Kim Churchill has been living and breathing guitar for over a decade. When he plays you can hear the dedication and countless hours of rehearsal and you can’t help but have an appreciation for his talent. When you find out he’s only 20, it puts him in an entirely other league.
His flawless guitar technique and his lyrical outlook surpass his age and these skills have allowed his career to blossom. As he continues to launch his career in music, dedication is another characteristic you will not find him lacking.
“As a young artist, now’s the time for me to be busy” Kim enthuses. “You just have to tour your arse off, record heaps and keep pushing every way you can. It’s been a hectic couple of years but its also been lots of fun.”
As a youngster you’d be likely to find Kim practicing guitar whenever possible; even if that meant getting up before sunrise. This enthusiasm and devotion is evident in his recordings and even more so in his live show.
Kim Churchill’s style is unique and explosive, with intricate fingerpicking, percussive beats on the body of the guitar, and two-handed tapping intertwined with an earthy stomp box, powerful harmonica melodies and soulful voice. Though his playing is often complex, his songs have an easy, natural flow that certainly reflect the peace of mind that rolling waves and a rising sun possess. Kim Churchill is a live spectacle and a true virtuoso, but unlike so many others who could be labeled as such, he transmits a vibe of genuine modesty. Perhaps it’s his nomadic life on the road or probably his passion for surfing that keeps him grounded.
"I really try to paint a picture of sounds that complement the lyrics I've written", Kim says.
He started off in 2009 after high school, busking and traveling Australia in a camper to share his music with friends and strangers alike. The same year, he was presented with the National Youth Folk Artist of the year award. After being selected from hundreds of candidates by the Byron Bay Bluesfest busker competition in 2010, Kim has quickly crossed the ranks. He was added not once, but twice on the line-up of the famous festival in 2011, sharing the main stage on the opening night with Xavier Rudd, Michael Franti and Ben Harper and on the closing night with Paul Kelly, Buffy Sainte-Marie and no other than the great Bob Dylan.
“Kim’s my favorite new artist right now” Michael Franti, Interviewing Kim Churchill at the Byron Bay Bluesfestival. http://youtu.be/b0nhb4VXBz4
Since that humble and impressive start, his work of art have connected him with thousands of people, winning audiences of some of Australia’s biggest festivals including, Woodford Folk Festival, Port Fairy Folk Festival, Queenscliff Music Festival and many more. In the last year he has also taken his show to Japan, Canada, the UK and the US.
2011 has seen him booked for shows worldwide including the Woodford Folk festival, SXSW, Memphis International Folk Alliance and Canadian Music Week. After a run in the UK, he headed home to support Michael Franti & Spearhead's East Coast Tour. His schedule also took him on a Western Oz tour throughout May and June, a New Caledonian tour on the first week of June and a return back to North America to support his Canadian release (with Indica Records), playing most major Canadian festival (Quebec City Summer Festival, Montreal Intl Jazz Fest, Ottawa Bluesfest, etc.). The festival shows triggered the enthusiasm of both audience and industry, and was thus followed by a mostly sold-out headlining tour.
Kim Churchill just recorded his sophomore album “Detail of Distance” for Indica Australia. This latest sonic adventure will launch at this year’s East Coast Blues Fest April 6-7-8 with a national tour to follow.