Kim Kline: Rock's Up and Coming Diva

A face to die for, a body to kill for, and a voice that blows you away.

Meet Kim Kline.

As one of rock n’ roll’s most rapidly ascending independent stars, Kim Kline is making a whole lotta heads turn…and for the right reasons.

A native of Graham, TX, Kline was initiated into the world of Classic Rock as a child by none other than her mother. “She wasn’t the greatest singer, but we listened to everything from the Eagles to Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin. I’ve always loved good ole’ rock n’ roll and the music of the late 60s and 70s was incredible. It’s still a huge influence on me,” said Kline.

Hailed by Entertainment World as “the industry’s next diva” and recently nominated at the LA Music Awards for “Best Female Vocalist,” the budding star began singing in her early teens while competing in beauty pageants. “From an early age I knew I had a lot of power in my voice. In recent years, I’ve worked very hard to increase my vocal strength by developing the middle voice, that lower register.” The ever humble Kline was quick to credit her current vocal and performance coach, the well-renowned Steven Memel, for helping develop her very sophisticated vocal belting technique.

Steven’s worked with a lot of great performers…Adam Levine, Taryn Manning, Brittany Murphy… just to name a few. I’m very lucky to have found someone with his incredible talent.”

Kline’s willingness to give credit to others for much of her success is not restricted to her mother and voice coach. “I’ve got an awesome band,” said Kline when referring to her three band mates: Shane Hayes, bass; Wes Whitlatch, guitar; and Trevor Stafford, drums. Reflecting of her Classic Rock influence, Kline has steered away from those multi-piece bands that have become so common these days. “I’m an old fashioned rock and roller,” she quipped.

The search for her current trio was an exhaustive one. “Ryan Cain and I went through 1500 submissions and interviewed nearly fifty musicians before deciding upon Shane, Wes and Trevor. From the instant they began playing I could feel the chemistry.”

In addition to her incredible singing voice, Kline writes her own music and is hands on in the mixing room. “I might not be the one to turn the dials, but I make sure that the sound is me.”

Kline’s unwillingness to compromise on the final product may have kept her from cutting a deal early on with a major label. However, her determination to remain true to her convictions in developing her own distinctive style may pay huge dividends down the road. “I didn’t want to be molded in a way that wasn’t me,” said Kline when reflecting upon how so many artists are packaged in a cookie-cutter approach these days by the major studios.

Don’t get me wrong. Like everybody else, I tried for that big deal in the beginning. But I hope that by building my fan base from the ground up that I’ll have a better chance of sticking around…and not be a one-hit wonder.”

And just for the record (pardon the pun), don’t look for Kline to come out prancing in bra and panties any time soon in some hyper-sexualized rock video. “I’m grateful for what God has given me, but I’m not going to cross the line. I always want my music to be the focus of attention.”

Kline’s extraordinary talent has made her a favorite on the celebrated LA club scene. Whether it’s the Viper Room, The Troubadour, or The Roxy, Kim consistently performs to jam packed audiences. Ironically, her independent career path not only resembles that of many of the rock heroes of yesteryear, but mirrors the very venues themselves.

It’s very exciting knowing that I’m singing in many of the same clubs where Janis Joplin and James Morrison once performed.”

As for what made her finally decide to leave her native Texas and head to the “City of Nights,” that’s really pretty simple.

I was working in the fashion industry and constantly flying back and forth between California and Texas to promote my musical career. One day I realized that if I was going to pursue my dream I had to move to LA and devote myself 100% to my music.”

Upon relocating to Los Angeles, Kline quickly hooked up with voice coach Ron Anderson, best known for his work with The Rolling Stones, No Doubt and Janet Jackson. Eventually, she hooked up with her current manager, Ryan Cain.

"I'm very blessed. I have a strong team of very talented individuals around me."

Apart from being a downright nice person, Kline also shows a strong desire to learn more about her craft. In fact, until recently she did not play an instrument – quite startling when one considers the complexity of her music.

I’m learning the piano and already I can see how this will be of enormous help to me in my songwriting. I’ve always had melodies pop into my head, but now I’m confident I can take my music to the next level.”

One area that would be hard to improve upon is the level of energy that Kline gives to every performance. “I really do live my lyrics,” she said. “And try to connect with my audience on a very personal level.”

Kline’s recent single “Inside” vividly personifies the intense passion she has for her music. A masterful arrangement, the song’s accompanying video is getting considerable air time on MTV and has been nominated for Music Video of the Year.

So if you’re looking for a hip new performer to take you back to the roots of rock n’ roll, you need not look any further.

To purchase Kim Kline’s incredible music, go to her official website (www.kimklinemusic.com ) or Myspace profile (www.myspace.com/kimkline ). Both sites feature direct links to the various online distribution avenues (EMusic, HMVDigital, iTunes, Music Gremlin, Napster, Rhapsody, and Yahoo Music).

Glenn R. Swift is an award-winning writer based in Merritt Island, Florida. He can be contacted through his website: www.glennswift.com.