Sheri Kling
Gig Seeker Pro

Sheri Kling

| INDIE

| INDIE
Band Americana Acoustic

Calendar

This band has not uploaded any videos
This band has not uploaded any videos

Music

Press


"Indie-Music: If you want to choose a fabulous album, this is the one"

Indie-Music.com
Online review of "Heartland"
July 9, 2005
by Catherine L. Tully

This woman's voice is like the auditory version of chocolate cake -- rich and yummy! If Annie Lennox sang this style of music, this is what it would sound like. The voices are very similar. Sheri Kling sang, and I listened. And listened. The whole CD was enjoyable, and I just couldn't get enough of the beauty of this woman's voice.

That is a good way to describe the sound that Kling's voice has: a woman's voice. There is no girl here, rather a woman singing about life and reflecting on experiences. I like to think about the perfect atmosphere to listen to a CD in. With Kling's album, I imagined a balcony in the summertime, high above the street with a glass of white wine. It has that soulful feel to it -- the kind of music you think to.

Usually I review the tracks one by one, but with this CD it is impossible. Every time I thought I had a favorite, I heard another song that I was wild about. (Although if pressed for ONLY one, I would have to choose track three, "Light the Fire Tonight.")

If you want to choose a fabulous album, this is the one.


- Indie-Music.com, July 9, 2005


"Performer Mag: Maximum richness and vitality..."

PerformerMag.com
9/1/2005

Sheri Kling – Heartland

Produced by Sheri Kling and Bill Kahler
Engineered by Bill Kahler
Mastered by Rodney Mills, Atlanta, GA


Produced with maximum richness and vitality by the famed Bill Kahler, here we find Sheri Kling at her best, performing songs of joy, hope, pain, loss, and celebration. The lead guitars crunch and sparkle, as the songs ambitiously tug on the heartstrings of the listener, grabbing one’s attention with Kling’s delightful voice and her heavenly use of harmonies. This is a vast mix of songs of the South, a vibrant tapestry of musical material that touches on all the bases of relationships, new loves, and old loves never to be forgotten.

Just listen attentively to lines like “Never a stranger / never in danger / oh, you love me and / I’m coming back for more” in the album’s second song for a hint of the emotional impact this album has. Each composition is thought provoking, which enables the listener to really look for a message in the words.

“The Wall of Why,” “Burn for You,” and “These Kind of Nights” are filled with color and passion and a zesty appeal that moves the spirit. This quality is sadly lacking from most contemporary country, making this music even more valuable. Moreover, each song has a unique arrangement with quality instrumentation courtesy of a talented group of backing musicians. “Painted prisons and Technicolor walls / images of what should be / enter the living faithfully / help me to be able to let go.” These are the words of Kling that paint a vivid portrait of her earnestness in love, life, and belonging to the human race.

She also freely reveals her innermost vulnerabilities to the listener. As the artist claims in the liner notes, Kling hopes not to merely seek out the journeys outside in this splendid, sometimes mysterious world, but to also seek out the inner journey within. With Heartland, this intention is almost fully realized, as this type of material is certainly capable of helping all of us do a little soul-searching for a higher meaning in our lives. (HeartSprings Music)

-Shawn Haney

http://performermag.com/sep.recrevs.php
- SOUTHEAST PERFORMER


"Rambles: A songwriter who sees deeply and can write with equal profoundness..."

Rambles.net
April 23, 2005
by Jenny Ivor

Sheri Kling has let us share a wonderful album brimming full of insightful experiences, love, caring and sharing, and the words enrich the tunes as the music enlivens the lyrics. From the homey homily of "This House" through the beautiful natural imagery of "Thunder and Lightening," Sheri quickly opens up to show a songwriter who sees deeply and can write with equal profoundness.
Her voice is rich and velvety, pleasant to listen to, and she balances the ballads and the rolling foot-tapping numbers, there is a hint of blues, a smattering of country, one track even sounds like a hymn -- this is a well-rounded album, a journey with Sheri through a variety of subjects, all linked with love. As she herself says, it's a journey of the heart.
We wend our way through the wonders of nature, the wonders of love, the sorrows of lives wasted and the firmness of faith. There really is something on the CD for everyone, whether the whole song sings to you, or whether the words reach a special meaning. It is difficult to say which my favourite track is; several are so strong in affirmation and beautiful emotions, it is pointless choosing, there is something here for every day.
Let It Unfold is a surefire winner as a gift for a friend or loved one, instantly enjoyable, yet as it unfolds, growing in depth and meaning. I see she has just released her new CD, Heartland (May 2005), and will be keen to hear new material from this talented lady.
- Rambles


"Bradenton Herald: Never been so wowed by an unsigned artist"

March 26, 2004
by Wade Tatangelo

As a music writer you get a lot of do-it-yourself discs by artists with no record label backing, and, well, it's often apparent after a short listen why the artist has not been signed. Other than Tampa's Ronny Elliott, a masterful singer/songwriter whose praises have been sung in respected European magazines such as Rolling Stone Germany and Mojo, I've never been so wowed by an unsigned artist as I have by Sheri Kling and her "Let it Unfold" release.

Singer/songwriter Kling hails from outside Atlanta and her parents live in Bradenton. Kling's a natural Southern gal storyteller in the Lucinda Williams/Flannery O'Connor vein. And she cites Shawn Colvin and Mary Chapin Carpenter among her influences.

Kling's songs are witty, real and poignant. Kling's voice - a clear, strong instrument of beauty - brims with the kind of lived-in experience that immediately makes one lean forward and feel a connection. Kling's arrangements resound with a welcoming familiarity without sounding derivative. On "Let it Unfold," Kling is accompanied by a full band on most tracks and the instrumentation ranges from country pedal steel and fiddle to rocking lead electrical guitars and bluegrass mandolin flavoring.

To hear excerpts from "Let it Unfold," go to www.sherikling.com. In case I haven't already made it clear, this show is highly recommended.

http://www.bradenton.com/mld/bradenton/entertainment/8269412.htm
- Bradenton Herald


"Creative Loafing: Acoustic Ballads to Freewheelin' Honky-tonk Throwdowns"

August 14, 2003
"Sheri Kling combines robust vocals with simple, earnest lyricism, switching from introspective acoustic ballads to more freewheelin’ honky-tonk throw-downs."
- Creative Loafing, Aug. 14, 2003


"Impossible to feel anything but good while listening..."

September 4, 2003

It's impossible to feel anything but good while listening to Sheri Kling's new release "Let it Unfold." The Georgia-based singer-songwriter gives us 14 beautiful tunes carried by her gorgeous voice and some excellent instrumentation. Songs about discovery, spiritual seeking, life's journey and fulfillment dominate the play list. And a voice like this can sing about pretty much anything and make it sweet -- rich, full-bodied and strong.

Sheri lists a number of influences in her career, but ironically, the ones she doesn't list in her press kit are the ones she seems to be most like: Bloomington, Indiana singer-songwriter Carrie Newcomer and North Carolina singer-songwriter Christy Snow. At times, Sheri and Carrie are vocal clones (although in general Carrie's is more alto) and it's the overall spiritual atmosphere where she's similar to them both. And (via email) Sheri has mentioned taking songwriting classes with Carrie.

However, this isn't to say Sheri's a copycat of any kind. Just influenced -- and most artists are influenced by someone or other and that will show through in their work from time to time.
The overall tone is basically folk with some bluegrass thrown in. Actually, "thrown in" might not be such a great phrase, because Mark van Allen (formerly of Blueground Undergrass) is about as good as they get on dobro. Just listen to the mid-tempo opener "This House," and "She's Not Waiting for Him," the CD's fifth track. Instrumentally, those are the two best on the CD, and the latter won't let you sit still. (You might just be inspired enough to take up dobro playing.)

Other gorgeous tunes include the medium-tempo (6/8) title track -- which has a beautiful flowing sway to it. It's also a showcase for Sheri's voice and perhaps the "poster" song, if you will, for the entire CD. She writes of allowing life to simply "be" without the struggle and strain of pursuit:
"...This much is true - I know there are moments that slip away
So I feel I must make my move.
But only in faith, only in trusting the letting go
Only then will I know if it's real
So let it unfold, let in unfold..."

Lyrically, there are a few real gems in there, too.
"Maybe in Another Life" is about "impossible love, the Internet and reincarnation. Really." (According to the liner notes.) Wonder how many lives THIS tune mirrors...

"Your spirit's coming through the wires
And I have come to know
Though I have not touched your hand
We have touched each other's hearts
If we'd met years ago
Before your promises made
Would we feel so entwined?
Or are we closer with miles in between?...
...If you were here flesh and bone
I'd be tempted to fly too close to your sun
So this story must stay black and white...
If not in this life, maybe in another life..."

Actually, as this CD goes along, the feeling is that it's main ingredient is love. There's a really sweet tribute to her childhood guitar teacher ("I Heard Colors"), an inspired melody called "Kissed by the Angels" (originally written for kids with AIDS) and "(I Know That) I Belong With You." The latter, described as a "sappy little love song" in the liner notes, might just create a need for Kleenex. (Just a kind warning...)

And, whether it's intentional or not, there is a tune in the list that could sum up what Sheri and her music (and life) are all about. It's called "Working With Beauty." This song even has wonderful liner notes:

"In Studs' Terkel's book 'Working,' a woman he interviewed said that some people's jobs are too small for their spirits. And so I wonder, what would happen if we could bring our whole selves into our work..." And, in the song, Sheri writes, in part:
"Patients lining up to see the doctor
He's been taking care of them for thirty-seven years
There used to be more time for conversation
But in the brave new world of modern medicine
There's just no way...
...College students trying to pick a major
Limiting their options based on starting salaries
...Overlooking gold... buried deep within
their human hearts...
Is this any way to make a life, or just a living?
Can we really reach the top by serving
Just the bottom line?
If we could bring our hearts and souls to the work we do,
Wouldn't we be working with beauty?"

Sheri's answered that one -- at least for herself. And thankfully shared it with us.
- www.indie-music.com


"FolkWax: Transcendently well done..."

February 18, 2004

Chalk another review up to thrillingly destroyed pre-listening reservations. While I expected after reading the press material that Sheri Kling's material would be sweet and nice, I excepted to be a bit put off by the fact that CDs with a staggering fourteen songs are invariably filled with filler and tedium- especially disturbing when most of her lyrics embody such things as the "healing power of new love" and other similarly mushy sentiments that usually don't impress this jaded reviewer, unless they are just transcendently well done.
Yet, that is exactly what this gorgeous album is, transcendently well done and all of these wonderful songs (save one that kept this album from being perfect) did a superb job of bringing out the secret sap in this hardened reviewer's heart.
Ms. Kling's surprisingly weighty and autumnal voice (no wispy whining for this lady) reminds one of a Mary Chapin Carpenter, with MCC's Country hippiness traded for more of a spiritually searching moodiness.
The complex cross rhythms in the intro to the first cut, "This House," seem unnecessarily fussy, but oh what an amazing song, a lovely tune that analogizes a fixer-upper to a troubled soul. It has been a long time since I heard a stanza as lovely as "With a little work and a lot of love/You know I think it can be saved/You can look all you want in those new subdivisions, but give it a shot, the driveway's been repaved."
I am not so enamored of desert vistas as Kling obviously is, but her "Thunder and Lightning," a song of the difficulties of returning to "real life' after taking a sojourn through the deserts, is nonetheless a sweetly infectious tune featuring an irresistible vocal soar into its final chorus repeat.
The title cut finally does away with the odd intros instead serving us a sweet accordion lick (lovingly played by Bill Kahler) to start this song's build. Sparseness leading to the drum- inflection is how this beautiful song that talks of capturing the ephemera of life's moments ends.
As Sheri herself says, a song about Internet relationships, reincarnation, the Internet, and impossible love has disaster written all over it, but damn if "Maybe In Another Life" doesn't make a stunningly beautiful song about just that odd combo of subjects. "She's Not Waiting For Him" takes us from all the supple gorgeousness of the rest of the beginning of the album into much more of a Bluegrass will in this song of learning to wait for only those who are worth waiting for. "Strong Bonds, Strong Hearts" is another staggering, yet simple beauty of a tune about the at once so simple yet so complex subject about the ties that bind family and loved ones. (If you ever get as frazzled about this subject as I and most of us do.. Just try not to feel better and smile when you hear her sing "We baptize the babies/We bury the dead, and all in between were losing our heads/but God's in the heavens and God's in this world so where else would I rather be?"


The plentiful amount of material here doesn't dissuade at all as I had feared. Why we even have a throat-lump inducing sweet ode to music teachers in "I Heard Colors" and a heartbreaking and nearly too painfully-gorgeous-to-listen-to song of hope for children with AIDS in "Kissed by the Angels."
"Working With Beauty" staggers you with its simple but prodding message of bringing beauty into all the work we do, no matter how mundane. And "I Am the Lord Who Healeth Thee" is yet another one of those songs that can convince you to have faith even in moments of doubt without being too preachy or being unrealistically chirpy.
The only two songs that mar the perfection of this album for me are "It's Time," which still has harmonies to die for, but the djembe-colored music threw me a little, and "I Know That I Belong With You" is the only time that her declarations of assured love border on the treacly.
But the sign that an album is spectacular is if a song can sell you no matter how much you want to hate it. Being a bitter not-looking-for-love-anymore person myself, I read the words of "The Stars In Their Eyes" and wanted to loathe this song. This story of Pete and Janie, both incredibly happy in their single but full lives who shockingly find love at first sight with each other, presents a sentiment I try to preach against with nearly every waking breath, but daggone if she didn't suck me in and melt my grouchiness. Could she have persuaded me to leave doors open in my life I was so happy to keep locked?
I am not so sure about that, but Sheri has certainly convinced me with this spiritual album that her talent as a songwriter and singer are undeniable and glorious. So what if she doesn't communicate a lot of angst? Communicating hope and love without being saccharine or disturbingly clueless is a whole lot harder to do successfully than to wail about pain. I still am a big fan of the darkness, but if you want a little light in your listening I implore you to get this album. I bet you will be sweetly surprised and sucked into the gorgeousness and optimism as I shockingly was myself.

P. Kellach Waddle is a contributing editor at FolkWax
- www.folkwax.com


Discography

Heartland, HeartSprings Music, May 2005
Passions & Prodigals, HeartSprings Music, May 2005
Let It Unfold, HeartSprings Music, Dec 2002

Photos

Feeling a bit camera shy

Bio

According to family lore, Sheri Kling started whistling before she could talk. Singing followed closely behind. And from the moment she finished her very first guitar lesson at age nine, she was hooked for life. Or, as Sheri puts it in her song, “I Heard Colors”—“I was clumsy and I was young, but I sang from my toes. I’d go home tired but happy, serenading the sidewalks.”

Today, Sheri is an accomplished singer/songwriter, guitarist and long-time spiritual sojourner whose music—built on rich vocals and dynamic guitar—resonates with a certain organic authenticity that’s heart-rooted and spirit-seeking. Each song is another way of looking at what is real, what is true, and what invites us all into a more passionate and well-lived life.

In the fall of 2002, Sheri produced and released her first solo CD Let It Unfold on her own HeartSprings label to high, critical praise. Indie-Music.com said, “It’s impossible to feel anything but good while listening to Sheri Kling’s new release ‘Let It Unfold.’” FolkWax.com found it “transcendently well done.” And Bradenton (FL) Herald wrote, “Kling's songs are witty, real and poignant. Kling's voice – a clear, strong instrument of beauty – brims with the kind of lived-in experience that immediately makes one lean forward and feel a connection… I've never been so wowed by an unsigned artist as I have by Sheri Kling and her Let it Unfold release.” In 2005, Sheri released two new CDs: Heartland – another all-original collection that features the talents of Bill Kahler, Jody Worrell, Mark van Allen, Joseph Patrick Moore and Dave Holland; and Passions & Prodigals, a guitar- and voice- only collection of hymns, traditionals, covers and originals.

With her rich voice and distinctive guitar style, Kling has been heard at such acclaimed venues as Nashville’s Bluebird Cafe, Atlanta’s Eddie’s Attic and Variety Playhouse, Wisconsin’s Cafe Carpe and Indiana’s Front Porch Music. Kling has shared the stage with such accomplished artists as Indigo Girls, Pierce Pettis, David LaMotte, Shawn Mullins, Caroline Aiken, Cowboy Envy, Don Conoscenti, Kim and Reggie Harris and New Age/soundtrack composer Mark Isham. Her musical influences include Shawn Colvin, Mary Chapin Carpenter, John Gorka, Carrie Newcomer and David Wilcox. Sheri has also taught “Songwriting from the Inside Out” at the Sandhills Literary Conference at Augusta State University.

Kling is also developing new audiences through her “Music & Message” speaking engagements, “keynote concerts” and school-based Arts Education programs. While women are responding enthusiastically to her “Waking Woman” celebrations and workshops where she blends vivid stories about living and loving and music that ranges from “introspective acoustic ballads to more freewheelin’ honky-tonk throw-downs” to weave a rich tapestry around the themes of following your heart, living life on your own terms and celebrating wherever you are on your “heroine’s journey.”

With such ventures, Kling has taken a leap in her musical career that reaches far beyond the sidewalks of her youth and opens a path to people everywhere who seek journeys of the heart.