Kelly Riley Live And You Learn CD

"Live and You Learn" is an overpowering title track on an overpowering album by Boston-area singer Kelly Riley. The song subsides into "One Kiss for the Road," a real heartbreaker, and the wide scope of this artist spans across the disc, with "When All Else Fails" working like the best of Dan Fogelberg, only from a woman's point of view. The blend of jazz on the fourth track's "See You Again" goes deeper into the introspection; one can learn as much about her passion from the nuances of her voice as they can from the lyrics. There are some amazing women songwriters out there -- fellow Bostonians Les Sampou and Deb Pasternak, New York's Deena Miller, L.A.'s Cynthia Catania -- all repaving the path Didi Stewart and Aimee Mann pioneered. Much depth is embraced by "See You Again," but an equally important point about this recording is that the moods change like the channels on a television without disrupting the flow of the music, a real balancing act. Riley pulls it off, the muffled Lynda Stephens sax the perfect complement to the cascading piano lines of "See You Again." Alongside the singer/songwriter is former Joe Perry drummer Joe Petruzelli, former Willie Alexander bassist Brandon Pritchard, and Jeannie Deva guitarist Joe Mac. "Love Bug" continues shifting scenes, a Rickie Lee Jones-type vamp with a New Orleans feel, background vocals slinking through the mix. "Nothin' Left to Do," yet another song bidding adios to a lost love, has sharp lyrics and equals the title track for intensity. Deb Pasternak works these themes, and like Pasternak, Les Sampou, and the remarkable You Know Me album by Jackie DeShannon, Live and You Learn is perfectly produced imagery deserving as much exposure as possible. It's a beautiful work. ~ Joe Viglione

Awards/Competitions/Of note:TOP 5 Song, Nashville Songwriter's Association International Competition (Love Bug)HONORS Award, Great American Songwriting ContestFINALIST, Lilith Fair Competition WINNER, Providence Song Slam Has opened for Willie Nelson and Lyle LovettSongs from "Live and You Learn" featured Nationally on "The Young and the Restless" and "One Life To Live"The Critics Praise Kelly Riley:"Her voice is amazing, like a blanket on a raw winter evening." -Alan Anrdade, Boston Soundcheck Magazine "A voice that is capable of incredible highs and powerful lows." -Doug Sloan, Metronome Magazine "She's an original. I can't think of anyone else that sounds like her. And believe me, that's a real feat, because I've heard it all."-Barbara Jordan, President, Heavy Hitters Publishing."Writing, singing, performing. She has it all. A great package." -Pat Pattison, Berklee College of Music Praise for Live and You Learn "Intense, intelligent, highly evolved." -Joshua Resneck, Chelsea Records "Excellent singing and musicianship" -A.E. Yeager, Northeast Performer "A smartly crafted group of original songs." Richard Kamins, The Hartford Courant "Elegant and well-arranged" -A.E. Yeager, Northeast Performer "Her songs spin volumes of stories in but a few memorable words and melodies." -Don DeCesare President, WILS & WMRD, Conn.

It Took a While to Get Here, But Suddenly it Just Got Easy The Musical Ascent of Kelly Riley in 4 Easy Steps Anna Huckabee Tull, Songwriter's Monthly Magazine When I asked Kelly Riley what on earth she had done to bag the Lyle Lovett opener gig in Hyannis a few months back--after just having opened two weeks earlier for Willie Nelson--she said, and I quote, "I picked up the phone." There you have it.

From a woman who not so very long ago was hanging off the back of a truck spraying towns for mosquitos, waitressing, doing market research for Calvin Klein, and selling cars (selling cars??) to the gal whose single, "Gonna Take Some Time" off her Live and You Learn CD played last month on THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS in front of, what, eight gazillion people or something? This is Kelly Riley.

All grown up and picking up the phone that is, suddenly, ringing. And ringing.

So how, exa