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Candye Kane

Photo by Karin Braun

Candye Kane Found a Home in the Blues

Born on November 13, 1965 in East Los Angeles to a body painting hippie musician and a dysfunctional mother who taught her to shoplift at the tender age of 9, Candye Kane has definitely lived a blues life. At 16, she set aside her dream of becoming a professional musician, forsaking a music scholarship at USC Music Conservatory. Kane became a sex worker. Candye Kane appeared on the covers of over 150 magazines. Soon Candye Kane was a columnist, writing a monthly advice series for Gent Magazine. Simultaneously, Candye Kane became involved in the burgeoning punk rock music scene of the early 80's. Hollywood was brimming with musical talent and she found herself starting country punk bands. Candye Kane took her money from the lucrative sex business and began subsidizing her musical dreams. She hired musicians, wrote songs, booked studio time, plastered flyers all over Hollywood, got off welfare - all the while supporting herself and her child from her sex work bounty. In 1986, Candye Kane caught the attention of CBS/Epic A & R Head, Larry Hanby, but CBS dropped her when they found out about her checkered past. Discouraged and broken hearted, Candye Kane moved from Los Angeles to a sleepy beach community in San Diego. She married Paladins bassist Thomas Yearsley, gave birth to another son and became a Women's Studies Major at the local Community College. Candye Kane continued to write songs and accidentally discovered the brash blues stylings of Big Maybelle, Big Mama Thornton, Etta James (who Candye Kane has opened for several times) and Bessie Smith. The Blues was a place where women had colorful pasts - many were plus sized like herself. Most had grown up in oppressive, horrible circumstances and yet were still able to make music and celebrate their sexual lives. In 1992, Candye Kane met siblings Clifford and Susan Antone at the SXSW conference in Austin, Texas. The Antone's became close friends and fans and in 1994, Candye Kanes' first cd Home Cookin' was released on the Antone's record label. When Candye Kanes' second son was 7 years old, she started the relentless touring pace that she continues today. Since her first Antones' release, Candye Kane has recorded 7 cds for labels that include Discovery, Rounder/Bullseye, Sire Records and Germany based RUF Records. Candye Kane plays 250 dates a year all over the world and has appeared on countless television shows. Her live band features her now grown firstborn son, Evan on the Drums. Candye Kane has headlined the Monterey and San Francisco Blues Festivals, The Notodden Blues Festival in Norway, The Waterfront Blues Festival and many, many more. Awards include the Best Blues Band award at the San Diego Music Awards 7 times. Other recent honors include winning the Trophees France International Award 2004 for Best International Blues Chanteuse and Artist of the Year. She also unseated Jewel for Artist of the Year at the San Diego Music Awards and won the California Music Award for Best Swing/Cabaret Artist.

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