One of the highlights for me during my short tenure in the Musicians Guild was having the opportunity to perform with Kimberly Summer, Hannah Miller, and Jay Bassman in a Musicians Guild Artist showcase event. The idea was to mix it up by placing four different musicians together and watching what happened next. We chose the song “Push Me Away” from Kimberly’s then newly released CD “Listen”. I remember I had just gone crazy for anything Telecaster and this song with its’ rich and smooth - almost jazzy vibe gave me the chance to leave my Strat in the case. Of course Hannah went on to relocate to Nashville where she is steadily working on her career and family and putting out some fantastic music as she goes along. Jay Bassman owns and engineers at Summer Walk Recording Studio here in Columbia, SC. Kimberly married and settled down with her husband and growing family moving away to Florida. I will always remember how much I enjoyed practicing with these talented folks and how much I respect and admire each for their talent and gifts, especially Kimberly who is a truly wonderful songwriter, singer, performer, mother, and wife.

 

Bio (from the press kit):

Kimberly Summer established herself as an accomplished and rising singer-songwriter in the folk rock/pop rock genres. At first listen, Kimberly’s voice was what took in her listener. Beyond the voice, though, were Kimberly’s multi-layered lyrics. Introspective and open-ended, Kimberly's words played out like a choose-your-own-ending novel. With songs of love, faith, failure, and dreams, there was no avenue her words did not explore. Kimberly’s expansive collection of songs were attributed to life experiences and nearly 9 years of stage experience.

 

A Hoosier by birth, Kimberly left her hometown of West Lafayette, IN, for the beaches of St. Augustine, FL, when it came time for college. While earning an Honors degree in psychology at Flagler College, Kimberly gained precious writing material and honed her talents while amazingly keeping them hidden, choosing her audience to be the walls of her room. But after her first public appearance in 2000, Kimberly’s music became her life's passion. She began playing at every venue possible, and after recording her EP "A Dreamer's Heart," Kimberly took her act to the road in the summer of 2002 for three months of promotion. Her first tour, spanning 10 states, was a success, as Kimberly gained valuable stage experience, positive feedback, and the always memorable road trip adventures.

 

After her marriage and a move from Florida to North Carolina, Kimberly’s music was aching for studio time so in May of 2005, Kimberly teamed with Asheville producer Chris Rosser and other Asheville based musicians, River Guerguerian and Joe Ebel, to complete her first full length CD, a 13 song production appropriately titled “Listen.” “Listen” found its way to the radio, to the hands of her fans, and to a variety of MTV shows, including “Made” and “Backstage Pass.”

 

Relocating to Columbia, SC, Kimberly brought her music and her trademark red Alvarez guitar to a college town. With a collection of over fifty acoustic folk/rock originals and a strong base of cover songs, Kimberly's repertoire allowed her success at any venue where her voice would fill up a room and make complete strangers a captivated audience. On stage, Kimberly became everyone: she gave you the ear you needed, the shoulder to cry on, the anger inside, or the love you felt.