Annie and Ray Fiore with Capt. Tony and Lori at Capt. Tony's Saloon in Key West, Fla. 2000.

Twice Shy playing a show in Isafjordur, Iceland

Cletus & Lori

Lori Kelley at Lizard's Bobby's Idle Hour in Nashville, TN.

all about me

The short of it:
Lori Kelley is a Nashville-based performing songwriter of Folk/Pop/Rock/Fiction, and sometimes Country music. 

A little more descriptive:
Lori Kelley is a Nashville-based songwriter whose catalog feels like a curated mixtape of heart, humor, and world-building — from quirky tales to sweeping pop-rock epics and country-tinged anthems that have already found their way into multiple artists’ repertoires. With dozens of songs spanning genres and decades, she writes hooks that burrow into your head and stories you actually want to hear again. You can find her music on all of the music platforms.

The long and arduous road:
- Lori was in the award-winning Folk/Pop Duo, Cletus Kennelly & Lori Kelley, for 12 years in the Washington, DC area.  She also headlined in her band, Twice Shy, with Michelle and Butch Nielson. 
-In Nashville, Kelley is often found pairing up with Country artist Jeremy Michael. 
-Every first Wednesday of the month, Lori hosts a songwriter series called "Writers on the Row" at Bobby's Idle Hour Tavern in Nashville, TN. ... 
 And First Thursday's Open Mic at the acclaimed Bowery Vault in East Nashville.
- Lori has performed in the Key West Songwriters Festival, the Washington Folk Festival, the Takoma Park Folk Festival, over a 100 different venues in the DC area, in Melodica festivals in Nashville, Reykjavik, Iceland, and Nottingham, England, and in the elite, Trolls and Elves only Aldrei Fór Ég Suður festival in Ísafjörður, Iceland.

Digging even deeper:
LOTR ALERT - "Ladies of the Rings" is out now. It's another concept album with seven original songs written by Lori Kelley about the women in The Lord of the Rings' books by JRR Tolkien.
Kelley's new album, "Ladies of the Rings" has a kind of James Taylor-ey folk/rock ambience. Produced by the incredible Cliff Goldmacher, who wrangled some of Nashville's finest musicians; Kerry Marx on electric guitars, Catherine Marx on keyboard, Glen Caruba on percussion, Dave Francis on bass, Andy Leftwich playing fiddle and Terry Frisch and Bryan Letcher on BGVs. They wove together a fabric of enchantment for Goldberry, devastating sorrow for Galadriel, Arwen and Eowyn and Hobbit- worthy playfulness for Lobelia Sackville-Baggins and Rosie Cotton.  

The Shire comes to Nashville:
Lori Kelley's first Hobbit album is called “A Tale or Two to Tell" and it's packed full with lively instrumentation and beer-hall harmonies.  
Come away with Lori Kelley to Middle Earth and go on a mini adventure with these songs that are all about Hobbits, Wizards, Elves, Dwarves and Dragons! Lori collaborated with her producer Terry Fritsch to create a truly unique Americana -  Tolkien experience for a fast-paced world to slow down and tuck in with. 
    Kelley has some of Nashville's finest players weaving their magic for your listening pleasure.  Todd Lombardo burns up the banjo and mandolin throughout the record.  Deanie Richardson plays a fearsome violin solo on the title track, "A Tale or two to Tell." Jeremy Fetzer (Steelism) gives "No Friend of Mine" a haunting spaghetti western vibe. The backing vocals, sung by Terry Fritsch, Bryan Letcher and Michelle Nielson, are unarguably the most epic BGVs Nashville has heard in an age! The other amazing players who shared their magic on this album include Marcus (Stix) Finnie, Lance Martin, Ory Brochet, Matt Carey and Alex Petrounov. Mastered by the Master, Brian Foraker.
P.S.  - "A Tale or Two to Tell" has been pressed in sea-glass green vinyl by United Record Pressing in Nashville, TN.
P.P.S. - It can only be found in Nashville music stores (Grimey's and Romeo Records) and at Lori Kelley's shows.
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Awards and such:
- Lori Kelley was Awarded "Songwriter of the Year" and "Song of the Year" by the Washington Area Music Association aka WAMA with her mega-local hit song "It Was A Great Day."  She has songs recorded by Jeremy Michael, Tori Martin, Jessica Nixon, Twice Shy, Cletus Kennelly and Lori Kelley, Angela Saini, Kelcy Hyde, Sarah J Michaels, David Oakleaf and Angela Easley.

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