Legend maintains that Robert Johnson gained his talent by trading his soul to the devil at the crossroads. That crossroad has become a powerful metaphor for the paths ahead and no one knows that better than Kelly Richey.
The Blues singer/songwriter/guitarist arrived at that divergence in 2008. After a 25-year career, seven studio albums, five live recordings and countless fans, music failed to motivate her. Richey gained weight from a psychological food/alcohol reliance and serenity eluded her. She defined her identity solely through music, with no sense of self beyond that.
“I got really burned out,” Richey says over a mid-morning caffeine jolt at Sharonville’s Alreddy Coffee. “I was constantly staying one step ahead of the game, praying a band member wouldn’t quit, micromanaging things. The last thing I did was make music. I stepped off the road last January because my dream had become a nightmare. I built my dream as a 15-year-old, and I’d outgrown that model.”
Through a course on self-publishing books, Richey discovered Marcia Weider’s “dream coaching” process, which led to transformative healing, a 50-pound weight loss and a purposeful clarity. Richey eventually attended workshops to get certification in Dream, Life and Health and Wellness coaching herself.
The Kelly Richey Band plays Friday at The Redmoor in Mount Lookout.
