Kellie Lin Knott will bring message of hope to August Goldfinch Room concert

By Fred Love

The optimism in Kellie Lin Knott’s music is contagious.

The Minneapolis songwriter’s infectious grooves and jazzy melodies reinforce the often hopeful lyrics, resulting in songs that can’t help but lift the moods of her listeners.

“I’m writing from a place of optimism and hope without hopefully being too syrupy,” Knott said during a recent interview. “People need a leg up. They need a little something, so I generally try to be pretty joyful in terms of context and theme.”

Knott will perform Aug. 16 in the Goldfinch Room, the songwriter spotlight concert series at Stephens Auditorium. Knott will split the bill with Joshua Vorvick, a songwriter from Decorah. Seats for the performance can be reserved at https://www.center.iastate.edu/events/goldfinch-room-vorvick-and-knott/

Knott got her start as a musician early. Her father played all over her native Minnesota in a cover band, and Knott helped out with backing vocals, keyboard and guitar. She received her first guitar around age 12 and started composing her own songs almost immediately. She started a band in high school that recorded an album, and she hasn’t stopped creating music since.

She’s also gained extensive experience in the music business as a manager, booking agent and promoter, working with established artists such as Dar Williams and Susan Werner. When the pandemic shut down touring and live events, Knott found opportunities to keep the music going through livestreaming. She produced online performances for Werner and ran the technology that made the livestreams possible.

Knott continues to play regular livestream sessions, even as live performances have returned. Fans can catch her on Facebook and YouTube most Tuesday nights around 7:30 p.m. Central.

Knott’s pursuit of music has led her all over the world, she said. She spent five years in Hawaii, where she taught courses on making chocolate and performed at beach resorts, before returning to Minnesota near the start of the pandemic.

Her approach to songwriting often starts with discovering the rhythmic and melodic qualities in everyday life, she said.

“For me, I tend to hear music first,” Knott said “So I might be walking down the street and suddenly become aware of the rhythm of my feet or the windshield wipers in my car. My washing machine hums a middle c. I hear a melody against the drone, and then I start to see images in the music. Sometimes I don’t know what the song’s about until I’m halfway in.”

For audience members who have never heard her before, Knott recommends listening to The World Awake, an album she released in 2017. The record features Knott’s trademark jazz-influenced pop style with some folky elements. The 12 tracks on the album make use of lush instrumentation, vocal harmonies and high-quality production. The album is available on streaming apps such as Spotify and on Kellie Lin Knott’s official website at KellieLin.com.

Knott also said concertgoers shouldn’t expect her to take herself too seriously.

“I want people to laugh and have fun,” she said. “I don’t necessarily play a lot of humorous songs, but I’m pretty goofy on stage. I just want people to have fun and also maybe take away a different angle on hope during challenging times.

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