About Kelvin Thomas-Edebe
Kelvin grew up in the small East Texas town of Groveton. His whole family was raised there on the land owned by his grandparents. His family was musical with pianists and singers strewn throughout. He was raised on Motown and gospel and blues, generating the old soul within him.
There was a dusty Pearl drum set that sat in the corner of the church near the organ. It hadn’t been touched since he could remember. He would see it Sunday after Wednesday after Sunday, and he felt the same urge that he’d always felt, to play it. Before long at the age of eight, he found himself set up with his feet on the pedals, sticks in hand and music pouring out of him.
He would soon begin playing percussion at his school at 10. He kept up with playing percussion throughout middle school and high school. In his sophomore year, songwriting and guitar was added to the arsenal. He was taught poetry by his then english teacher, introducing him to poets such as Edgar A. Poe and Walter Whitman while opening up his world of music to artists like Sufjan and Justin Vernon. Kelvin’s music continues to be influenced by the likes of Explosions in The Sky, Balmorhea, Bon Iver, The Avett Brothers, John Mayer, Coldplay, Local Natives, Arcade Fire, Ben Howard.
After graduating high school, Kelvin moved to Dallas to start his life. He moved in with his brother who was also a drummer, guitarist and songwriter. They would visit the Freeman in Deep Ellum every Tuesday night for its open mic night, and it was there that Kelvin would perform on stage for the first time.
Since that time, Kelvin has done nothing but grow in his gift. He’s opened for the Leon Bridges, Dalton Domino, Abraham Alexander and Josh Weathers. He’s gone to be an American Idol contestant and finished in the top 90 (of 212k auditionees). He won the 2019 Bluelight Songwriter Competition up against some of the best songwriters in the state of Texas. He has toured the state with The Rustic and Sofar Sounds in cities such as Austin, San Antonio, Houston and Lubbock. He recorded an EP named, ‘Love, Faith, and Heartbreak’ and released the single, ‘Hold Me.’
On January 21, 2023, Kelvin lost his mother. She was his biggest fan and would’ve been at every show if she could. This tragedy, though heartbreaking, has greatly motivated him to create his music and share his gift even more.