Interview
with Kim Robins
with Kim Robins
Lamitschka:
Music has many new fans throughout Europe who may be hearing about
you for the first time. How would you describe yourself and the music
you play to someone who has never seen or heard you?
Music has many new fans throughout Europe who may be hearing about
you for the first time. How would you describe yourself and the music
you play to someone who has never seen or heard you?
Kim
Robins: First, I would like to thank you for taking the time to
interview me. I appreciate it very much.
I would
describe myself as someone who was born to perform but life got in
the way and I was not able to do that for many years. I am
someone who values each and every opportunity and really feels at
home and happy when on stage. I am a mixture of progressive and
traditional bluegrass, country and blues. I love all music and
I incorporate all of my influences into the songs I write and into
the songs I sing on stage. Because I have lived the songs I
wrote, I sing with a high level of emotion at all times. My band each
has their own talents as well. They are not only excellent
musicians but they sing, write and they bring an added value to the
show.
Lamitschka:
How did you choose the title for the CD? Is there a story
behind the name?
How did you choose the title for the CD? Is there a story
behind the name?
Kim
Robins: The CD is named after the song and
title track 40 Years Late. It represents my journey as a child
musician who had a dream to one day make it big but “life
happened” and I got lost along the way. I raised my beautiful
daughter, went to college and now am finding my way back into music
some 40 Years after I started. There is a hint of my years in
sales in the line “And Years Out On The Highway.”
Driving alone really gave me time to think about my future and I
finished writing some of my songs while driving for long hours. It
also speaks of growing up watching my dad sit around and play
constantly and how he influenced me to want to perform.
Robins: The CD is named after the song and
title track 40 Years Late. It represents my journey as a child
musician who had a dream to one day make it big but “life
happened” and I got lost along the way. I raised my beautiful
daughter, went to college and now am finding my way back into music
some 40 Years after I started. There is a hint of my years in
sales in the line “And Years Out On The Highway.”
Driving alone really gave me time to think about my future and I
finished writing some of my songs while driving for long hours. It
also speaks of growing up watching my dad sit around and play
constantly and how he influenced me to want to perform.
In
the 70’s my ex-husband, Butch Robins had an album out titled Forty
Years Late and this seemed like the most appropriate name for my CD
since it totally defined my life. Of course, I have Butch’s
permission to use this name and he played banjo on the CD.
the 70’s my ex-husband, Butch Robins had an album out titled Forty
Years Late and this seemed like the most appropriate name for my CD
since it totally defined my life. Of course, I have Butch’s
permission to use this name and he played banjo on the CD.
Lamitschka:
Please tell us about the songs on your album (influences, etc).
Please tell us about the songs on your album (influences, etc).
Kim
Robins: For me, the songs
are all about having a dream. Whether it be a dream about
performing music again or a dream about a man who is unavailable or a
dream about the man I am with. They are songs about heartbreak
in all forms and love in its truest form even though it may not be
meant to be. They are also very personal at the same time because I
lived every single line in the songs.
Robins: For me, the songs
are all about having a dream. Whether it be a dream about
performing music again or a dream about a man who is unavailable or a
dream about the man I am with. They are songs about heartbreak
in all forms and love in its truest form even though it may not be
meant to be. They are also very personal at the same time because I
lived every single line in the songs.
I
wrote 7 of the songs on the CD including Cry, If You Lived Here, 40
Years Late, Another Place In Time, Heartache and Regret, I Want To
Know and So Long. I also included 1 song (Can’t You Hear Me
Calling) from my bluegrass hero, Bill Monroe and 1 song (I’ve Got My
Baby On My Mind) from my country music hero, Connie Smith. Born
to Roam is the first cut. It was written by Keith Tew. I
met Keith when I was married to Butch. He was playing guitar
for Sam Jackson and The Jackson Gang. I have always loved that song
and I have performed it around my area for awhile now. It
always gets a good response so we decided to include it on the
album. I also included a song called It’s Me Again which was written
by Jerry Salley and a good friend of mine, Sheila Stephen. The
5th cover song is a remake of the Dolly Parton and Porter Wagoner hit
The Last Thing on My Mind and I sing that with friend Jeff Guernsey,
former fiddle player for Vince Gill. There is a bonus
track of What A Friend We Have in Jesus/Shuckin The Corn in which my
dad plays guitar and Butch Robins plays banjo. This song was
kept the way it was recorded that day without any EQ and raw as if
they were just jamming. My father was just diagnosed with heart
disease so this is a real special track for me.
wrote 7 of the songs on the CD including Cry, If You Lived Here, 40
Years Late, Another Place In Time, Heartache and Regret, I Want To
Know and So Long. I also included 1 song (Can’t You Hear Me
Calling) from my bluegrass hero, Bill Monroe and 1 song (I’ve Got My
Baby On My Mind) from my country music hero, Connie Smith. Born
to Roam is the first cut. It was written by Keith Tew. I
met Keith when I was married to Butch. He was playing guitar
for Sam Jackson and The Jackson Gang. I have always loved that song
and I have performed it around my area for awhile now. It
always gets a good response so we decided to include it on the
album. I also included a song called It’s Me Again which was written
by Jerry Salley and a good friend of mine, Sheila Stephen. The
5th cover song is a remake of the Dolly Parton and Porter Wagoner hit
The Last Thing on My Mind and I sing that with friend Jeff Guernsey,
former fiddle player for Vince Gill. There is a bonus
track of What A Friend We Have in Jesus/Shuckin The Corn in which my
dad plays guitar and Butch Robins plays banjo. This song was
kept the way it was recorded that day without any EQ and raw as if
they were just jamming. My father was just diagnosed with heart
disease so this is a real special track for me.
Lamitschka:
What is your favorite song among all the songs you have recorded and
what’s the story behind it?
What is your favorite song among all the songs you have recorded and
what’s the story behind it?
Kim
Robins:The 2nd cut Cry is my
favorite song. Bill Monroe once said “this song is about a
true story but that story don’t need to be told.” Cry is
fairly self explanatory and is a true story but I wish to keep the
details of that and the parties involved private out of respect for
the families. Forty Years Late is also my favorite. It truly is
the story of my life as told in a 4 minute song. In a nutshell, I
grew up singing with my fathers band, stopped singing when I was 19
to raise my daughter, put myself through college, obtained 2 degrees,
worked as a nurse/sales rep for the last 20 years and now am finding
my way back to music. I feel as if I have come full circle and
I am enjoy the best time of my life right now. I also really love
Another Place in Time. I think it has a catchy melody and it
shows my growth as a songwriter compared to the first few songs I
wrote. It is the story of meeting the man who would eventually put me
on the path of writing songs.
Robins:The 2nd cut Cry is my
favorite song. Bill Monroe once said “this song is about a
true story but that story don’t need to be told.” Cry is
fairly self explanatory and is a true story but I wish to keep the
details of that and the parties involved private out of respect for
the families. Forty Years Late is also my favorite. It truly is
the story of my life as told in a 4 minute song. In a nutshell, I
grew up singing with my fathers band, stopped singing when I was 19
to raise my daughter, put myself through college, obtained 2 degrees,
worked as a nurse/sales rep for the last 20 years and now am finding
my way back to music. I feel as if I have come full circle and
I am enjoy the best time of my life right now. I also really love
Another Place in Time. I think it has a catchy melody and it
shows my growth as a songwriter compared to the first few songs I
wrote. It is the story of meeting the man who would eventually put me
on the path of writing songs.
Lamitschka:
Who inspires you musically and how deep do your musical roots run?
Who inspires you musically and how deep do your musical roots run?
Kim
Robins: My father is my biggest
inspiration. He ran a band in the Southern Indiana area for several
years and introduced me to all forms of music. I started
singing professionally at 5 years old and was opening for Loretta
Lynn, Conway Twitty, Barbara Mandrell and many others by the time I
was 8. We sat around constantly singing, jamming and just
discussing music. I was influenced in those younger years by
Buck Owens, Connie Smith, Loretta Lynn, Bill Monroe, Jim and Jesse,
The Osborne Brothers, Ray Price, etc. You name it and we
listened to it. My father also loved big band music so I
listened to Benny Goodman and Glenn Miller as well growing up. As a
teenager, I got more into blues and rock which has also influenced me
in many ways. Stevie Ray Vaughan and AC/DC were favorites in my
teenage years. I also cannot forget that I was the biggest Rick
Springfield fan and still am today.
Lamitschka:
What was your big break that got you into the music business?
What was your big break that got you into the music business?
Kim
Robins: As a child, my big break came when
I auditioned for a new venue that was being built called Little
Nashville Opry in Nashville, Indiana. I was about 7 at the time
and the judges had heard all kinds of acts that day. I got up
and sang You Ain’t Woman Enough To Take My Man and the crowd went
wild. I remember the owner of the restaurant picking me up and
asking what I wanted to eat. He said “you can have
anything you want.” Of course, I wanted a cheeseburger and
fries. I was considered the first and youngest member of The
Little Nashville Opry. The MC on those shows was a DJ named Lee
Shannon. He really loved me and my family and he scheduled me
all over the country opening for big acts. I owe him a lot and
wish I knew where he was today.
I
would have to say being married to Butch Robins definitely ignited my
desire once again to perform after many years. I was exposed to many
artists and met many people while we were married. I begin singing
back-up with Misty Stevens and Reminisce Road in 2010 and was
fortunate enough to open for Jr. Sisk and perform at SPBGMA, The Folk
Alliance and many other venues. Working with Misty opened many doors
and introduced to many people in the industry. It also gave me the
desire to want to front my own show rather than singing backup. I
left Misty’s band in late 2011 to pursue my own band and to finish my
CD.
would have to say being married to Butch Robins definitely ignited my
desire once again to perform after many years. I was exposed to many
artists and met many people while we were married. I begin singing
back-up with Misty Stevens and Reminisce Road in 2010 and was
fortunate enough to open for Jr. Sisk and perform at SPBGMA, The Folk
Alliance and many other venues. Working with Misty opened many doors
and introduced to many people in the industry. It also gave me the
desire to want to front my own show rather than singing backup. I
left Misty’s band in late 2011 to pursue my own band and to finish my
CD.
Lamitschka:
What inspired you to become a songwriter?
What inspired you to become a songwriter?
Kim
Robins: I had never written a “real”
song until 2007 and I didn’t really think I had the talent to ever
write one. I did write a song when I was a child called My Mama
Said I Got No Tune but it probably would not win any major awards
today. I had been recently divorced from Butch Robins and I met a man
at a festival who I thought I would eventually marry. That
relationship did not work out but meeting him opened up so many
feelings of emotion that I just one day sat down and started
writing. Songwriting does not come easy for me as I do not just
constantly have an idea. Sometimes I wake up out of a deep
sleep with a song in my head or I am driving along and a line hits me
but then, I can go for months without another idea. The first song I
ever wrote is on this CD. I Want To Know was a song that I woke
up with in the middle of the night. I tried to go back to sleep
because I didn’t know what was happening but I finally got up and the
song came in about 30 minutes. I consider that song sent from God and
the beginning of my writing career.
Lamitschka:
What’s unique about you that will differentiate you from other
artists?
Kim
Robins: I have a very powerful and loud
voice that is highly influenced by my country music background. It is
often times rare to hear a female with such a powerful voice. I
have had many sound men get a surprise when I sang with Misty
Stevens. She had a very soft voice then I would step up to do a
couple songs and nearly blow the sound man away. I always try
to warn them now:) Also, the songs I sing especially, the ones
that I have written are all very personal to me because I lived
them. I sing with the emotion that I am currently going through
a situation even if it had been years ago. I think the audience
will relate to the songs because they are about issues we all faced
at one time or another.
Lamitschka:
What can your fans expect to see when they see you in concert?
What can your fans expect to see when they see you in concert?
Kim
Robins: They can expect to see a well
thought out show with high energy, great vocals and a lot of emotion.
You will see individuals who really love the music and it shows each
time they take the stage. Our wish is to leave the crowd
entertained and to put on a show that the fans will remember for a
very long time. We do a mixture of cover bluegrass songs, both
traditional and progressive that most people who follow bluegrass
will recognize and we have many originals, instrumentals, and
we always do a couple of gospel songs as well.
Lamitschka:
Many music fans today get their information about artists online. Do
you have your own website and what will fans find there?
Many music fans today get their information about artists online. Do
you have your own website and what will fans find there?
Kim
Robins: Yes,
my website is www.kimrobins.com There
are many pictures on the site of myself and the artist I have opened
up for over the years. There is a video of my life as told through
the song 40 Years Late, and they can keep up on the most current news
and where the band is playing as well as purchase a copy of my debut
CD. I am planning to have a blog up in the next few weeks as
well.
Lamitschka:
What message would you like to send your European fans?
What message would you like to send your European fans?
Kim
Robins: I find it an honor to be accepted
in Europe and I hope one day to meet the fans and to tour all around
the world. Music is the one thing that brings us all together
and I appreciate you all so much. Please contact me on Facebook, My
Space, Twitter (40yearsL8) or through my website as I would love to
get to know each and every one of you.
Robins: I find it an honor to be accepted
in Europe and I hope one day to meet the fans and to tour all around
the world. Music is the one thing that brings us all together
and I appreciate you all so much. Please contact me on Facebook, My
Space, Twitter (40yearsL8) or through my website as I would love to
get to know each and every one of you.
Christian
Lamitschka
Lamitschka