Kim Carnes

Biography

Kim Carnes (; born July 20, 1945) is an American singer and songwriter best known for her 1981 hit single, "Bette Davis Eyes×Bette Davis EyesMarch 1981 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksABette Davis Eyes3:47BMiss You Tonite5:13". She embarked on a solo career as a songwriter and performer in the early 1970s and also worked for several years as a session background singer with the Waters Sisters, Maxine Waters Willard and Julia Waters Tillman, who were later featured in the 2013 documentary 20 Feet from Stardom. In 1971, Carnes released her debut album, Rest on Me×Rest on MeDecember 1971 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1It Takes Time2:452Sweet Love Song to My Soul2:493Everything Has Got to Be Free2:544Do You Wanna Dance2:465I Won't Call You Back2:586To Love2:547To Love Somebody3:258Fell in Love with Poet3:069One More River to Cross2:2310You Can Do It to Me Anytime2:5911Rest on Me4:37. Released in 1975, Carnes's self-titled second album included her first charting single, "You're a Part of Me", which reached No. 32 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. The following year, Carnes released Sailin', which featured "Love Comes from Unexpected Places". The song won the American Song Festival and the award for Best Composition at the Tokyo Song Festival in 1976.
In her breakthrough year, 1980, Carnes and her husband, David Ellingson, were commissioned by Kenny Rogers to co-write the songs for his concept album Gideon. Her duet with Rogers, "Don't Fall in Love with a Dreamer", hit No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and earned the duo a Grammy Award nomination. Later that year, Carnes's cover of Smokey Robinson's "More Love×More LoveMay 1980 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksAMore Love3:40BChangin’3:57", from her fifth album, Romance Dance×Romance Dance2 June 1980 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 9 tracksA1Swept Me Off My Feet3:20A2Cry Like a Baby3:01A3Will You Remember Me4:38A4Tear Me Apart3:28A5Changin3:51B1More Love3:35B2In the Chill of the Night4:13B3Where Is Your Heart3:41B4And Still Be Loving You3:40, hit No. 10. In 1981, Carnes released Mistaken Identity, which featured the chart-topping "Bette Davis Eyes". A worldwide hit, it became the best-selling single of the year in the United States. "Bette Davis Eyes" spent nine weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, went Gold, and won the Grammy Award for Record of the Year and the Song of the Year. Mistaken Identity reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200, was certified Platinum, and was nominated for the Grammy Award for Album of the Year.
Carnes also had success with the singles "Draw of the Cards×Draw of the Cards1981 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksADraw of the Cards4:10BBreak the Rules Tonite (Out of School)3:17", "Crazy in the Night (Barking at Airplanes)×Crazy in the Night (Barking at Airplanes)1985 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksACrazy in the Night (Barking at Airplanes) (dance mix)5:10BBarking at Airplanes, Part II (dub mix)4:59", "Make No Mistake, He's Mine" with Barbra Streisand, "What About Me?" featuring Kenny Rogers and James Ingram, and the Grammy Award-nominated singles "Voyeur×Voyeur8 September 1982 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Voyeur3:542Looker5:343Say You Don't Know Me4:094Does It Make You Remember5:095Breaking Away From Sanity2:506Undertow4:127Merc Man3:308The Arrangement3:469Thrill of the Grill3:2210Take It on the Chin4:38" and "Invisible Hands×Invisible Hands1983 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksAInvisible Hands3:09BHanging on by a Thread (A Sad Affair of the Heart)". Her successes as a songwriter include co-writing the No. 1 duet "The Heart Won't Lie" with Donna Weiss; it was recorded by Vince Gill and Reba McEntire and was released on McEntire's 1993 album It's Your Call. Carnes also wrote the 1984 pop duet “Make No Mistake, He’s Mine”, which she sang with Barbra Streisand. The song was later reworked into a duet between Ronnie Milsap and Kenny Rogers, reaching #1 on the country charts. Her most recent studio album is Chasin' Wild Trains×Chasin' Wild Trains2004 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1One Beat at a Time3:522Just to See You Smile4:193Where Is the Boy? (Chris' Song)4:044Goodnight Angel4:535Lucid Dreams4:026All About Time3:547Runaway4:588You Made My Skin Burn4:129Still Warmed by the Thrill4:0410If I Was an Angel3:4611Too Far Gone2:5812Stepped Right in It3:32 (2004).

Early life

Kim Carnes was born on July 20, 1945, in Los Angeles. Her father, James Raymond Carnes, was an attorney and her mother was a hospital administrator. Kim Carnes knew she would be a singer and songwriter from the age of three, despite the fact that she was not born into a musical family. "My mother didn't get my career, and my father, who was an attorney, didn't think singing and writing was even a job."

Early solo career and first studio album

Kim Carnes signed her first publishing deal with producer Jimmy Bowen. During this period, she shared demo-recording time with Bowen's other writers, including Don Henley, Glenn Frey, and JD Souther. Carnes also sang "Nobody Knows", written by Mike Settle, which was featured prominently in the 1971 film Vanishing Point. The film also featured Carnes's first cut as a songwriter, "Sing Out for Jesus", which was recorded by Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton. After signing with Amos Records, her first solo album Rest on Me×Rest on MeDecember 1971 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1It Takes Time2:452Sweet Love Song to My Soul2:493Everything Has Got to Be Free2:544Do You Wanna Dance2:465I Won't Call You Back2:586To Love2:547To Love Somebody3:258Fell in Love with Poet3:069One More River to Cross2:2310You Can Do It to Me Anytime2:5911Rest on Me4:37 was released in 1971. It was produced by Jimmy Bowen.
In the early 1970s, Carnes and husband Dave Ellingson co-wrote several songs with David Cassidy, who was then at the peak of his career as an international idol. Carnes and Ellingson toured the world with Cassidy as an opening act. Cassidy's albums Rock Me Baby, Dreams are Nuthin' More than Wishes, and Cassidy Live! include several songs penned by Carnes along with Ellingson and Cassidy. Carnes also provided backing vocals for these albums.

1975–1979: Early chart successes

In 1975, Carnes released her self-titled second album on A&M Records, and her first chart hit, "You're a Part of Me", written by Carnes, reached No. 32 on the US Adult Contemporary chart. Also recorded by both Rita Coolidge and Anne Murray, Carnes re-recorded this track with Gene Cotton three years later. The majority of tracks on this second album were written by Carnes and Ellingson.
Her third album Sailin'×Sailin'1976 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1The Best of You (Has Got the Best of Me)3:082Warm Love3:333All He Did Was Tell Me Lies (to Try to Woo Me)4:034He'll Come Home3:025Sailin'4:256It's Not the Spotlight4:177Last Thing You Ever Wanted to Do4:058Let Your Love Come Easy3:429Tubin'4:0310Love Comes From Unexpected Places3:34 was produced by Jerry Wexler and released in 1976. One track, "Love Comes from Unexpected Places", won Grand Prize at the 1976 American Song Festival. The song also earned the award for Best Composition at the Tokyo Song Festival. It gained additional notice after it was recorded by Barbra Streisand on her 1977 album Superman. Streisand also recorded Carnes's "Stay Away" on her 1978 album Songbird. In spite of Streisand's endorsement of her material, Carnes's own Top 40 breakthrough did not occur until 1978 when Gene Cotton recruited her to record a duet version of "You're a Part of Me", which reached No. 36 on the Billboard Hot 100.
In 1979, using the pseudonym "Connie con Carne", Carnes recorded a song titled "She Dances with Meat", written by herself and Dave Ellingson. The song was also recorded by country comedy duo Pinkard & Bowden on their 1989 live album.

1980–1981: Collaboration with Kenny Rogers and "Bette Davis Eyes"

In 1980, her duet with Kenny Rogers "Don't Fall in Love with a Dreamer" became a major hit on the Pop (No. 4), Country (No. 3) and Adult Contemporary (No. 2) charts. The song was culled from Rogers's concept album Gideon, written entirely by Carnes and her husband Dave Ellingson. Later that year, her cover version of the Smokey Robinson & The Miracles song "More Love×More LoveMay 1980 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksAMore Love3:40BChangin’3:57" became her first solo top-10 hit (number 10 in the pop charts and number six in the Adult Contemporary charts). Robinson was, indeed, so impressed with Carnes's recording and success with the song that he later wrote and composed "Being with You" for her. However Robinson's then producer George Tobin insisted instead that he record and release the song himself. "The record that went number one for me is a demo for Kim," Robinson told The Huffington Post. In 1981, Carnes provided backing vocals on Dionne Warwick's No Night So Long album.
In 1981, Carnes recorded the Jackie DeShannon and Donna Weiss song "Bette Davis Eyes×Bette Davis EyesMarch 1981 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksABette Davis Eyes3:47BMiss You Tonite5:13", originally written and composed in 1974. As the first single released from the album Mistaken Identity×Mistaken IdentityApril 1981 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracksA1Bette Davis Eyes3:43A2Hit And Run3:17A3Mistaken Indentity4:41A4When I'm Away From You3:38A5Draw Of The Cards4:52B1Break The Rules Tonite (Out Of School)3:15B2Still Hold On4:33B3Don't Call It Love3:06B4Miss You Tonite5:08B5My Old Pals3:13, it spent nine weeks at number one on the U.S. singles charts and became a worldwide hit. The song's success propelled the album to number one on the Billboard 200 for four weeks. The single became the biggest hit of the entire year for 1981, and is second only to Olivia Newton-John's "Physical" as the biggest hit of the 1980s in the U.S., according to Billboard. The song earned both the Record of the Year and Song of the Year awards at the 1982 Grammy Awards. Carnes was nominated for Best Pop Female, and Mistaken Identity also earned a nomination for Album of the Year. Two follow-up singles were released from the album, the title track and "Draw of the Cards×Draw of the Cards1981 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksADraw of the Cards4:10BBreak the Rules Tonite (Out of School)3:17", which also charted in the UK and Australia.
Carnes and her band rehearsed "Bette Davis Eyes" in the studio for three days to take the melody and overall sound of the record to a darker, more haunting place. Produced by Val Garay, the song's signature instrumental lick was created by keyboard player Bill Cuomo. Carnes and her band, including Cuomo, recorded a completely new arrangement of the song, the next day, with no overdubs.
Bette Davis admitted to being a fan of the song and approached Carnes and the songwriters to thank them. Davis wrote to Carnes after the song was released, saying she loved the song. "It was a thrill to become a part of the rock generation," she said in her memoir This 'N That. Davis's grandson Ashley told the screen legend that she had "finally made it". Carnes and Davis struck up a special friendship, with the singer visiting her at her home several times before Davis's death in 1989. In what she considers a career highlight, Carnes performed the song live for Davis at a tribute to the legendary actress held just before her death. More recently, the song was used in a 2008 Clairol Nice 'n Easy TV commercial in the United Kingdom, and the ad featuring the song expanded into South Africa and other territories around the world. In 2008, the song was featured in the opening scene of the documentary film Valentino: The Last Emperor and continues to be licensed for film and TV use. In November 2015, the song was the set piece for the back-story of Liz Taylor in the TV anthology American Horror Story: Hotel.

1982–1987: Voyeur and further releases

Carnes's later hits included two more singles that just missed the pop top 10: "Crazy in the Night×Crazy in the Night1990 · Album · CompilationSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1More Love3:362Cry Like a Baby3:043Mistaken Identity4:464Draw of the Cards4:525Does It Make You Remember3:596Voyeur3:587I Pretend5:188Invisible Hands3:129You Make My Heart Beat Faster4:0010Divided Heart4:0311Hurricane4:2912Crazy in the Night3:36" (from Barking at Airplanes) and "What About Me?" with Kenny Rogers and James Ingram. Kim also reached the Adult Contemporary Top 10 four times after "Bette Davis Eyes×Bette Davis EyesMarch 1981 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksABette Davis Eyes3:47BMiss You Tonite5:13"–with "I Pretend" (No. 9), "What About Me?" (No. 1), "Make No Mistake, He's Mine" with Barbra Streisand (No. 8) (co-produced by Carnes with Bill Cuomo) and "Crazy in Love×Crazy in Love1988 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksACrazy in Love3:53BBlood from the Bandit3:22" (No. 10). On January 19, 1985, Carnes had the distinction of being on the Billboard Hot 100 with three singles simultaneously, "What About Me", "Make No Mistake, He's Mine", and "Invitation to Dance×Invitation to Dance1985 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksAInvitation to Dance (vocal dance mix)6:25BInvitation to Dance (instrumental dance mix)6:25" from the soundtrack to the film That's Dancing! It meant that she was on the chart as a solo artist in addition to being part of a duo and a trio.
Carnes was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rock Vocal Performance Female for Voyeur. The song "Looker" from that album was on the soundtrack for the 1981 film Looker. In 1983, she was nominated again as Best Rock Vocal Performance Female for "Invisible Hands×Invisible Hands1983 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksAInvisible Hands3:09BHanging on by a Thread (A Sad Affair of the Heart)". The Carnes song "I'll Be Here Where the Heart Is" was on the soundtrack for the 1983 film Flashdance soundtrack.
Carnes was among the artists who collaborated on the USA for Africa fundraising single "We Are the World" in 1985, shown in the music video and heard singing the last line of the song's bridge with Huey Lewis and Cyndi Lauper. Carnes sang "My Heart Has a Mind of Its Own" in a duet with Jeffrey Osborne for the soundtrack to the 1987 parody Spaceballs. In the same year, Carnes recorded "The Heart Must Have a Home" for the American drama film Summer Heat.

1988–1997: Return to Nashville and Japanese releases

Carnes reunited with producer Jimmy Bowen for her eleventh album View from the House×View From the House25 July 1988 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Brass & Batons5:222Just to Spend Tonight With You4:523Heartbreak Radio3:204Crazy in Love3:545If You Don’t Want My Love3:186Willie and the Hand Jive4:097Speed of the Sound of Loneliness3:298Blood From the Bandit3:229Fantastic Fire of Love4:1610Crimes of the Heart3:10, released in July 1988. It peaked at no. 36 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart. Featuring musicians including Vince Gill, Lyle Lovett, Steve Wariner and Bruce Hornsby, the album was described as a return to the country and folk influences of her early albums. "Crazy in Love×Crazy in Love1988 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksACrazy in Love3:53BBlood from the Bandit3:22" was released as the album's lead single, peaking at no. 13 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart.
In 1991, Carnes recorded the single "Hooked on the Memory of You" as a duet with Neil Diamond for his album Lovescape. A second track titled "Hard Times for Lovers" was released as a bonus track. In 1992, Diamond released a compilation album titled The Greatest Hits: 1966–1992, which featured a third duet with Carnes, a cover of "Heartbreak Hotel".
In 1993, Carnes released Gypsy Honeymoon: The Best of Kim Carnes. The title track peaked at No. 65 in Germany.
In 1997, Carnes co-wrote "Just One Little Kiss" with Greg Barnhill for Lila McCann's debut album Lila.

Since 1998: Further songwriting success and Chasin' Wild Trains

Numerous country artists recorded Carnes's songs in the late 1990s and early 2000s, including Smokie's version of "When the Walls Come Down" for Wild Horses – The Nashville Album (1998), Tim McGraw's version of "You Don't Love Me Anymore" for A Place in the Sun (1999), and Collin Raye's version of "Gypsy Honeymoon×Gypsy Honeymoon1993 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Gypsy Honeymoon4:062Bette Davis Eyes3:473Mistaken Identity4:49" for Can't Back Down (2001). Carnes provided backing vocals on the latter two recordings.
In June 2004, Carnes released her thirteenth and latest studio album, Chasin' Wild Trains×Chasin' Wild Trains2004 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1One Beat at a Time3:522Just to See You Smile4:193Where Is the Boy? (Chris' Song)4:044Goodnight Angel4:535Lucid Dreams4:026All About Time3:547Runaway4:588You Made My Skin Burn4:129Still Warmed by the Thrill4:0410If I Was an Angel3:4611Too Far Gone2:5812Stepped Right in It3:32, featuring songs co-written with Angelo Petraglia, Matraca Berg, Kim Richey, Al Anderson, Jeffrey Steele, Marc Jordan, Anders Osborne, and Chuck Prophet. The album was noted for its Americana and alt-country influences; it was compared to the musical styles of Stevie Nicks, Lucinda Williams and Melissa Etheridge. In the same year, Carnes provided backing vocals for two tracks on Tim McGraw's album Live Like You Were Dying.
Throughout the 2000s, Carnes continued to write and record songs for movie soundtracks, including "Ring of Fire" with Jeff Bridges for The Contender (2000), "The Silver Cord" for Loggerheads (2005), and "It's a Mighty Hand" for Chances: The Women of Magdalene (2006).
In 2007, Carnes recorded "It's Clear Sky Again Today" for a tribute album to the Japanese singer-songwriter Noriyuki Makihara, and a cover of the Rolling Stones' song "Tumbling Dice" with Jill Johnson for her album Music Row. Subsequent songwriting credits include "Enough" for Dana Cooper on his album The Conjurer (2010), "Live to Tell" for Alyssa Reid's album The Game (2011), and three tracks for the Australian country duo O'Shea.
In October 2012, American label Culture Factory reissued Carnes's Mistaken Identity, Voyeur and Cafe Racers albums. Light House and Barking at Airplanes followed in August 2013. In 2013, Carnes featured in an episode of the LMN series The Haunting of....
In May 2015, Carnes was interviewed by singer-songwriter Peter Cooper at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville. In the same year, Carnes co-wrote and performed backing vocals on two tracks from Dana Cooper's album Building a Human Being. She also recorded a cover of "Under My Thumb" by The Rolling Stones for 80s Re:Covered, a conceptual compilation album featuring songs from the 70s recorded with the production style of the 80s. In the following year, Carnes was featured on "To Be with You Again" from Frankie Miller's duets album, Double Take.
In 2021, Carnes performed at the Rheneypalooza Jam, an online concert and auction to raise funds for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis.
The majority of Carnes's recorded output will be featured in a forthcoming 10-CD boxed set, titled Universal Songs: The A&M, EMI America & MCA Years, set for release on October 23, 2026. Each disc, featuring full studio albums recorded from 1975 to 1988, will also include previously unissued bonus tracks.
In 2026, Carnes relocated back to her hometown of Los Angeles, Ca.

Musical and vocal style

Carnes's voice has been described as "distinctively raspy" and "throaty", leading to comparisons to the voices of Rod Stewart and Bonnie Tyler. In 1993, Keith Tuber of Orange Coast magazine referred to Carnes as "The Queen of Rasp 'n' Roll" in one of his articles.

Personal life

Carnes has been married to husband Dave Ellingson since November 1967. In 2026, the couple moved back to California from their Nashville residence, where they had lived since 1994. They have two sons, Collin and Ry.
Ry is named after musician Ry Cooder. Collin is featured on the album “Barking at Airplanes×Barking at Airplanes25 December 1985 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Crazy in the Night (Barking at Airplanes)3:332One Kiss3:303Begging for Favors (Learning How Things Work)4:514He Makes the Sun Rise (Orpheus)4:285Bon Voyage4:386Don't Pick Up the Phone (Pick Up the Phone)4:257Rough Edges4:428Abadabadango3:589Touch and Go4:4810Oliver (A Voice on the Radio)3:47” at the beginning of the song "Crazy in the Night×Crazy in the Night1990 · Album · CompilationSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1More Love3:362Cry Like a Baby3:043Mistaken Identity4:464Draw of the Cards4:525Does It Make You Remember3:596Voyeur3:587I Pretend5:188Invisible Hands3:129You Make My Heart Beat Faster4:0010Divided Heart4:0311Hurricane4:2912Crazy in the Night3:36". Collin co-wrote, with his mother, the songs "Divided Hearts", "Gypsy Honeymoon×Gypsy Honeymoon1993 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Gypsy Honeymoon4:062Bette Davis Eyes3:473Mistaken Identity4:49", "Don't Cry Now×Don't Cry Now1993 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Don't Cry Now (Single Version)3:552Don't Cry Now (Album Version)3:50", and "River of Memories".

Grammy Awards

The Grammy Awards are awarded annually by The Recording Academy of the United States for outstanding achievements in the music industry. Often considered the highest music honor, the awards were established in 1958. Carnes has won two awards, from eight nominations.

"Bette Davis Eyes×Bette Davis EyesMarch 1981 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksABette Davis Eyes3:47BMiss You Tonite5:13" also won the Grammy Award for Song of the Year. This win is credited to songwriters Donna Weiss and Jackie DeShannon.
"What About Me?" was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Vocal Arrangement for Two or More Voices in 1984. The nomination is credited to arranger David Foster.
Carnes was one of the various artists featured on the single "We Are the World", which won four Grammy Awards in 1986, including Record of the Year and Song of the Year.