Simplicity is what I crave. Authenticity is my goal in life. So, if this bit of information is nothing else, let it be simple; and let it be real. My name is Kelly Pease. I am a small-town Louisiana native currently residing in Ohio-adjusting to real winter, living without fresh gulf seafood, and getting funny looks from people when I open my mouth to speak.

I had tons of interests as a kid. My parents put me in every activity known to man and I had a blast. But the one thing that never really let go of me was music. I was singing in church choir and talent shows as a young child (my rendition of “Somewhere Out There” from the movie Feivel: An American Tale was Grammy material). And as it turned out, music became a saving grace to me in my early teens. My father was killed in a train accident when I was nine years old and losing him left me with a lot of emotion to sort through and some heavy questions about life. I started to write music at the age of fourteen; and I can see now that I was trying to make something out of all that had been growing inside of me. I felt that even in the turmoil I was steadied by a grace I did not see. I felt that God came after me in a special way-he sheltered me and held me close and I experienced intimacy with Him at a young age. All of this I was articulating through song. I came to find that people around me had emotions and questions of their own and that my story was somehow helping them to come to grips with all of it as well. And that is how this whole adventure began!

I wrote and recorded music all through high school. I spent many a long night at a local studio; and somewhere between football games, play practice, and studying for tests, I was watching my dreams about music take shape. I really did not have a clue what would happen with it all, and honestly I still don’t, but the adventure has already been pretty full. I signed a record deal with Beach Street/Reunion Records in the fall of my senior year of college. I was studying English-clueless as to what I would do upon graduating. The two years I spent on the label were certainly a learning experience. I have been so blessed by the people I have come to know. The gifts and the hearts God has given are truly unbelievable. It was a pure gift to experience the Christian music industry in Nashville and a passage into adulthood for me as I began to see clearly what I really want out of life.

My music is constantly evolving and I am not sure what it will eventually be. I love Bob Dylan and Tom Petty. I wish I could be Sheryl Crow. But, I know that somewhere in the tapestry of artists walking this world, there is a place for me. And that is what I say to people who come up to me now sharing their hearts and dreams about music. There really is a place and a need for everyone. Everyone who wants to breathe life into the world through a gift that God has given is welcome! Success is not always what the world deems it. And it’s definitely not what I thought it was. I have had the opportunity to do ministry and music with some of my best friends. Over the past year I’ve traveled with Matt Maher, Josh Blakesley, and Paul George on the 2097 Worship Tour. I have had the chance to work first hand with an inner-city ministry called Dirty Vagabond, partnering with its founder, Bob Lesnefsky (Righteous B). My involvement in the Steubenville Youth Conferences, Lifeteen, and Catholic Relief Services has nourished my heart and strengthened my vision. More than anything, the relationships have changed me. Being able to love the people I have met along the way is what makes me feel successful. Everything else is fading.

In the Spring of 2009 I will be married to the love of my life. He is an urban missionary for Dirty Vagabond Ministries. When we go to the bank to talk about adult things like home loans, you can imagine the faces we get when he says, “I’m a missionary,” and I say, “I’m a singer.” We might as well tell them we are clowns in the circus. But, we are loving every minute of this crazy adventure! I think God can do a whole lot with nothing. Lately, I find myself praying, “What can I lose for You, Lord?” I love the idea of breaking out of all the boxes society says I need. What can I get rid of here? How can I travel through life a little lighter than I am now? It’s exciting to become the person you know God made you to be. And it is constantly happening for those who are continually seeking Him. Pray for me. Pray for my marriage. Pray for the poor and the lost. Pray for our culture. And know that I am praying for you as you go out into the world day after day. Enjoy your adventure. Travel light.