When Forever's Gone

Who can believe that it's been nine years since Cletus and Lori sang their first open mic together? They had only known each other a week when Lori learned the harmony to all of Cletus' songs. (Yes, he was frightened, too.)

Lori Kelley met Cletus Kennelly at the Mid-Atlantic Song Contest awards ceremony in 2000. That's when a musical, nay, "harmonial" plan hatched in her mind to convince Cletus, or possibly trick him, into forming a heady Folk/Pop duo. Not easily persuaded (being immune to brainwashing and hypnotism), Cletus reluctantly agreed.

Soon he could hear the wisdom in Lori's folky little scheme. Nearly 1,000 shows, 3 CDs and 10 Washington Area Music Association Awards later, they are still playing strong. Cletus and Lori are sometimes compared to Simon and Garfunkel and the more recent hit duo, the Indigo Girls. They enchant both older and younger audiences alike with spellbinding harmonies and meaningful lyrics.

Cletus and Lori blend their original songs into a delightful and very personal show. Highlights of their nine-year journey have been repeated performances at Wasington DC's Kennedy Center's Millennium Stage, Falcon Ridge New Emerging Artist Stage, Carter Baron Amphitheatre, and being asked to perform for American Veterans at Piestewa Peak in Phoenix, Arizona, honoring the family of Pfc. Lori Piestewa, the first Native American service woman to die in combat.

Richard Harrington of The Washington Post writes, "What's better than a good singer-songwriter? Two singer-songwriters whose meshed voices seem built for close harmony." Both approach their writing from a lyrical, melodic place with songs that speak to the heart. The wit and depth each adds to the other's songs makes for an engaging show. "Cletus and Lori are two standout performers whose voices blend beautifully." (Scott Moore, Moore House Concerts) About their debut CD as a duo, LOTUS, Mike Joyce of The Washington Post writes, "In addition to sharing close harmonies on their new CD, Lotus, singer-songwriters Cletus Kennelly and Lori Kelley alternately contribute tunes that tend to fall gracefully between folk and pop. In fact, so consistent is the song quality that it's sometimes hard to tell who wrote what. Among Kennelly's best efforts are "The Gate", an inspirational love song concerning a soldier blinded on the battlefield, and "Looking Up", a 9/11 ballad that's likely to outlast most. As for Kelley's lyrics, none is more poetic or evocative than "Snow Is Falling”, a contemporary spiritual dedicated to Pfc. Lori Piestewa, one of a handful of Native American women in the U.S. military and the first woman to die in the Iraq war.” (Washington Post, 9-23-05) Michael Jaworek of famed venue The Birchmere" remarked, "Lotus is even better than Like Sea Glass!" (Lori's last solo CD, which he deemed "excellent on all accounts".)