By Reid Furniss

Kim Carnes belts out a song at her California concert. / Photo by Reid Furniss

The child couldn't have been 3 years old, sitting on her mother's lap. Her legs and arms punched madly to the beat of the music under the blazing sun. Not far from her, a beautiful dark-haired woman from Brazil sat on the grass, her face shining with the incredulous emotion that erased the fatigue of the 17-hour flight that brought her to this free concert in the park. About 2,000 other fans, including 10 members of the Kim Carnes internet discussion group, lounged in the 107-degree heat while Kim Carnes and Friends did what they do best: Performed their personal magic. . . .

A young fan; a new recruit. / Photo by Reid Furniss

Kim and her internet discussion group fans. Giovana from Brazil is at far left, front row. / Photo by Reid Furniss

Exactly one year ago on this date, July 30, I swooned over Ms. Carnes and Friends in Harrah's Casino in Laughlin, Nev. I had my own personal moment with her that day; a moment that stretched to nearly an hour of one-on-one conversation. Thank God it wasn't my first meeting with Kim Carnes. The magnitude of speechless stupidity that had overcome me at that first meeting the previous year can only happen once in a lifetime, I hoped as I sat on the grass in Woodland Hills, Calif., with my friends on this hot day. I had to smile to myself, knowing exactly how Giovana felt, the president of the Kim Carnes Brazilian Fan Club, unable to speak after worshiping her idol for over 15 years without actually meeting her. Considering it my self-appointed mission and duty to Ms. Carnes, I sent a note to the stage announcing that Giovana had arrived as promised, knowing the Star would make sure that the young woman from Brazil would live her dream today.

It has been 12 years since Ms. Carnes has released an album in the United States, but that hasn't stopped her from writing, singing, performing and continually giving of herself, especially to children's causes. Early in her career she was a backup singer for David Cassidy, was a performing member of the New Christy Minstrel Singers, and even recorded a rare children's album, Sugar Bears.

According to the Kim Carnes Web Site, "Although Carnes' public profile is not as high as it was throughout the 1980s, she has established herself as one of Nashville's premier songwriters, penning hits for Tim McGraw, Reba MacEntire, Vince Gill, Trisha Yearwood, Matraca Berg, Pam Tillis and others. She continues to perform and record, having contributed tracks to several multi-artist albums over the past several years. She is a multi-talented, Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter best known for the million-selling Bette Davis Eyes." (There's a lot more to her, as you can learn at the Kim Carnes Site.)

Her lyrics touch and stroke the Soul with the vibrations of rhythm and blues. Her voice -- oh God, her voice. Heavy velvet cut diagonally across the grain. Rough edges, ragged, soft and smooth. Full of pain and passion, the words of her songs are the stories of our lives: A love song on the radio you never hear enough of . . . in bars that thrive on loneliness where people sell their sorrow for your time . . . They take the love that they can find and hope it comes again. . . Love comes in many ways, in lovers arms and sweet bouquets . . . but if nothin's said, then nothin's ever heard . . . And I'm tryin' to tell you just once more that I love you . . . I still love you. . . Love comes from the most unexpected places, in someone's eyes you've never met who wants to get to know you.

Giovana's dream was about to come true. Her unbreakable concentration on the stage brought the above song to mind as I looked at her deep, dark eyes. All I could see was love, unquestionable need to be a part of the person now singing her truth in her presence. Once a fan, always a fan. Without warning, the Goddess on the stage paused and spoke into the microphone, just reached right out and held Giovana's heart in her hands, and thanked her for traveling so far to meet her. Then she dedicated the song Sailin' to Giovana.

The crowd applauded. Giovana cried.

Kim and band. / Photo by Reid Furniss

And I remembered once again how Ms. Carnes had waved at me from the stage at each performance I have attended since our first meeting. This is the real Kim Carnes. A person first, a woman, a wife, a mother, an artist of unlimited giving. Whatever she has not personally lived, she still understands as though she lives it through the rest of us. Hers is the art of survival and resurrection of the human spirit, with the resilience of a child, the innocence of an angel's embrace.

I listened as the music continued while casting its spell on all generations present. Her Friends and writing partners, Jeffrey Steele and Al Anderson, performed in-the-round, reflecting her philosophies of life with such songs as my personal favorite, I Could Love You Like That. Why was I so surprised after the concert when I addressed her as Miss Carnes and she said, "Oh stop. Stop with the Miss Carnes. It's Kim."

Full of love, the resounding hope of her soul renders her essence eternal. She tells us her life and knows all our secrets in unforgettable lines. She says in one song . . . that's where the trouble lies . . . the user never knows how much the drug shows. I say that's where the power of Kim Carnes lies . . . The woman never knows how much the magic of her love shows.

Thank you, Kim.

Photo by Reid Furniss

Editor's note: The author gives special thanks to Ms. Sidney Walden, Heather Fredrickson, David Baker, Kim Carnes Fan Club and Kim Carnes Internet Discussion Group.

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