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MidCoast LIVE!
KKFI is proud to present “MidCoast Live!” celebrating local and regional artists from Kansas City and the surrounding area. Each week, a rotating crew of KKFI programmers will present different artists coming to you live from our studio. These programmers will tap into Kansas City’s diverse and culturally expansive music and arts scene. Hear from artists you have never heard of before! This is KKFI doing what it does best: giving back to the community!
MidCoast LIVE! presents Christena Graves
Friday, December 29, 2024
12:00 Noon to 1:00 PM
LIVE on 90.1 FM KKFI
Hosted by Mark Manning
Host Mark Manning welcomes Christena Graves who will play a live concert in our 90.1 FM studios during our 60 minute show.
Acclaimed singer songwriter, Christena Graves writes songs in order to make sense of her world. Her lyrics are a mixture of a heartfelt acknowledgment of the pain and suffering in life, balanced by the steadying force of committed relationships. Growing up in a coastal area of western Michigan, Christena draws from her deep connection with the natural world to help frame the difficulty of the human emotional landscape. “Nature brings focus for me. I rely on it to color my lyrics.” She found her musical beginning learning to sing harmonies with her older brothers and sisters. Music was an important part of her family and they would often sing hymns together. She fondly remembers the day her oldest brother sat her on the kitchen counter and taught her to sing harmony to Jingle Bells. It was a moment that gave fuel to her love of singing.
After leaving Michigan to attend college in Missouri, she met her husband Brandon and joined the band Waterdeep as the keyboard player. After touring for several years, she stepped away from the band to raise their children. Songwriting became a release to help process the struggles of life. Eventually, she was writing songs for her church community and helping lead music on Sunday mornings. Once the kids were old enough, Christena and Brandon decided to form a new project and return to making music in a bigger way.
2019 marked the beginning of the Christena Graves Band and the ground work being laid for her return to the music industry. In mid 2020 Greg Lafollette, a long time musical friend, moved back to KC from Nashville where he had built a successful career as an artist and producer. Greg offered his help to record a collections of songs that have become her album. Christena Graves released FINDING MY FOOTING on February 11, 2021. It was one of WMM’s 120 Best Recordings of 2021. On June 28, 2023 Christena Graves released “Swingin’ On The Stars.” On August 3, 2023 Christena Graves released the single “Summer’s End.” on February 24, 2024, Christena Graves released the single “One Good Thing,” one of WMM’s 50 Favorite Singles of 2024.
Christena Graves plays Replay Lounge, 946 Massachusetts Street, Lawrence, KS on Friday, November 29, 2024 from 6:00pm to 9:00pm with Flash Floods. More info at: www.christenagravesmusic.com
