Kelley Smith
The northern Minnesota artist shared an unreleased song that will be on her upcoming first full-length album.
Kelley Smith. Photos by Eli Gardiner, 2026.
Recently, Eli met up with Kelley Smith at Maggie’s Farm Theater in Saint Louis Park MN, where she shared an unreleased tune, “Bird Song,” that will be on her upcoming first full-length album!
Minnesota songwriter Kelley Smith is a self-described wallflower who fancies old poetry and grandpa sweaters. Her music is both whimsical and haunting, with deeply affecting lyrics blended with wry charm and a time traveler’s voice. Kelley spent her childhood daydreaming and roaming the woods of the north country, and her connection to that landscape is the common thread within each of her songs.
Raised by musicians, Kelley always had music in her bones, but it wasn't until she was 40 and a mother of four that her first record, Moon Child (2022), came to be. After playing a magical set at Rieder Homestead in Delano, MN, the organizers described Kelley’s music to the audience as “organic and unvarnished songs [that] reflect life experiences that could as easily come from past lives as they could from Kelley’s soul.” According to a review by Southern Minnesota Scene, Kelley’s “rustic sound, combined with relatable gut-punchy lyrics has been resonating with audiences up north and beyond.”
Find information about Kelley’s upcoming shows, or follow her on social media:
Eli Gardiner (Gardiner Productions) is a songwriter, photojournalist, and video creator. You can catch him playing shows all over the Midwest with his band or as a solo performer, and he also captures video and photography for local musicians and nonprofits. His passion is Storytelling through music and pictures.
