Kelley Vice brings together diverse elements of acoustic rock, jazz, and innovative technique in an unconventional style rich with alternative tunings, vibrant melodies and passionate vocals. Influenced heavily by James Taylor, the late Michael Hedges, Chris Cornell and Dave Matthews, Kelley's songwriting is evocative and painfully honest, conveying a depth of emotion that keeps listeners coming back for more.
Kelley's music encompasses a wide spectrum of style and emotion, ranging from the smoldering "Give In" with its explosive final coda to the haunting "I Can Still Fall". His instrumentals move easily from dark sensuality to playful innocence. Though all are executed with the same unique character developed over two and a half decades of performance, no two songs are alike.
Kelley has been singing and playing musical instruments for over 25 years, including guitar, drums, bass, piano, pots and pans, armpit, and kazoo. He used to play several reed instruments, but he kept getting splinters in his tongue, so he gave them up.
Kelley began performing live as a dorky 12-year old kid, when Matthew And The Mandarins invited him to be a guest performer at a live show in Singapore, playing drums with the band at the Shangri-La Hotel. From 1984 to 1990, he was the guitarist for Seattle power trio Alliance, who performed extensively in the Puget Sound area. When Kelley was in his late teens and early twenties, he was a fixture on the streets of Seattle, playing guitar regularly at Pike Place Market and on University Way, and also worked as a recording engineer and live soundman for regional acts such as Edison Jones, Tantrum, NVU, Rail and many others.
He has been a session musician and producer for a variety of artists in the area, including Robert Glenn, Dave Coznowski, Violent Silk, Aristo, Adrianno, Aaron Fitzgerald, Darin Isaacs, and Love Brother 9. In the mid-90's, he became a producer and eventually the VP of A&R for BMC Records, an independent Seattle label, frequently working at Triad Studios in Redmond.
After an extended hiatus, he is today re-entering the music scene as a solo performer and member of Seattle groups Fireweed, Bebe Le Strange and The Trish Shallest Band.
Kelley regularly performs at numerous open mics, acoustic shows, weddings and other live events around the Puget Sound. He also plays with long-time friend John Enga in Seattle's Fireweed, an acoustic duo.