WEHM All Access
WEHM All Access brings you inside the 'EHM Studio with artist interviews, festival moments, and behind‑the‑scenes stories. Hosted by Harry Wareing, it’s real conversations and real access to the events, artists and music you love. Get it wherever you get your podcasts.
WEHM All Access
WEHM All Access - Great South Bay Music Festival - Kelli Baker Band
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In this episode, Harry sits down with powerhouse vocalist and songwriter Kelli Baker, who brings her blues‑rock fire and Arizona‑to‑New‑York grit to the Great South Bay Music Festival. Kelli opens up about her church‑choir beginnings, the artists who shaped her voice, and the wild journey that brought her to Long Island during Hurricane Sandy. She discusses her technique of blending blues, rock, Americana, and grunge, and how becoming a teen mom shaped her drive and resilience as an artist. Kelli shares how she’s built both a career and her band, and why she is so excited to hit the Five Towns College Stage this year.
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Well we're sitting down with uh all the different performers for this year's twenty twenty six Great South Bay Music Festival. And uh so many different types of artists uh that are performing this year. They did a great job uh putting together this lineup, and one of them is Kelly Baker, and uh very cool to see uh of course I've known about Kelly a little bit over the past year. Her name kept popping up on my feeds uh with some great music, and it's uh nice to have a chat uh and get to meet you now. Kelly, how are you?
SPEAKER_00I'm doing really well, toasty today, but doing great.
SPEAKER_01It is, yes. Uh well it's funny. Uh now where are you from initially? You're from Arizona, right?
SPEAKER_00I'm originally from Arizona. Trying to think how long I've been in in New York now, maybe 14 years. Oh my gosh. Yeah.
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_00What uh what I keep my Arizona number.
SPEAKER_01When did you when did you move and what what what made you move over to New York?
SPEAKER_00So I just always felt like I was supposed to be here. It was some kind of innate understanding that I had. Um, and it was the year of Hurricane Sandy. So that's a whole story in itself. I could talk your ear off, but we'd have to block off an hour before I told you about that.
SPEAKER_01Well, I'm sure that was an interesting welcome to uh to Long Island to Long Island. Yes, it was. My goodness. You're performing Sunday, July 26th at the band show, the Five Towns College stage, uh, Kelly Baker band, and you've been doing a whole bunch of stuff. I was reading up. I guess why don't we start though in the beginning? Because uh you're from Arizona. What uh what where did you kind of begin to start loving music?
SPEAKER_00Well, you know, my mom was in the church choir and my grandmother was in the church choir. So but by default, I was also in the church choir. So I started in the children's choir. And um, you know, then I loved music. I loved Madonna. Um and uh, but music has always been a part of my life. I've always been in choirs all throughout growing up and then in bands at different stages of my life, but not I went really serious in 2018 and now I'm here talking again.
SPEAKER_01What kind of precipitated you loving the blues and kind of choosing that uh alley to go down?
SPEAKER_00That would be my dad, man. He introduced me to the blues. We saw we got a chance to see B.B. King before he died a couple years before he died, uh, which I'm really grateful for. But another thing that really brought it into focus was when I started playing again, I went from open mics to jams. And there's a really good jam um in Oyster Bay called The Homestead. And uh everybody plays the blues because it's kind of like the universal language when you're going to these things that everybody understands. And I initially came from a rock background, which you'll you'll really hear it a lot that I do. But um, so that big rock feel I like to throw into the blues, and it ended up being kind of a magical genre for me.
SPEAKER_01What did you uh you mentioned uh a couple different artists, but what did you grow up listening to? And what artists kind of were your introduction to the blues?
SPEAKER_00Well, you know, my mom, if you want to talk about blues, she really the Bonnie Raid's Nick of Time album, if you want to stick in that wheelhouse, that was a big one that was always playing in the kitchen. But I also I have such a wide musical taste that you can hear in everything that I do. That's why it's kind of hard to pin me down. So I really kind of operate in that blues rock, um, Americana, and there's grunge aspects to me too. I like digging it all in. So I might have been listening to some blues and then, you know, listening to harder stuff, like maybe some nine-inch nails, all kinds of stuff you'll find in what I do.
SPEAKER_01How old were you when you start first started to perform?
SPEAKER_00I don't even remember. Uh three, maybe. Oh, wow. So you've been doing this a long time.
SPEAKER_01When did you feel comfortable and kind of start developing your voice? Um, because it is it's such a great, unique sound that you have, a great vocal tone. What when did you start realizing the power that that had?
SPEAKER_00Oh, this is gonna sound really dorky, but I was a cheerleader and I had this big boomy voice that would come out. Um, and that's not even my musical voice, but I did have that power and I was aware of that. So um the biggest kind of eye-opening experience for me was I was in this show choir, and this woman came, she was a girl at the time from Nashville. She moved to our school, and she put on this performance of Precious Lord Take My Hand in this way that I just never heard anybody sing that before. And then I thought, I wonder if I could make my voice do that. And so I started practicing. And then, you know, my voice is very different than it was even three or four years ago. It's just a it's an evolving thing. It's just like training a muscle anywhere else in your body that you learn more to um nuances with, I guess, as you go.
SPEAKER_01When you uh when you sit down to write, um, what's your process like? Is it is it lyrics? Is it a melody? What how how does that kind of come together for you when you're when you take the time to start creating a song?
SPEAKER_00Um, I think usually melody and lyrics come to me. And it's interesting because if I sit down and I tell myself to do it, that's not when it's gonna come. It kind of comes to me, and a lot of times it comes to me while I'm driving or I'm doing something else passively. And I think that's the way that my brain operates. I'm a super ADHDer, so I always have to have a couple motors running. And um I'll I'll hum something or I'll sing it into my voice recorder so I don't forget it. Or it'll just come out of nowhere, and I have to save it because sometimes if I lose that, um, you know, I'll never think of it again for the rest of my entire life. So I have to make sure that I I have to nail it down. And then what I'll do is when I am ready to write, I'll sit down and I'll listen to those and then I'll write changes around it and explore it.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah. Yeah, you talk to a lot of artists, they talk about the voice notes on their iPhone that they're always recording something and always kind of making sure that they don't uh they don't forget it or they wake up in the middle of the night and record it uh very quickly. Um, what's it like that you blend a lot of different lyrics together? It feels like a lot of personal um experiences, but also kind of using some metaphors uh for it all. How do you decide um I guess what direction to go in that and kind of make songs not too personal, but how do you is that tough for you to to know how much of truth in your life to put into a song lyric?
SPEAKER_00I think that for me, one of my biggest hindrances was not being personal. I spent a lot of time um wondering, God, if I say this, what will my mom think, or what will my grandparents think, or what will my daughter think? Or, but you know what? Everybody's been spinning a lot of stories that are safe for a long time. And I think it's the further that I go, the more I allow myself to be more open. And if people align with that, then it's meant for you. And if it scares you or freaks you out, then you know it's not. So I just made peace with that. I have to really step into it. And I think showing my vulnerability is one of my greatest strengths as an artist, and I hope that people can see their own selves in that, and that's how we, you know, we do it all together, man.
SPEAKER_01I don't know. Has it has it been tough? Well, I'm curious for an artist's perspective, you have certain meanings behind songs, but you also, I'm sure, speak with some audience members and some fans, and uh, they've got their own take. What's that like to see someone have a completely different uh meaning for one of your songs?
SPEAKER_00I mean, I feel like once I write it and I put it out, it kind of really doesn't belong to me anymore. And it's meant for the receiver how and how they receive it. I love to see the different interpretations on it. There's a lot of songs that I have written that people might think it's about one thing, but it's about something else, and I leave that purposely. Like I actually use a lot of religious imagery in my lyrics just because that's um, you know, that itself leaves room for interpretation. Um, and I like analyzing that because I I was I grew up with such a heavy influence of that, and I liked seeing the different meanings that you can use with that, like Blood on the Nile, for instance. Um, that's kind of my anthem song. And you would think that's about uh something that has to do with love and it does not, and it's about rage, you know, and using that I use the uh the plagues from the Bible as an example uh of how powerful that rage is. So yeah.
SPEAKER_01You moved you moved from Arizona and I in that background, um, where you grew up to New York. What uh what changed in you? What was different in New York that you kind of unlocked that you're gonna be.
SPEAKER_00Oh man, I came here with I had no idea what I was doing. No idea. I came here with no idea about cost of living. By the time I got here, I got robbed. Okay. Um the hurricane Sandy hit, so there was no power for two weeks, and then I saw snowfall for the first time. I never saw snow actually come down until I moved here. And then we had that nor'easter, so I really got smacked in the head.
SPEAKER_01Um Yeah, that was a really I remember I just remembered that we had a snowstorm a week later after Sandy.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, yeah. I had no coat or boots or anything like that. So I just was really thrown into it, man. And it um and it's for a while I felt like I was running away from Arizona because I wanted to be here so badly, and now I really embrace it and I love it so much in a different way with all these perspectives. But I feel like in New York there's this humming energy, and there's something that there's like a pulse here that it's it encourages you to be at a certain level, and that can be good or bad. In Arizona, you're um a little more relaxed, and I think finding a balance between the two um is really important because you can't be running yourself ragged without the the time to recharge your batteries. So I think that um that was probably my biggest thing is just really seeing how the world worked. When I moved here to New York, it took maybe a couple of years before I felt comfortable. Yeah. I was um signed by Mike Zito to Gulf Coast Records. They're a fantastic blues label, and they have some of the best in the business. Um and we were introduced. I was introduced to Mike about, I guess maybe almost two years ago now. And all of those people on that label have just been fantastic to me. And the blue world has been very embracing to me. Um, and it's very exciting to have that people that believe in you and push you because I've been, you know, paying every dollar out of my pocket, taking every every dollar I thought I'd make in my life and throwing it into this, and to have people that actually believe in you and the teams around me to bring this to fruition is very validating and relieving. You know what I mean?
SPEAKER_01I would imagine, yeah. And you've been down in Nashville doing a lot of different things. What's that been? What have you learned most from being around other musicians lately in different levels?
SPEAKER_00Oh, I just love to learn. So I had coffee with a friend my other the other day, and he said, no matter what show you go to, especially the small ones, you can learn so much by intonation, by stage presence. I mean, um that's what I really like to see. You could see how they I like to look at people's merchandise because I like to, I'm a big marketing person and I want to see, I want to create something that's engaging. I'm always just curious to see how I can learn. And I even have it in my Instagram bio that if you think you're the smartest person in the room, you're in the wrong room. Like I don't ever want to be the smartest person um around, or think that I am anyway, um, around who I'm working with or think I'm the most talented because that where how do you grow? So I think there's always something to learn.
SPEAKER_01That's interesting that uh, you know, you speak to a lot of bands, and um, I think it's tough for certain types of bands where um it really they got into it to for the music, uh to play guitar and to get a lot of jam bands I I've talked to have said, you know, it it's been tough learning the marketing aspect of it, of how to kind of do that side too. And it seems you've really embraced that.
SPEAKER_00Basically, I had a daughter at a young age, and um I couldn't really figure out what I wanted to do. I wanted to get back into music somehow. I loved um I love the music aspect, but I also love business and I was really good at business and I was really good at marketing. So when my daughter grew up and I had a chance to get back into it, I feel like everybody has these little gifts, every single person, you do, I do, that are weird. And if you look at them, they don't make any sense at all. And that's why I think people can't really understand who they're supposed to be or what they're supposed to do. And when it comes to me, one of the things I'm like, should I do business or should I do music? But when I realized that I could incorporate my love for marketing and branding and turn it into my work for myself, that's when it clicked for me. Um so marketing is something that I actually teach to other musicians as well that have a hard time with it. But for me, it's the same, it's just another part of extension of my creativity.
SPEAKER_01No, that's terrific because it really is it's it's so important these days because there's so many artists out there. They're all kind of fighting for time and fighting for for uh stage time, and then it really does come down to making sure that you're marketing yourself. We're chatting with Kelly, who's uh part of Kelly Baker, who's part of the Great South Bay Music Festival this year. A lot of different projects, and I know you've uh you've worked with a whole bunch of different musicians. Uh, what's that like? How do you choose uh to work with? And I know there's there's something Noe uh Soha, I think is the is his name. What's that been like for you?
SPEAKER_00That's Noe Soha. We call him No Way Soha.
SPEAKER_01What's that been like?
SPEAKER_00Like if you put his n if you put his name phonetically into any kind of computer generation, that's how it interprets it. So we run with that. No way.
SPEAKER_01It's funny because I was I was afraid to say the name. Um because everybody is.
SPEAKER_00It's Italian. Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_01I'm gonna butcher it. I know he's from Brooklyn, and uh and I think he's from Italy, actually, is what I read. Oh that's right. What's it been like to work with him and and kind of because he he is you said he's blind?
SPEAKER_00He's blind, and he is um he's got a brain that just works on a different level, like I think, than most people's do when it comes to music. So as experimental and weird as you think you might get, his brain's gonna take it someplace else. Um, and he has just been um fantastic to work with. He's a very dear friend, and um, he'll be at the show. And I've got Tom Curiano on drums, who's um one of the best drummers I've ever worked with in my entire life from New York City, and then PJ La Mariana on bass, who's uh my right hand man, man.
SPEAKER_01That's that's that's great. Working with a whole bunch of people, and you've been doing this a while now in in New York City and thereabouts. Uh, where are you based on the island?
SPEAKER_00I'm based in Huntington.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Well, thank you for coming out because I'm gonna do a lot of shows on the East End, especially during the summer, and coming out to Pat Jug at Shrofront Park for the Great South Bay Music Festival. Uh, you mentioned your early influences. Uh, who's inspiring you right now? Uh different people that you might not expect that you're listening to.
SPEAKER_00Gotch, I don't know. It just changes all the time. I don't want to sound, you know what I really like? This is so weird, but um I really have been digging just like film scores and composers. I'm a big soundtrack junkie. So um, you know, like Eric Whittaker, I like to listen to stuff like that when I'm driving or Thomas Newman. I might just be listening. Like today, my daughter, she's a film director and an actor, and she's working on this film that's kind of 90s, 2000s based. And I created this whole playlist for her based on kind of that um, you know, that Luscious Jackson um sneaker pimps kind of energy, you know. So it kind of just depends on the vibe that I'm going into. But I'm always down to discover new stuff. Um Yeah.
SPEAKER_01What do you what do you think inspires your lyrics uh the most? So is it is it others, yeah, is it books, films you've seen? It sounds like you really take it from everywhere in your your personal experiences.
SPEAKER_00I've always been a big reader. Um, so I like doing a lot of illustration with my words. Um, I love a lot of poetry. So you'll see a lot, you know, the coloring that I put around the statements that I say um has to do with, you know, this going to the library as a kid and just reading all the time and retaining that knowledge and still working on my vocabulary and seeing what I don't know and putting it in somewhere.
SPEAKER_01Is it uh have you I I'm gonna imagine your daughter is one of your biggest fans. Um, and what's it like to you use her as a I'd imagine you have um as far as uh a um a direct influence on your on your songs and and kind of what's and also too, what's the feedback been like from her and what's that been like as a mom um performing and having your daughter see you on the stage? What's been what's been that like for you?
SPEAKER_00You know what I really like to show her is that and show everybody really is because like I said, I was a teen mom, um, and I did the best I could and raised her as best I could, and you know, when she was ready to to graduate and I had a little more time for myself that I could go back and just be the person that I always felt I've been inside. And there's just no expiration date on being who the hell you are in your boldest form. So I think that's something I I like to express to her and is meaningful to her. You know, you can just, and you don't need anybody, you don't need validation from anybody else to do it. You could just do it unapologetically. And um, she's a fantastic artist, and I see that kind of bravery. I feel like she's me on steroids, you know. I can't wait to see the stuff that she comes up with, man. Um, and I like just being, and you know, even my friend group surrounded with a lot of just really powerful creative women. Um, and that's what I want to show to her, set a good example that you can just be who you are. And um, you know, to my audience too, just it's never too late to just you know rip off the band-aid.
SPEAKER_01Oh, I can't wait to see you live at the the Great South Bay Music Festival. Have you performed there before?
SPEAKER_00It's my first time at Great South Bay, but we're really excited. Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_01How did you how did it come together uh to be featured and perform?
SPEAKER_00So that's uh my good friend Guy Bronya at All Music, who's just been, you know, when I first started this talking about marketing, this was probably around COVID. And what I would do is I would tag these accounts that I thought might be interested in me or want to know about me. And, you know, six months later, he's like, Who the hell are you? Keep tagging me in your Instagram posts, and then I would come and hang around the store. And you know what? Guy is a great friend. He does great things uh with GNR events with Rick Everly, he's been around for a long time, has a great store in Plainview. Uh, they're doing the Eisenhower Park series. They do all kinds of really impactful things that bring music to the island. So, guys, uh, that would be Guy, and he is uh he's the guy and he's a friend. And he was uh lucky enough to just like, you know, bring me on.
SPEAKER_01Oh, that's great. Uh and we I can't wait to see you live. That's happening at the Great South Bay Music Festival on the uh Ban Shell stage, the Five Town College stage, on Sunday, July 26th. Uh Kelly Baker band performing. That should be fun. And uh it's hot now, but it's even hotter out at Surefront Park in Patch Oak. Uh every every year. It never fails. So there's always it's it's one of the hotter weekends of the year. Uh and uh we can't wait to see it. So thank you so much for doing this. It's nice to get to know you a bit, and I'm sure we'll chat down the road. And uh looking forward to seeing you perform at the uh the festival. Thanks for thanks for sitting down.
SPEAKER_00Thanks for having me.