Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kam Franklin. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Kam , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

One of the biggest risks I’ve ever taken in my life is making the decision to quit my day job and do music full-time. In 2015, my band, The Suffers, was invited to be one of the last independent bands to play the late show with David Letterman. I was working a day job as a gas and power trade analyst, and had an opportunity of a lifetime with my friends. It’s been hard to navigate, but almost 11 years later, I’m still here. I’m stronger, smarter, faster, and I have an even deeper appreciation for the work and people I get to create it with.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I started singing gospel music in church at the age of 5. After singing in choirs throughout grade school, I joined my first band, The Blue Lights, at age 17. After high school, I sang and sat in with numerous bands and rappers around Houston including Nick Gaitan and The Umbrella Man, Heptic Skeptic, Nosaprise, The Sideshow Tramps, Los Skarnales, Fat Tony, and more. In 2011, I was invited to a rehearsal that would change the course of my life. Since that night, I’ve spent the last 14 years singing and traveling the world with my gulf coast soul band, The Suffers. We make music that makes you feel something, and we have the best community of fans. They make the shows feel like one big hang, and I don’t take that connection for granted! If anyone reading this happens to be in Houston the weekend after Thanksgiving, catch us performing live at Dan Electro’s on November 28th and November 29th. Night two is already sold out, but tickets can still be purchased at Dan Electro’s.com.

Playing music this long with people I love is truly a blessing, and I’m most proud of that. The people I surround myself with are incredible humans, and my work reflects that.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

It took me a long time to unlearn that everyone isn’t out to scam or hurt me. I am a young Black woman in the music industry. My backstory is wild and involves a lot of shitty people who don’t deserve to be mentioned because they don’t matter to me, and I never mattered to them. I eventually found collaborators, teammates, and friends that made me feel safe and heard. It took time and work, but it was worth is back.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

Society can best support artists, creatives, and a thriving creative system by supporting them directly. Buy merch from their websites. Buy physical copies of their music. Buy tickets in ADVANCE, and stop supporting platforms that constantly prove they are predatory to creatives.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.kamfranklin.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bamitskam/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kamfranklin
• Twitter: https://x.com/KamFranklin
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@bamitskam

Image Credits

Photos by Jonathan Burgos