Esteemed songwriter Harland Howard once said that “country music is just three chords and the truth”. Kelsee Brady Bradshaw demonstrates and values this quote in her own musical endeavors herself. As the wife of a cowboy, mother of four, Arizona cowgirl, and inspired singer and songwriter, Kelsee has found compelling ways to embrace the simplicity of country music and its power to uplift.
Kelsee’s compassion for people has played a large part in this. Speaking of this profound motive she said,
“I’ve always been intrigued by peoples’ stories, ever since I was a little girl. Everybody we cross paths with has a story and something for us to learn from them… they deserve to be heard. And in today’s world, we need these true heroes”.
From family members to well-known musicians and even complete strangers, she has created a way to portray individual stories through music with her own brand, LifeSong. It started out as a TV show pitch and has now become a moving humanity project. Kelsee has a process of interviewing inspirational people, catching their stories on camera, and within just 24 hours writing a song about them and performing it for their families. She has beautifully shared the stories of tragic loss, the bravery of first responders, kind deeds, and life lessons. Some full episodes can be found on LifeSong’s Youtube channel, and much of it is included on Facebook and Instagram. One of her upcoming projects to stay tuned for is a song about a double purple heart recipient, co-written by a decorated marine.
Kelsee’s own core values shine through her work. Speaking of LifeSong she said, “We stand for faith, family, tradition, freedom, and music. I’ve always been so passionate about the sport of rodeo and the western way of life. All of the traditional values we gain from the lifestyle of a hard day’s work, an honest handshake, patriotism, love of the land and its people, heritage, and tradition. Naturally, I tend to lean towards writing country music because of those ideals.”
It is easy to see where much of Kelsee’s inspiration and morals come from. Her roots run deep in the western world, as a representative for National Day of the Cowboy and a member of the Cowgirls Historical Foundation. She is well-versed in many walks of life as she was a finalist in the Star of the West country talent competition, first runner up at the Miss Rodeo USA pageant, and even a national title-holding cheerleader! She has enjoyed roping with her husband and now watches as their four kids follow in their footsteps. With a grateful heart, she says, “I’m living the dream of being married to a wonderful man (AZ cowboy Colter Bradshaw), being the mother of 4 precious children, and enjoying the priceless freedoms we have in this great country. If the Lord has it in His plan for LifeSong to be shared, I hope that I can use it to share great stories, great songs, and bless the lives of others.”
Kelsee is a profoundly touching person herself, but she accredits much to people in her own life who have blessed her with inspiration. She grew up watching her grandmother, Odile Frost Brady, pursue musical talents while incorporating her faith, even performing for the Pope. Her example has played a large role in Kelsee’s passion for her own musical pursuits. Speaking of one of her greatest songwriting inspirations, she said, “One of my heroes and greatest mentors in songwriting is Troy Jones. I had the privilege of organizing a fundraiser for the National Day of the cowboy at the Bluebird Cafe with Legendary songwriters and leaders in the music industry: Troy Jones, Bryan Kennedy, and Wynn Varble. All three amazing men gave me some valuable insight into songwriting but I formed a particularly special friendship with Troy Jones and his wife Patsy. They came to our ranch to learn more about the cowboy way of life that he loved and also to give me some more insight on being a songwriter and we ended up co-writing a song called ‘Cowgirl’ which I will be releasing in the coming months. I admire Troy not only for his incredible success in the songwriting industry but for the fact that he is genuine, kind, and loves God and his fellow man. He cherished family and always prioritized them over any musical aspirations. This world suffered a great loss when Troy passed away last fall but Heaven gained an Angel and I know he is watching over all his loved ones and still touching hearts with his music.”
Aside from musical inspiration, she attributes much of her heartfelt connection to her own special angel. “My guardian Angel is my precious mother Julee as we lost her to cancer last year. She lived a life full of kindness and optimism and she inspires me to be better. She was a beautiful writer often being found writing lifestyle, western, and fashion articles, and even wrote for Cowboy Lifestyle Network.”
As Kelsee continues down the trail of serving others through music, she has many exciting projects to share with the world. One of her most recent song releases came out with a music video encouraged by RFDTV, titled “One of Us”. It can be found on LifeSong’s Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wYwejzn3Nc. She wrote this song with the wonderful J. Michael Harter, inspired by her passion for the National Finals Rodeo coming up in just a month. The heart of the NFR is unity among all, which is exactly what the song encompasses.
If you or someone you know has a compelling story to share, we encourage you to email it to Kelsee@LifeSongMusic.net. Afterall at LifeSong, “your story is music to our ears”.
CLN Community & Event Sponsor
You must be logged in to post a comment.