Early life and education Kellie Coffey was born April 22, 1971, in
Moore, Oklahoma. She became a regular singer after performing on the Oklahoma Opry at age nine, graduated from
Westmoore High School in Moore in 1989, and participated in various musicals while attending the
University of Oklahoma. Her credits include: •
IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth at
EPCOT,
Walt Disney World Resort (1999–2019) •
Believe...in Holiday Magic fireworks spectacular at
Disneyland Park,
Disneyland Resort (2000–present) • "100 Years of Magic" promotional campaign, Walt Disney World Resort (2001) •
Imagine...A Fantasy in the Sky fireworks spectacular (2004) •
Wintertime Enchantment at Disneyland Park, Disneyland Resort (2007–present)
2002–2003: When You Lie Next to Me After a showcase at a Los Angeles restaurant, Coffey was signed to a publishing contract with
Warner/Chappell Music. Later, she moved to
Nashville, Tennessee, where she auditioned for recording contracts.
BNA Records, a sister label of
RCA Records, signed her in 2001.
Country Standard Time reviewer Jeffrey B. Remz compared her vocals to those of
Sara Evans, saying that Coffey's voice was "strong [and] full-bodied" An uncredited article in the
Grand Forks Herald described the title track as "one of those lush, lyrical ballads that makes you long for a slow dance with the one you love." At the
Academy of Country Music awards in May 2003, Coffey won the Top New Female Vocalist award. She also toured with labelmate
Kenny Chesney in 2003.
2003–2004: A Little More Me In late 2003, Coffey made her fourth appearance on the country charts with "Texas Plates". This song, which peaked at number 24, was intended to be the first release from a second album for BNA, to have been titled
A Little More Me. She continued to tour with
George Strait until 2004, when Coffey was dropped by BNA and her managers. Its first single was "I Would Die for That", which Coffey wrote about her own
infertility. Scott Sexton writes from Country Music About.com "Kellie Coffey's sophomore CD lets you look into her true range as a singer and a songwriter. From the first song to the last you are left wanting more. Kellie co-wrote eleven of the twelve songs on this album, and they are all truly unique. Every song sounded like it came straight from her heart, which made the album that much more enjoyable." The following year, Coffey did a campaign with the Susan G. Komen Foundation in the production of the video for the title track of her independent album, "Walk On". The video features documentary footage of participants in breast cancer walks. In 2010 Coffey was the subject of the feature documentary film, "Kellie Coffey: I'm Still Here". On May 26, 2013, she performed "Walk On" at a memorial service for the victims of the May 20 tornado which hit her hometown of Moore. ==Personal life==