Country singer-songwriter Kimberly Morgan York releases her debut album, Found Yourself A Lady, which was recorded and then put on the back burner for a while.
Kimberly will release another album in July. Entitled Keep On Going, the album features Kimberly (vocals, guitar), Scott Baxendale (guitar), David Barbe (bass, engineering) Carlton Owens of Cracker (drums), Jay Gonzales from the Drive-by Truckers (piano), Matt Stoessel of Cracker (pedal steel), and Adam Poulin (violin).
Kimberly shares, “My life has been a conveyor belt of constant change. New cities, new careers, new families…. but the one constant in my life is and has always been, music. When anyone asks me how I would define myself, whether artistically or individually, I point to three constants. I’m a woman, I’m a mother, and I’m a musician.”
Singing in church at the age of three was the beginning of Kimberly’s musical journey, followed by learning guitar and writing songs as a teenager. Later, at Cornell University, she began performing. She then became a musical gypsy, eventually ending up in Sausalito where she spread her musical wings, followed by deciding to go all-in on music.
In 2003, she got married to Brad Morgan of the Drive-by Trucker and played with Southern Bitch. With the birth of her daughter, Ruby Kate, Kimberly put her career on hold. A divorce followed, then another marriage, and second divorce, followed by marrying the love of her life, Kevin York.
According to Kimberly, “All of my music is based on real-life…heartache, perseverance, joy, abuse, struggle, victory, and love,” Kimberly reflects. “I want listeners to be able to connect to my music… to see reflections of their own stories in mine. I hope my songs make people feel less alone in their journey. I also want to entertain them and inspire people to laugh and let go.”
Encompassing 10-tracks, entry points on the album include “Don’t Cry To Me,” a delicious country tune rife with luminous, jangly guitars topped by the exquisite, twangy voice of Kimberly. A personal favorite, “Lady,” slows things down, pushing forth on gleaming, rippling guitars. Kimberly’s gentle, creamy tones imbue the lyrics with warm quixotic flavors.
The intro to “Real Thing” conjures up memories of early Eagles’ So-Cal soft rock, followed by segueing into an undulating country melody, at once slightly melancholy and wistful. “Now I Lay Me” rolls out on a crying steel guitar, drawling and mournful, as Kimberly’s alluring voice reveals profound nostalgic savors.
“And now I lay me down to sleep / And I pray the lord my baby to keep / But as the moon rises in the sky / I want my baby by my side.”
Vaguely reminiscent of Patsy Cline and Dolly Parton, Found Yourself A Lady establishes Kimberly Morgan York as a superb country artist.
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