Kippi Brannon
Encyclopedia
Kippi Rolynn Binkley is an American country music
singer known as Kippi Brannon. She made her debut on the country music scene as a teenager, releasing four singles on MCA Records
in the early 1980s before leaving her career in favor of a college education. By 1992, she returned to the country music scene, eventually releasing her debut album I'd Be with You in 1997.
. A singer and musician at an early age, she began singing professionally before she was a teenager. At age 12, she gave a performance at a local shopping mall, when an executive for MCA Records
discovered her. With the help of record producer Chuck Howard, Jr., Kippi was signed to MCA in 1981. Her surname was altered to Brannon, after Brannon Auto Parts, a local automotive parts store.
Brannon charted three singles in the early 1980s, in addition to receiving a New Female Vocalist of the Year nomination from the Academy of Country Music
. She was also signed as an opening act for other country artists. Although she was gaining in popularity, Brannon decided to leave her career and attend college, first at Belmont University
and later at the University of Tennessee
-Knoxville. During her hiatus from the country music scene, she also married and had a daughter, Kasey; she later divorced and married a second time.
this time around. Her first single for the label, "I Ain't Never", failed to make the charts upon its 1992 release. Working with producers Matt Rollings
and James Stroud
, she began a search for additional songs to record; however, by the end of 1992, she once again had to take a hiatus, as she had divorced a second time, and had to care for her ailing father. Her first album, I'd Be with You, was released in early 1997, under the production of Mark Bright.
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
singer known as Kippi Brannon. She made her debut on the country music scene as a teenager, releasing four singles on MCA Records
MCA Records
MCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...
in the early 1980s before leaving her career in favor of a college education. By 1992, she returned to the country music scene, eventually releasing her debut album I'd Be with You in 1997.
Biography
Kippi Rolynn Binkley was born in 1966 in Nashville, TennesseeNashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
. A singer and musician at an early age, she began singing professionally before she was a teenager. At age 12, she gave a performance at a local shopping mall, when an executive for MCA Records
MCA Records
MCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...
discovered her. With the help of record producer Chuck Howard, Jr., Kippi was signed to MCA in 1981. Her surname was altered to Brannon, after Brannon Auto Parts, a local automotive parts store.
Brannon charted three singles in the early 1980s, in addition to receiving a New Female Vocalist of the Year nomination from the Academy of Country Music
Academy of Country Music
The Academy of Country Music was founded in 1964 in Los Angeles, California as the Country & Western Music Academy. Whereas the Country Music Association, founded in 1958, was based in Nashville, the Academy sought to promote country music in the western states. Among those involved in the...
. She was also signed as an opening act for other country artists. Although she was gaining in popularity, Brannon decided to leave her career and attend college, first at Belmont University
Belmont University
Belmont University is a private, coeducational, liberal arts university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. It is the largest Christian university in Tennessee and the second largest private university in the state, behind nearby Vanderbilt University.-Belmont Mansion:Belmont Mansion...
and later at the University of Tennessee
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
-Knoxville. During her hiatus from the country music scene, she also married and had a daughter, Kasey; she later divorced and married a second time.
Return to country music
By 1988, Brannon resumed her music career, signing to Curb RecordsCurb Records
Curb Records is a record label started by Mike Curb originally as Sidewalk Records in 1963...
this time around. Her first single for the label, "I Ain't Never", failed to make the charts upon its 1992 release. Working with producers Matt Rollings
Matt Rollings
Matt Rollings is an American composer, musician and record producer. He plays piano, organ, and keyboards.Known mainly for playing in Lyle Lovett's Large Band, he has worked with many artists, not all country...
and James Stroud
James Stroud
James Stroud is an American musician and record producer who works in pop, rock, and country music. In the 1990s he was the president of Giant Records and held several credits as a session drummer...
, she began a search for additional songs to record; however, by the end of 1992, she once again had to take a hiatus, as she had divorced a second time, and had to care for her ailing father. Her first album, I'd Be with You, was released in early 1997, under the production of Mark Bright.
Albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | US Heat Top Heatseekers Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical... |
||
| I'd Be with You |
|
53 | 48 |
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions |
Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country Hot Country Songs Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales... |
US Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
|||
| 1981 | "Slowly" | 37 | — | singles only |
| 1982 | "If I Could See You Tonight" | 55 | — | |
| "He Don't Make Me Cry" | 87 | — | ||
| 1983 | "In My Dreams" | — | — | |
| 1992 | "I Ain't Never I Ain't Never "I Ain't Never" is the title of a song, recorded in 1972, by American country music artist Mel Tillis. It was his first No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot Country Singles charts.... " |
— | — | |
| 1997 | "Daddy's Little Girl" | 42 | 120 | I'd Be with You |
| "I'd Be with You" | 53 | 120 | ||
| "The Greatest Love I've Ever Known" | — | — | ||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | ||||
Music videos
| Year | Video | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | "Daddy's Little Girl" | John Scarpati |