Check Out Deann Kinsch’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Deann Kinsch.

Hi, Deann; we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My story starts in a small town in Kansas with a loving family who raised me well and sent me to college on an athletic scholarship. I was married at 23 years old, had two beautiful sons by the time I was 30, and spent the next 10 years raising my boys. It was the typical mid-west girl’s dream until I joined a band and realized what I wanted to be growing up.

I started in a neighborhood band in 2011, singing lead vocals, and borrowed a used saxophone to relearn my high school skill set. For seven years, we would play at local venues in the suburbs of Kansas City. By then, my two boys were in middle and high school. The neighborhood had changed, empty nesters had moved away, and I had a strong desire to further my musical identity. Jam nights became my escape, and it eventually led me to Jerry Bayton and Michael Small. They were starting a new Superstar Mafia band, and I was asked to join. Sadly, Jerry passed away of cancer a few years after the band started, but we were fortunate to forge ahead. A year later, we canceled 52 gigs within an hour of the pandemic—a complete halt in my identity.

At that time, I was flying/traveling almost weekly to work for a healthcare staffing agency, with the added stress that COVID brought to that job. Working from home and canceling all of my musical endeavors, I decided to turn my dining room into a mini recording studio. I’d been writing songs for about a year and finally started to record them and post them on social media. The loss of my father in March of 2021 to COVID was only 2 months before the release of the album. Ironically, the album’s title song, “Play Them Cards,” has my father’s speaking voice, which was recorded before his passing. The album can be found on all streaming services.

Fast forward to April 2024, I’m in multiple bands and projects: Superstar Mafia (cover), The Heather Stones (cover), Lone Jett (a tribute to Joan Jett), Blondage KC (a tribute to Blondie), DEANN (original), two duos and co-founder of Lyrical Belles (all women’s songwriters round). What sets me apart is my ability to be a musician and my strong business mind. Many musicians need help in artist development, but even more need help in understanding the business side of the music industry. I have the unique opportunity to work as an Entertainment Agent part-time for Generation Relevant Entertainment. This has helped me to grow into a mentor and coach for many younger/newer bands in the Kansas City market. It humbles me to get this opportunity a little later in life, and I pull from my life experience to help others achieve their dreams and goals.

Would it have been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No road is smooth. The saying “take the road less traveled” has always seemed like a double-edged sword. As a businesswoman, my road has been and will continue to be, littered with bumps and potholes. This road I’m on cannot be smooth, for the bravery, tears, sweat, and blood that came from the women before me is what has given me the ability and confidence to “travel” at all. Fortunately for me, the bumps and potholes have been identified, called out, and “smoothed” over – but there are still so many women who do not have the confidence, freedom, or rights to forge their way. As an entertainer and businesswoman, I have had to learn how to build my brand from the bottom up. I’ve had amazing mentors along the way, and I’m grateful for the fantastic women and men in the Kansas City music community who have been humble and kind in sharing their knowledge and time.

Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
A Kansas native, Deann, in one word, is an Entertainer. With her small-town roots and her big-city heart, Deann has been involved with music from her early years throughout college and has been based in the Kansas City music scene since 2010. Deann can be found on most weekends in the KC metro performing with her working band, Superstar Mafia. https://www.superstarmafia.com
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Deann’s songwriting journey began with her first single release called SIREN. The song was recorded in January 2020. Deann, like many other artists during 2020, had an opportunity to re-set, focus and create. What surfaced was a storyteller, a songwriter, that came to fruition with the release of her debut album called Play Them Cards on June 3rd, 2021. https://www.deannofficial.com

In August 2021, Lone Jett & The Brokenhearts, a tribute to Joan Jett, debuted on the Full Throttle Saloon stage at the infamous Sturgis Rally in Sturgis, SD. As of October 2021, Deann has expanded the tribute to include Blondage, a tribute to Blondie, and can be found at festivals and events throughout the Midwest.

https://www.lonejett.com
https://www.blondagekc.com

There are only a handful of women in the Kansas City cover and tribute band scene who “own” their bands. I’m proud to be one of those women, and I celebrate them all!

We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Success is knowing that the path you have forged through creativity and hard work is not for yourself but for those who follow so they can be elevated and shine.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.deannofficial.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deannofficial/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/deannofficialmusic/
• Other: https://www.superstarmafia.com

Image Credits
Katharine LeClair Photography, Brian Rice Creative, Catch Light Photography