The Boots Girls got a chance to sit down with singer Josh Kelley one-on-one before his private performance at the Hotel Indigo in Chicago’s Gold Coast. We asked Josh about everything from his new album, to married life…to the all important… has Katherine finally quit smoking?
Boots Girls: Josh, tell us a little about the new album Special Company and the inspiration behind it.
Josh Kelley: “It’s very autobiographical. Like a giant love letter. I wrote it at a time I was excited about love. All of my albums have been good, but this is by far the best!”
BG: Do you plan on going on tour with your new album?
JK: “Yeah, with Rod Stewart in August and then a headliner show in the fall.”
BG: Do you have anything in the works right now besides touring in the fall?
JK: “I’m about ready to start a new album in July. You have to start early, because these albums take awhile.”
BG: Your wife Katherine has been inspiration to your songs in previous albums. Was she inspiration to any of the songs on this album?
JK: “It’s not just her, but what is going on in my life.”
BG: Obviously, the track, Hey Katie was about her?
JK: “Let’s hope so!”
BG: So with a new album, new wife and house how do you juggle all of it and still stay so grounded?
JK: “Well I do a lot of work from home. I have a grand piano and some guitars, so its easy to work. We have had the same time off so its been easy to see her a lot. We are very honest people and are very grounded, that’s what keeps us together. Also, we come from good upbringings and are very laid back. I think that’s what brought us together.”
BG: You and your wife just got back from a vacation in Cabo, how was that?
JK: “It was awesome. We ate a lot! (Looks at his arm…) I did have a better tan than this!”
BG: (Jokingly) So did Katherine smoke a lot on vacation, or has she given up that habit?
JK: “Wow! I didn’t know people were talking about her smoking. Yeah, unless she quit while I was here, (Chicago) she’s still smoking. I know eventually she would like to quit, but she will do it on her own time.”
After our chat with Kelley he performed for about 50 guests in one of Hotel Indigo’s private rooms. He played the crowd favorite Amazing where he joked to the audience, “I don’t know why but a part of this song always reminds me of my college roommate. He never bathed and always would leave KFC boxes under his bed!”
As The Boots Girls previously reported, Josh didn’t lack in the adoring husband department. He closed with Hey Katie and told the crowd, “I was in an interview once and they asked about a song I had written about my girlfriend, and I responded with, ‘Who wrote that song?’ At that point I decided I should probably write Katie a song, and I did… in 10 minutes!”
Thanks for another amazing experience in the Windy City — Chicago loves you!