports writing. I ended managing a few singers (actually rappers) back around 2010-2011 and they were good. It was not about making money, but helping some very talented people gain exposure. I just learned so many things just by simply, listening and watching. It actually paid off when I met a DJ via Facebook from Austria, DJ Metino. A young man I managed actually got on this mix tape with Nikki Minaj, Waka Flaka Eminem that DJ Metino had produced called Class of 2011. I mean it was crazy, here is this kid, from St. Charles, MO, on a major European mix tape! So cool on so many levels. Me and DJ Metino, actually his real name is Mathaus, and I still stay in touch..
CN: Which artists have you looked up to? In what ways have they influenced you, both personally and as an artist?
KS: Oh so many artists that I just LOVE. I love so many genres of music, but my heart keeps bringing me back to country now. But love singing my Worship music for sure! I never really had a favorite, but man drop me back in the 80’s time capsule and it is just everyone for me! But if I had to pick an artist right now that I am loving is Keith Urban and Thomas Rhett in my country vibe. I love Christian Music, it just soothes my soul, Hillsong, Bethel, Mercy Me, Toby Mac and Tascha Cobbs Leonard is just so on point! Christian and Country just have such an incredible tie in. So much truth in the songwriting and so much passion.. I fall smack dab in the middle of both genres..
CN: Let’s talk about your current single, “God Gave Me All I Need” which was written by Chuck Thomas. Can you tell us the story behind the song?
KS: Yes, for sure.. The cool thing about this, Chuck and I met via being guests on a talk show called The Josie Show. He sent me some messages right before the show and then after he was like ‘I have this song you would be perfect to sing on.’ Little did I know he wrote this song 10 years ago! Chuck had just moved to Nashville and was walking through a part of Nashville that apparently had a huge population of homelessness. As he is walking he encounters this man, smiling looking into the sun. Chuck didn’t realize at that moment, that the man was blind. He thought, here I am mad about not getting the breaks he felt he deserved at the time with his music, and here this man is just happy to have the rays of sun light hitting his face. Chuck was like, I have money in my pocket, food in my belly, and this man is just happy to have the sun in his face. He ran to his truck and penned those amazing lyrics and I am so Blessed that we crossed paths to do this song! So I also give a huge shout out to Josie Passantino, she is doing something in the Indie world that is just incredible, I guarantee you this young woman and her awards show The Josie Music Awards, will be a household name soon. For me the awards show is the GRAMMYS for Indie Music! Her brand she has created is amazing..
CN: How did you come to record the song?
KS: After the Josie Show interview we had, he sent me the track of him actually singing on it and I was like, dude this is good already, why do you want me to do it? He said because it is not meant for me to record it, they want someone like your voice to be on it. I was blown away just for the fact someone I have never met only by phone and a few messages that he would let me record this song. Because I knew how much it meant to him.. no pressure, eh? So about a month later I went to Nashville, met him for the first time and recorded at Prime Cut Studios with Daniel Dennis, (which by the way HE IS AMAZING). He gave us the additional elements we needed to really make this song come full circle. I just want to say the mandolin on this song is like muah!!
CN: Last year you won the Artist of the Year in the category of Gospel/Country Category at the Josie Music Awards and this year “God Gave Me All I Need” is up for Song of the Year. What would winning that award with this song mean for you?
KS: Last year was so amazing and it really changed so many things for me musically. I had some airplay before the awards show with a station in Colorado and Texas from a couple of songs I wrote and recorded. Then I sent an email back in late 2016, to Bongo Boy Records. Got a call from Monique Grimme who is the Executive Director at Bongo Boy Records and she told me that Gar Francis, who is the A&R at Bongo Boy, had this song he wrote called “Shine Your Love” he thought I could really own it and do well on. Well that song helped me win Artist of the Year at The Josie Music Awards last year. And the cool thing is Gar wrote another song called “Give Faith” and it is up for song of the year this year!! We just have always worked really well together. We also had 2 songs, “Shine Your Love” and “Those Eyes” (which I co-wrote with Gar) make it on the first ballot round last year for the FYC (For your Consideration) round for the GRAMMY Awards! I mean wow come on now!
So I really just have to take a moment to thank Gar for giving me a chance, because I think the road would’ve been a lot longer to get to this point, but I know God was also teaching me patience. For “God Gave Me All I Need” …for us to get a win, it would be the cherry on top of every desert there is! How cool to switch over to Modern Country and in my first year get this type of nomination is very surreal, and shows the appreciation that people truly have of my singing abilities. Some people joke and call me Mama Rucker in regards to Darius, it sounds funny but it is an honor to even have someone compare my energy and love for music with his…
CN: You and Chuck, who is also nominated for Songwriter of the Year, will also be performing the song at the Josie Music Awards held at Dollywood!
KS: OMG yes! There were 413 applicants, never even dreamed we would get a shot, but constant prayer on this for sure was going on.. and we were the first group called, I don’t know how many the team at the Josie Music Awards will be selecting, but we are so thankful for this opportunity! It is almost like a version of Cinderella in regards to this song… When Tina Passantino, who is the COO/CFL of The Josie Network, and Josie’s mother called me that we had been chosen, I walked outside and was screaming “lightly” in the phone.. she chuckled..
CN: The music video, which has over 2,000 views on YouTube, is very emotional and helps bring awareness to the issue of homelessness that is in Nashville and unfortunately in other cities and towns across the US. How did you go about filming the video?
KS: This video was based on someone who actually was homeless and lived under the overpass. I tell people, that very overpass where we shot most of the video is about 8 mins from my front home. I wrote the storyboard, directed and just enjoyed working with Travis Spade who runs Planet 13 Entertainment. He captured a lot of emotion that was very key, and then to watch it I cried.. the reason all of this happened was because of two awesome individuals.. Daniel and Peggy Neubert. They have a Ministry here in St Charles where I live called Luke923 (yes from a bible verse). We attend the same church that I also volunteer at as a vocalist on the Worship Arts Team at Harvester Christian Church. They started the ministry back in 2012 reaching out and helping the homeless here in our county of St Charles. They have helped over 50 families move from the streets to living on their own! So, I met with Dan and told him what I was trying to do, in regards to the song. Every Sunday afternoon they meet at the local salvation army, which is right across the street from the overpass where we shot the video, and help feed families that may need just an extra meal to get them by as well as feeding any homeless people that may stop by. Some are very guarded as you can imagine. The first time I went there, when I pulled up there was a guy laying under a tree. I got out of my car and just stared at him and I told Dan, “I want this video to be about him.” Dan smiled and said that is Kevin (he is one of our “regulars”). He is actually on the front of our pamphlet and lives under the overpass right now. I spoke with Kevin and told him what I wanted to do and he said let’s do this. Such a humble man, he has had drug addictions and was actually in prison and will be off of parole in 2019. Ironically a week or so after the video was shot, Kevin was able to find a room to rent and is now off the streets. He has been a fixture into the homeless world off and on I believe for 3 years. I pray for Kevin and will stay in touch with him.. So many key people that helped in this video, even my old church, (St Charles Christian Church), in my community called “New Town” where I live we I shot a few scenes inside the church. That church is where I actually started singing and I am grateful. That Church will always be a part of my lifeline..
CN: Do you have a dream collaboration in mind?
KS: Dream collaboration? They really have come true with the Indie music community! We are so strong with talent, and we all have a tight bond with one another. The funny thing is the very people I saw at the Awards show last year, we are all really good friends now. Last year I saw Chuck and laughed because he had this powder blue jacket on and I was like look at this dude here with all his coolness! Little did I know the guy in passing would soon become a lifelong friend and now we have a song up for Song of the Year! So amazing ain’t it?! But I will say if Dave Matthews called me to go on tour as a backup singer.. I am so THERE!!
CN: If you could describe yourself in one word, what would it be and why?
KS: Driven! Just never giving up for every door closed, another one opened. For every no, a yes was soon to come. And it is all because of me honoring God first. I try to instill this into my three children as well. And I think they all pretty much listen. I just got a text last night from my youngest son, and he simply wrote, “I am proud of you.” That is Gold to me… I am still learning about music all the dynamics as a singer, songwriter and other areas. Trying to learn the business more. Getting a late start with this in life has some challenges, but the great relationships I have gained have been so very beneficial and helpful for me. My birth mother passed away this past December and I didn’t even know until after the funeral that she was actually in a Gospel group when she was younger. She lived in LA, and the last day I was there, my 2 of my sisters took me to the grave site to tell her goodbye. I sat there alone with her talking, singing and I said to her breathe your soul into me let me do all the things with music you didn’t get to do. I promise you this is going to be our Banner season.. so everything I write at times I tag Banner season and 19Legacy28, we all said she left us a Legacy, and 1928 is her birth year. In the video I have a shirt on that says that.. she was definitely with me when I shot that video. There is also a scene where I played a homeless person and I had this old beat up baseball cap on it was actually the hat of my nephew who passed away many years ago when he was 12. He was struck by a vehicle on his way home from summer school. TJ was just a joy and I have always kept that memory in my heart as well..
CN: What else do you have coming up in 2018?
KS: Collaborations, Collaborations, Collaborations!!! So many cool things coming down the pipeline. Still pinching myself for sure! All these people are so amazing.. I am a songwriter as well, but these people here. Whew I am definitely learning another heart beat to song writing .. And I do want to thank all the outlets that are spinning our music, Country Blast Radio, Indie country Radio, Q108 Ontario Canada.., just to name a few! Here are a few things coming up here very quickly: Recording with a music producer in Wichita Kansas next month, this will be very exciting. He reached out to me and told me he has an old song he wants me to remake that is from Rod Stewart! Connie Cassell Tuck ( a new song Connie wrote called Missing Faces, actually recording that this weekend), Mandy Brooks (wrote a song dedicated to me called “All I have left” about my birth mother), Levi Coby (He wrote an amazing song about bullying we are going to record as a duet). Then I know Chuck Thomas will have something amazing for us to do soon!
For more information on Kathryn Shipley, click here.