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The Kelly Family has become more of a record-breaking phenomenon with their present album "From their Hearts", which immediately went to the top positions in the charts of most European countries. It is easy to see that this album will also become a bestseller. Along with such hits as "Over the Hump" (which has sold over 4 million copies in Europe), "Almost Heaven" (which has gone multi-platinum all over Europe and is currently being sold in the US), "Growin’ Up", and "Live Live Live". With sales like these...it has put them with the likes of: Michael Jackson, Phil Collins, REM, Tina Turner, The Fugees and Celine Dion in the European music industry. The Kelly Family is also one of Europe’s busiest live performance acts. In the past five years they have performed live for more than 10 million people in Europe, Eastern Europe and mainland China. Which includes playing to 250,000 people in a single concert in Vienna, and performing with José Carreras and Luciano Pavarotti. During their European stadium tours, in the summer of 1996 and 1997, they played in front of 40,000 to 50,000 fans each. With crowd sizes like this, it is amazing that the Kelly Family themselves still take care of the promotion and organization of their concerts. Their TV shows and specials are also seen by millions. They have produced 19 albums and 18 videos (including the most popular video of the year, "An Angel" and Germany’s best selling music video ever), been featured in numerous magazines (including an introduction to the Americans in several magazines and newspapers in the US), received the Echo (German music industry award) for the best international pop group in 1996...and that’s just a few of their successes!
The Kelly Family consists of 9 members: Kathy (36), John (32), Patricia (29), Jimmy (28), Joey (26), Barby (24), Paddy (21), Maite (19) and Angelo (17). They do not like to be compared with "The Osmonds", "The Cowsills", or "The Von Trap Family" because they are very different from these past family music groups. Each member plays several instruments and writes his/her own songs. They have been working hard in the music business for the past 20 years, and have their own record label "KEL-LIFE". So they know how to manage the way their products are marketed, how their own albums are produced, and are free to decide which CD comes out on the market...also when. The most important thing about them (that people tend to forget) is, they are regular people and a family that love what they do. They do not perform a playback act, but a live show that has been astounding audiences for over 20 years now.
In the mid sixties, Barbara and Dan Kelly, a dancer and antique dealer respectively, and their 4 children left the US to move to Europe. They settled in a poor area of Southern Spain, in which they did not own a TV or even a radio. So they entertained each other by singing and dancing to the local folk music. Inspired by their new surroundings the older children (Caroline, Paul, Kathy, Johnny, Patricia, Jimmy, Joey, and Barby), took ballet lessons from their mother and music lessons from a teacher in the town of Talavera. At first they sang and played at private birthday parties or weddings, then later at town festivals. They started to make money from their favorite past time and Dan Kelly quit his job as an antique dealer to start singing with his children. The whole family got involved and music became the most important part of their lives. In 1975, they made their debut on Spanish TV and toured the country doing many public concerts. In 1976, their first trip to Italy marked the beginning of their travels across the streets and festivals of Europe. With the release of "David’s Song (Who’ll Come with Me)" as a single in 1980, The Kelly Family hit the charts in Holland and Belgium. Two years later, with one stroke, their promising prospects were shattered when their mother died of cancer. With her last words "Keep on singing!", she passed on the dream of The Kelly Family to her children. Then in 1983, they started traveling again and singing in the streets of Europe. For a whole year they stayed in Paris singing in the Metro. After this they went to Brittany and started giving concerts again. Some time later they toured the US, covering 20 states and also playing in the streets. Influenced by American rock and blues, they shaped their own distinctive style of music. In 1986, they returned to France and later, in 1987, to Germany. At that time, The Kelly Family had not only played, but they lived many different European countries for a couple of years. The younger children were born in different European countries and most of them can speak four to six languages fluently. This multicultural background gives them their unique charisma and style. For the past 9 years they have been building their own record company and every year their sales have doubled. They now give more than 200 concerts a year and can sell out every music hall or stadium in Central Europe. Do not miss the chance to experience one of The Kelly Family’s extraordinary concerts.
Fans will be delighted to hear that there is a lot more to come! The Kelly Family will create new and exciting music to share it with many new fans beyond existing boundaries. After that The Kelly Family will look to release their music and make personal appearances throughout southeast Asia, including Korea and Japan, and on to the United States, Canada and Latin America. So, stay tuned for the Kelly’s to come to your country soon in the near future!
*Excerpts taken from The Official Kelly Family Biography and updated by Amy L. Tomlinson*
