Kelly Willard

Who is Kelly Willard?

Kelly Willard is a contemporary Christian musician best known for her praise and worship recordings. She was featured as a soloist on projects from Integrity, Vineyard Music, and Maranatha! Music. In addition she sang duets and background vocals with such artists as Dion DiMucci, Lenny LeBlanc, Amy Grant, Ricky Skaggs, Paul Overstreet, Bob Fitts, Twila Paris, Steve Green, Fernando Ortega, Keith Green, Buddy Greene, Jim Cole, and many others. Kelly has also recorded nine solo projects, currently offered through her website.

Willard was born in Winter Haven, Florida. She began playing the piano at the age of five and composing her own songs at the age of thirteen. She accompanied the church choir, playing and singing in nursing homes, and traveling with a part time gospel group on weekends. At the age of sixteen Willard moved to Nashville, Tennessee, where she accompanied The Jake Hess Sound on piano. She later moved to Panorama City, California, where she joined the popular CCM group The Archers, and then on to Oklahoma City, OK, where she joined the group Seth. She credits her vocal development to Jonathan David Brown and Harlan Rogers.

Willard married at eighteen, joined Harlan Rogers & Friends, and traveled the mid-west until 1977, when she moved to Southern California to be a part of the then current flow of 'Jesus Music' artists who were ministering and recording there. She played keyboards and sang background vocals on projects for such artists as Karen Lafferty, Bob Bennett, Tommy Coomes, Roby Duke, Bruce Herring, and Lewis McVay before Maranatha! Music approached her to record her own solo project.