Kim Kalman, Americana and Contemporary Christian singer, at the Opera House Friday

Kim Kalman has been surrounded by music her entire life. She grew up with her mom singing along with the kitchen radio. Her grandfather, George Kindler, was a swing band leader and saxophone player. She was in her church choir and became choir director when she was 14 years old.

She has written music in Los Angeles and Nashville, Tenn. She has eleven CDs, and she will be sharing all of her music on stage at the Pocahontas County Opera House on Friday at 7:30 p.m.

“I have several CDs of contemporary Christian music. I’m a music minister at one of our local churches here in the Outer Banks, N.C. and so I incorporate some of the inspiration material off of those CDS. Something like ‘You Raise Me Up’, something that I like to call in my grey zone, it can be interpreted to be talking to someone about God or not.”

She said she is looking forward to visiting West Virginia for the first time in more than 10 years.

“It was beautiful, and I thoroughly enjoyed the scenery and the people were very hospitable and kind and so I jump at the chance to come back.”

She is also willing to talk with aspiring musicians about pursuing music as a career choice. Kalman graduated from the College of William and Mary with a business management degree and chose to apply her business aptitude to becoming an independent artist.

“My music is definitely family-friendly, and I would encourage any young people who are thinking of making music a career or even something that they just start dabbling in, I’m happy to talk with people after the show and give some encouragement and affirmation to them and to that idea.”

Here is a sample of Kalman’s song, “You Raise Me Up”:

Tickets can be purchased at the Opera House on Friday and online at www.pocahontasoperahouse.org