Biography.
Kimberly Hawkey's voice is a time machine. Jazz, Broadway, folk – she effortlessly blends genres, transporting audiences to worlds of beauty with each crystalline note. Whether solo, fronting her band, or singing with an orchestra, her captivating and cinematic voice offers a vintage soul-nourishment that transcends the modern age.
A Johnny Mercer Award winner and Gold Medalist at the American Traditions Vocal Competition, Kimberly has also conquered the NYC Cabaret Showdown twice. She's graced iconic venues like Birdland, Zinc Bar and the Iridium, equally mesmerizing with her dulcet voice or adding banjo, piano, washboard, and even mouth-trumpet when the song demands it.
Carrying the torch of timeless Big Band magic, Kimberly's velvety voice has soared alongside some of the greatest names in vintage jazz. In 2021, she made her debut with the Glenn Miller Orchestra, fulfilling a long-held dream. It was on that legendary bandstand where Kimberly met New England trombonist,arranger and bandleader Dan Gabel. Their collaboration blossomed into the joyful Christmas album, Snowed In!, backed by Mr. Gabel’s powerhouse Abletones Big Band.
Kimberly’s dynamic presence has attracted invitations from other NYC-based ensembles like the Glenn Crytzer Orchestra, the New York All-Star Big Band, Terry Waldo and the Gotham City Band, Danny Jonukuchi and the Revisionists, Danny Lipsitz and His Brass Tracks, and Gordon Au and the Grand St. Stompers. Whether channeling the golden age of swing or adding her own fresh interpretations, Kimberly's talent transcends generations, proving that the love for vintage music resonates as fiercely as ever.
This devotion spills over into Kimberly's work as a music educator and events producer, all under her Elvanelle Music banner ("story through song"). Elvanelle concerts, programs, and special-event music entertain, unite communities, and reframe the past through a modern lens. She has mentored dozens of singers through her signature Muse Mentoring experience, providing a transformative, holistic approach to performance. Her community of Visionary Vocalists gather virtually from all over the world to develop their craft and uncover their most authentic voices.
Six genre-spanning albums showcase her versatility: the swinging Music of the Night and All Aboard! with The Swingaroos, and the intimate Elvanelle & the Escape Act featuring her solo chanteuse magic. But Kimberly isn't just a chameleon; she's a storyteller. Her wildly entertaining theme shows, threading vaudeville through golden-age Hollywood, Broadway hits, or the Great American Songbook, prove that music and connection are her true north.
This passion led Kimberly to We the Nighthawks, a 13-track original album born in the 2020 lockdown through songwriters Morris & Rivers. It's a tapestry of art song, jazz, and musical theatre, with each track a canvas for Kimberly's ability to embody diverse archetypal voices. Grammy-winning producer Joel Moss and musical director Assaf Gleizner lend their expertise, while a full orchestra adds depth to both the “Nighthawks” 2020 release and the team’s 2021 Christmas album, A New Noel.
Praise rolls in: BroadwayWorld calls her "delightfully fresh," Cabaret Scenes hails her "exceptional musicality," and New York Music Daily cheers The Swingaroos' "irrepressibly cheery update on 30s and 40s sounds".
Currently based in Worcester, MA, Kimberly maintains a regular performing schedule across New York City, the Hudson Valley, Catskills with tours across the US. She also shares her 15+ years of teaching experience through 1:1 voice and piano lessons, workshops, masterclasses, and even MDs cabarets and theatrical productions.
Kimberly Hawkey isn't just a singer; she's a weaver of timelessness, a storyteller with a voice that bridges generations and genres. So, lend an ear, and let her transport you to a world where music truly transcends time.
Kimberly (left) after winning the ATC Gold Medal and Johnny Mercer Award in 2013. With judges Bob Dorough, Anita Gillette, Rod Gilfry, and Don Davis. Credit: John Carrington
The creative and production team of “A New Noel”. L-R Top: Justin K. Rivers (lyricist), Joel Moss (producer), Assaf Gleizner (arranger/pianist), Lecco Morris (composer), Kimberly Hawkey. L-R Bottom: Ariel Shafir (engineer), Christine Hauer (production assistant). Credit: Terri-Lynn Pellegri
The Swingaroos. L-R: Nat Ranson, Assaf Gleizner, Dan Glaude, Kimberly Hawkey, Mike Gordon, Chris Conte. Credit: Chan Roeun
“She is poised to introduce this uniquely American art form – and others – to a wider audience, and to teach up-and-comers to connect listeners to the past while also bringing them fully into the present, in the stardust of a song.”
— Robert Burke Warren
BACKSTORY.
The Kimberly Hawkey story began in a Schenectady, NY home where Broadway musicals enjoyed equal time with Charlie Parker. Young Kim listened to the Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat soundtrack on repeat, fervently fantasizing herself as the narrator. Frequent visits to touring musicals at historic Proctors Theater fueled a passion for stories shared through song. Piano and dance lessons, and ultimately, the role of Maria in the high school production of West Side Story, sealed the deal. Music would be her life, come what may.
Graduating from Fordham with a double major in music and psychology, Kimberly’s immediate post-college years found her in arts administration at the renowned Belleayre Music Festival and the Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts. From the wings, she became well versed in the behind-the-scenes nuts and bolts of producing successful music events. These skills would ultimately serve her well in a performing career, as she advocated and created opportunities for herself and her band-to-be.
The transition from administrator to working performer began in earnest with voice teacher Chris Cain, who changed the course of Kimberly’s life. First, he introduced his student to songs with vintage Hollywood glamour, pre-1950s chestnuts apparently tailor-made for her. “The legato, the vibrato, the long notes,” she says. “These songs felt so good in my voice.” Then, he convinced his student to enter the 2013 American Traditions Vocal Competition in Savannah, Georgia. With a repertoire including “Marry Me a Little” (Sondheim), “Goody Goody” (Johnny Mercer), “Bright Morning Sky” (Appalachian folk song), and a Cabaret medley, rookie Kimberly went up against seasoned Broadway vets and Met pros and won both the overall competition and the coveted Johnny Mercer Award. She would return to Savannah multiple times, as a soloist, bandleader, and ambassador.
Kimberly soon formed the Swingaroos, and before long, she was gigging along the ribbon of highway, racking up miles and experience, gaining recognition not only as a stellar performer with dazzling chops and magnetic style, but also a savvy marketer and teacher. She launched a successful crowd-funding campaign for her debut album Elvanelle & the Escape Act, a collection of vaudeville, hot jazz, folk, cabaret, and contemporary music, including originals from Kimberly. Then she took it on the road.
credit: Lindsey Morano
Throughout this remarkable musical journey, Kimberly has remained mindful of those who introduced her to the canon of song, and helped her master the material she wields to bring love and light into a room. She also shepherds students into this enriching world, ensuring up-and-comers receive quality attention and guidance so they, too, can appreciate and ultimately share the treasures of music. Through Elvanelle Music, she is poised to introduce this uniquely American art form – and others – to a wider audience, and to teach up-and-comers to connect listeners to the past while also bringing them fully into the present, in the stardust of a song.
Robert Burke Warren (2020)