Kim Carnes Net Worth

What Is Kim Carnes's Net Worth?

Kim Carnes is an American singer-songwriter with a net worth of $8 million. She began her career as a songwriter in the 1960s while working as a session background singer with the Waters Sisters. Her debut studio album, "Rest on Me," was released in 1971, beginning a prolific discography of 13 studio albums. The peak of her success came with the 1981 album "Mistaken Identity," which reached #1 in the US and #2 in Australia. The album included hits like "More Love," "Make No Mistake (He's Mine)" (with Barbra Streisand), "Crazy in the Night (Barking at Airplanes)," and "I'll Be Here Where the Heart Is." Notably, her song "Bette Davis Eyes" won Grammy Awards for Song of the Year and Record of the Year, becoming the best-selling single in the US that year. "Love Comes from Unexpected Places" also earned her accolades, including the American Song Festival award for Best Composition at the Tokyo Song Festival. Additionally, she performed the theme song for the TV show "My Sister Sam."

Early Life

Kim Carnes was born on July 20, 1945, in Los Angeles, California. Her mother was a hospital administrator, and her father, James Raymond Carnes, was an attorney. Despite not being born into a musical family, Kim discovered her passion for music at the age of three. Growing up in Pasadena, her neighbor was David Lindley, who also became a musician. She attended San Marino High School and graduated in 1963, having already begun working in the music industry as a songwriter.

Career

Kicking off her career in 1962, Carnes signed her first publishing deal with producer Jimmy Bowen. During this period, she shared demo recording time with other budding songwriters like Don Henley and Glenn Frey. Her breakthrough came in 1971 when she performed "Nobody Knows" for the end credits of the film "Vanishing Point" and contributed the song "Sing Out for Jesus," performed by Big Mama Thornton. That same year, she co-founded the bubblegum pop group The Sugar Bears with Mike Settle. They released the album "Presenting the Sugar Bears," which produced three singles. Her solo debut album, "Rest on Me," was also released in 1971. Kim toured as the opening act for David Cassidy, with whom she co-wrote several songs.

In 1975, she released her self-titled second album, which featured her first charted hit, "You're A Part of Me," reaching #32 on the U.S. Adult Contemporary charts. Her third album, "Sailin'," came out the next year, with the track "Love Comes from Unexpected Places" winning the Grand Prize at the 1976 American Song Festival and the Best Composition award at the Tokyo Song Festival. In 1977, Barbra Streisand included this song on her album "Superman" and later recorded another Carnes song, "Stay Away," for her album "Songbird." Kim's duet with Gene Cotton, "You're A Part of Me," charted at #38 on the "Billboard" Hot 100.

In 1980, Carnes and Kenny Rogers recorded the hit duet "Don't Fall in Love with a Dreamer." Later that year, Kim's cover of Smokey Robinson's "More Love" became her first solo top ten hit. In 1981, her rendition of Jackie DeShannon and Donna Weiss's "Bette Davis Eyes" topped the U.S. singles chart for nine weeks and became a global hit. The album "Mistaken Identity" hit #1 on the "Billboard" 200 and earned Grammy Awards for Record of the Year and Song of the Year, alongside nominations for Best Pop Female and Album of the Year. Bette Davis herself endorsed the song, fostering a friendship between them.

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In 1983, her album "Voyeur" received a Grammy nomination, followed by another for "Invisible Hands" in 1984. Her song "I'll Be Here Where the Heart Is" was featured on the Grammy-winning "Flashdance" soundtrack. In 1985, she participated in the USA for Africa charity single "We Are the World."

By her eleventh album, "View from the House" (1988), Kim returned to her country and folk roots, collaborating with artists like Vince Gill and Lyle Lovett. In the early 1990s, she released tracks exclusively in Japan for the compilation album "Re-Import" and collaborated with Neil Diamond on "Hooked on the Memory of You."

During the 1990s, Carnes focused on songwriting for other artists like Reba McEntire and Vince Gill. Her song "The Heart Won't Lie" became a top country hit in 1994. Other artists, including Tim McGraw and Collin Raye, covered her earlier hits. In June 2004, Carnes released her thirteenth studio album, "Chasin' Wild Trains," and continued writing for film soundtracks such as "The Contender" and "Loggerheads."

Known for her distinct raspy voice, Kim Carnes has drawn comparisons to Rod Stewart and Bonnie Tyler. Over her career, she has won two Grammy Awards and received eight nominations.