July 20: Kim Carnes - "Bette Davis Eyes" - is 68-years-old today.

 

 

 

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From Kim Carnes Website

Born in Hollywood, California, Kim Carnes is a two-time Grammy Award winner noted for her distinctive raspy vocal style. Some people have called her "The Female Rod Stewart."

After writing songs for many years, Kim Carnes signed her first publishing deal in 1969 with producer Jimmy Bowen. During this period, she shared demo-recording time with Bowen's other writers, including Don Henley, Glenn Frey, and J.D. Souther. Carnes also sang "Nobody Knows," written by Mike Settle, which was featured in the end credits of the 1971 film, Vanishing Point. The film also featured Carnes's first selection as a songwriter, "Sing Out for Jesus," which was recorded by Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton.

Her first album, Rest on Me, produced by Jimmy Bowen, was released in 1972. Her self-titled album in 1975 contained her first charted hit, "You're a Part Of Me." This album was followed in 1976 by Sailin', produced by Jerry Wexler. One selection, "Love Comes from Unexpected Places," won Best Composition at the 1977 American Song Festival and gained additional notice after it was recorded by Barbra Streisand on her 1977 album Streisand Superman.

Streisand also recorded Carnes's "Stay Away" on her 1978 album Songbird. Carnes's own Top 40 breakthrough did not occur till 1978, when Gene Cotton recruited her to record a duet version of "You're a Part of Me," which reached No. 36 on the Billboard Hot 100. In 1979, she recorded a single using the pseudonym Connie con Carne titled "She Dances With Meat."

In 1980 her duet with Kenny Rogers "Don't Fall in Love with a Dreamer" became a major hit on the Pop, Country and other charts. The song was culled from Rogers's album, Gideon, which was written entirely by Carnes and her husband Dave Ellingson. Later that year, her cover version of the Smokey Robinson & The Miracles song "More Love" became her first solo Top 10 hit.

In 1981, Carnes recorded "Bette Davis Eyes," written by Jackie DeShannon and Donna Weiss, from her album Mistaken Identity. The song spent nine weeks at number one on the US singles charts and became a worldwide hit.

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The song's success propelled the album to No. 1 for four weeks. The song earned both the Record of the Year and Song of the Year awards at the 1982 Grammys.

Carnes was nominated for Best Pop Female and Mistaken Identity also earned a nomination for Album of the Year. Two follow-up singles from Mistaken Identity, "Draw of the Cards" and the title track, were both released during 1981.

From Kim Carnes Website

Davis wrote to Carnes after the song was released saying she loved the song. "It was a thrill to become a part of the rock generation," she said in her memoir 'This 'N That.' Carnes and Davis struck up a special friendship, with the singer visiting her at her home several times until her 1989 death. In what she considers a career highlight, Carnes performed the song live for Davis at a tribute to the legendary actress held just before her death.

Carnes' later Hot 100 hits included the top 15 charter "Crazy in the Night" (from Barking at Airplanes) and "What About Me?" with Kenny Rogers and James Ingram. Carnes reached the AC Top 10 four times after "Bette Davis Eyes" with "I Pretend," "What About Me?" "Make No Mistake, He's Mine" with Barbra Streisand and "Crazy in Love."

On January 19, 1985, Carnes had the distinction of being on the Billboard Hot 100 with three singles simultaneously.
Carnes was nominated for two more Grammys - Best Pop Female for Voyeur, and Best Rock Female for "Invisible Hands."

From Kim Carnes Website

In 1983, Kim's song, "I'll Be Here Where the Heart Is," was included on the Flashdance soundtrack which received a Grammy for Best Album of Original Score Written for a Motion Picture. Carnes was one of the singers invited to perform on USA for Africa's 1985 famine relief fundraising single "We Are the World" and can be seen in the music video and heard singing the last line of the song's bridge with Huey Lewis and Cyndi Lauper.

As a songwriter, she has had two No. 1 country singles. Her duet with Barbra Streisand was re-recorded as "Make No Mistake, She's Mine" by Ronnie Milsap and Kenny Rogers which was a No. 1 Country hit in 1987. She also wrote "The Heart Won't Lie," a No. 1 duet for Reba McEntire and Vince Gill in 1993.

In 2004, Carnes released the album Chasin' Wild Trains. She continues to tour throughout the U.S., Europe and South America, and currently resides in Nashville, Tennessee with husband Dave Ellingson.

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For more about Kim, visit her Website at -

http://www.kimcarnes.com/

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