Kami Lyle "Ice In Her Glass"

I played trumpet all throughout high school and college (hey, if you’re going to be a band geek, drums or trumpet is the way to go; they get all the ladies). So when I found out that local musician Kami Lyle also played horn, in addition to writing songs, recording albums, and fronting a trio that plays a lot locally, my interest was definitely piqued. I have been trying to see her live for years, but have never gotten the chance. I was on the verge of going to a show at the Cotuit Center for the Arts this winter, but a blizzard roared into town, and it was cancelled.

If you ask me what kind of artist she is, I really could not tell you. From what I can gather, she gained a little fame for a song called “Polka Dots” in the ‘90s. Kinda Cyndi Lauper-esque, which is probably a bit of a stereotype because she comes off as a cute, ditzy blonde with a squeaky voice. But it seems she has some Nashville and songwriting cred too, and has even played trumpet on a number of prominent artists’ recordings. She does a good Bob Dylan. Lately, she’s letting her jazz side be seen more and more. Whatever she is, we’re glad she’s here.

After a summer hiatus, The Cotuit Center for the Arts brings back Lyle to host her Sit-A-While singer- songwriter concert series on Thursday, September 19th, with Jon Pousette-Dart and Gretchen Peters. Tickets are $25 general admission, $22 for seniors and $20 for members. Pray that we don’t get snow!

For a sample of her latest songwriting contest 2^ndplace winner and more evidence that she is indeed a ditzy blonde (sorry Kami, but c’mon) click on this: 

Hear the song on Youtube.

Kami Lyle "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight"

Imagine saying to a chef who just came over your house and cooked a meal:

"I mean, I've eaten lots of food, but I've never actually seen it cooked!"

I'm sure he'd look at you strangely. After all, preparing food is completely second nature to him, and he can't imagine a world where the end result is divorce from the creation of the product.

Joey Spampinato was looking at me strangely.

I had just finished what was, and still is, one of my most favorite interviews for mvy ever.

We were in Louisville, Kentucky, for a radio convention, and Joey's wife Kami Lyle was making the interview rounds, talking to radio stations about her record.

Kami was a bit nervous, but her discomfort with the interview process just motivated her to be exceptionally funny. So I was already delighted.

At the end of the proper interview, we asked her if she'd do a cover tune for us. It's mvy Standard Operation Procedure. We collect covers for our Live, Acoustic and Covers segment.

Kami's manager perked up. Kami didn't generally do covers, but her manager had recently asked her to learn a Bob Dylan song.

Kami was a little unsure. She was with her husband Joey, who had played the song before, and with Tim Krekel, a local Louisville star and old friend, who'd come to provide musical support. But they'd never played the song together, and she didn't remember the lyrics.

But we coaxed her, and a few minutes later I was holding my laptop in front of her, with the lyrics I'd pulled from Dylan's website. And they did a run-through.

As I was listening to them, I realized that despite being a lifelong music fan, despite having gone to tons of live shows, I'd never really seen music being made.

By "made" I don't just mean created, but actually built.

Joey figured out his chords, and Kami called out changes, and they talked back and forth as they played about where certain parts should come in, and how Tim should do a harmonica solo and how they'd wrap the whole thing up.

I saw all the ingredients being tossed together.

And then, immediately after, they recorded the song for us.

Afterwords, I was explaining to Joey that it was really a privileged as a music fan, to watch artists work something out of nothing. I'm sure to him, a lifelong musician, my perspective was unimaginable to him.

Anyway, check out the interview, and the song, and see if you can spot the magic.


See the video on Youtube.

Hear Kami, Joey and Tim doing "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight."

Hear the full Kami Lyle interview.

For more Dylan covers, visit mvyradio's Bob Dylan Cover Tunes Channel.