Kokomo Theatre

Kelli Grant
the Queen of Swing™
International Recording Artist
Female Artist of the Year

Kelli Grant, the Queen of Swing™

Grab your girdles girls as it might get a little bumpy as the PIANO POUNDIN' * RHYTHM ROCKIN' * BASS KICKIN' showman Kelli Grant, Female Artist of the Year follows the evolution of Swing into a musical revolution called Rock 'n Roll.

Comb your ducktails and grab your poodle skirts for the one of the most exciting entertainers to ever grace a stage.

Come "swing" with the "Queen" as she carries the audience down a musical highway of Blues, Jazz & Swing in a variety of original musical revues based on her diverse recording career. From New York to Vegas, Memphis to Texas the Queen of Swing™ performs magnificent covers along with her own chart topping hits in a variety of shows most of which are based on 50’s Rock ‘n Roll Swing music along with a little Texas Swing ... Awh!

QUEEN OF SWING: Kelli headlined with Carl "Blue Suede Shoes" Perkins at the Wink Roy Orbison festival a couple of years before his death in '98. While riding back to the hotel in Midland Carl asked Kelli and her husband to join him for breakfast the next morning. While visiting Carl suddenly turned to Kelli and said, "Kid, I've worked with Jerry Lee, Fats Domino and "Little" Richard ... YOU'VE GOT A STYLE ALL YOUR OWN ... and it "SWINGS". Kelli had appeared on shows with "Mr. Action, Roy Moss"  Roy had also taken notice of her unique piano style asking her to play piano / bass, as she always does on 11 of new cuts for the Eagle Records release, "Rockin' Roy Moss". 45 yeqrs earlier he had been on Mercury Records with hits, "Wiggle Walkin' Momma". Roy called her one day and told her, "you need a tag, something people can remember and relate to you alone."
Because of her "swinging piano style" Roy dubbed her "the Queen of Swing". She told Carl of Roy's comments and Carl immediately agreed.

The title became a "Federal Trademark" with the release of her CD, "Don't Mess with Texas". The Texas Department of Transportation put Kelli under contract, being the first artist ever to be placed under contract. This gave the label permission and the Queen of Swing to use of their logo to market the CD and single. The song was on the top 10 playlist in Australia, very big in Poland and finally ended at #1 slot on International Charts in Western Swing. The song was a testiment to the sights and sounds of Texas with Kelli enlisting former Texas Playboys, former band members for the King of Western Swing, Bob Wills for the song recording. To her credits, Kelli is the only woman to ever front the famed Texas Playboys LIVE in concert. Girls didn't do that.

There's only ONE "Queen of Swing" and it is, Kelli Grant...

2023 marks her 30th year since the release of self-titled CD on Warner Bros. German affiliate, Eagle Records which topped Belgium charts at #4. The International Recording Artist and award winning Singer, Songwriter and State Musician Nominee has scored to date: EIGHT - #1 hits on Independent & International Blues/Jazz charts; charted 15 top 10 Singles and 4 top 10 Albums from the 12 CD's she has on the market with a new CD in the works.

Kelli won Female Artist of the Year is a 2 time Female Artist of the Year Nominee and was the only Female nominee on the list for RMA Artist of the Year.

For her songwriting skills she received a Billboard Songwriting "Honorable Mention" with several of those originals hitting the #1 spot. As a BMI licensed songwriter Kelli recently recieved a BMI Royalty payment FOR OVER 3500 plays on registered affiliates with a Non-affiliate internet website notifing her of over 15,000 plays on their site alone.

As a music graduate and musician Kelli was honored as a Texas State Musician Nominee.

Other honors include induction into the Swing Hall of Fame, the World Who's Who Jazz Cabaret Singers - Federation of American Musicians, New York, NY and the Heritage Who’s Who registration in the Library of Congress, Washington, D.C..

Most recently, March 2022 she was inducted into the Marquis Who's Who in America for being an
                                            award-winning Recording Artist and an Inventor (Patent #: 10,695,605 Toteable Treadstep).

Her CD's have received 4 & 5 star reviews from around the world with French Music critic, Bernard Boyat proclaiming her CD, Swing-a-Billy "Superbes" for her remake of Louis Prima's "5 mos. 2 wks. 2 Days". Kelli was one of only 209 artists selected to be on the Texas Touring Roster being nominated and sponsored by the TCA for inclusion in the   Mid-America Arts Alliance Touring Roster with subsidized funding by the National Endowment for the Arts.

She has headlined in the biggest venues being listed in the Isle of Capri Casino Blue Book as "One of their BEST SHOWS" and appeared with some of the biggest stars in the biz. For her knowledge, academics and expertise of the BLUES, Kelli was invited to be a
 Table Top Speaker for the Texas Arts & Exchange Conference, Austin, Texas.

Although not nominated Kelli was one of only 36 CD’s placed for consideration by the Grammy™ reviewing board for "Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album" and one of only 48 for consideration in "Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance". She was also a Vocalist Nominee for the Grammy Board of Directors Texas Chapter and her "Swing ‘n Blues" CD is on music critic, Henri Woode’s list of Top Jazz Album (ALLMUSIC.com scroll down to the year 2000).

Kelli's performance at the Marshall Civic Center received a standing ovation and she was publicly declared by Marshall Regional Arts Director, Geraldine Mauthe, "an exceptional entertainer". While at the Texas Arts Exchange Conference Kelli saw Ms. Mauthe who boastingly made her claim to surrounding members attending the conference of Kelli’s performance.

The Kokomo Theatre LLC, "a drive-in theatre without the cars" is an outdoor amphitheatre hosting live outdoor events with their series, "Concert Under the Stars". The patrons bring their lawnchair for a wonderful night of LIVE! Award-winning Entertainment complete with dance floor accented fairy lights for the concert goers. After the concert patrons are treated to a Free Classic movie. ALL for just the price of a single Gate pass - "MUSIC & MOVIE". Completing their blast to the past theme of yesteryear the Kokomo Theatre has a "Snack Bar" full of goodies: soda, water, candy, popcorn, hotdogs, frito pies. pizza and featuring their original Kokomoat floats.

The theatre proudly presents the award winning Singer, Songwriter, Texas State Musician Nominee, and International Recording Artist Kelli Grant, the Queen of Swing™
Kelli was on the Texas Touring Roster for several years with funding by the National Endowment for the Arts. Her highly acclaimed musical productions, "Swingin' the Blues" chronicles the evolution of Blues to Jazz and Jazz to Swing and swings evolution into a musical revolution called, "Rock 'n Roll. Inorder to showcase her diverse musical caeer and now 12 CD's on the market she has written many musical revues: "Jazzin' Things Up!", "A Swingin' Christmas Show", "Girls Doo It Too!", "Swing Me Back to Texas".and "Swing Doo Rock". All shows are written by this music legend.

For a limited time only the Queen of Swing™ is Swingin’ at the Kokomo Theatre. Come join the fun and enjoy our special family friendly events: Full Moon Party Dance & Romance, Sock Hop Saturday Swing Doo Rock, Sci-Fi Festival, Rock 'n Roll @ the Kokomo, Halloween Fright Fest and much more...

Please call / text (903) 918-2132 or email kokomotheatre2400@gmaill.com for reservations