Kelly Upshaw

Kelly Randall Upshaw is an American singer-songwriter who presently releases records under the moniker of The Hope Trust. He has encountered some success as a solo touring artist, having toured extensively in the United States, and in the UK. His music draws from the American folk idiom, and from more modern popular music. Comparisons have been made that his music lies somewhere between Neil Young and Neil Finn.

Background

Kelly Upshaw was born in Houston, Texas, on December 1, 1982. He is the third child of Michael Edwin Upshaw and Barbara Jean Bass Upshaw. His two Brothers are Michael Andrew Upshaw (eldest), and Jason Alan Upshaw (middle). He attended Alvin High School in Alvin, Texas, graduating at age sixteen, and University of North Texas in Denton, TX where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies (Philosophy, History, and Literature).

Career

Kelly Upshaw began playing drums at age nine and guitar at age eleven. His first band was The Transcendents, for which he was The Primary songwriter and guitar player. The Transcendents began in 1997 and disbanded in 1999, with no known album releases.

In 2001 he joined The Lonelies as the drummer. This band consisted of Doug Burr (vocals and guitar), Dave Sims (guitar), Andy Odom (bass), and his brother Michael Upshaw (guitar). After amicably parting ways, Upshaw went on to tour as the drummer for the Dallas, TX based band Slick 57. But, after five months of touring, quit to finish his university degree. In 2004, he created the band The Hope Trust, with his two brothers, former Lonelies' bassist Andy Odom, and drummer Jacob Evans. The band went on Hiatus as Evans moved from Denton, TX to Seattle, WA, and Upshaw continued playing solo shows as The Hope Trust. In 2005, The Hope Trust released a self-titled EP. Currently, The Hope Trust consists of Kelly Upshaw (vocals, guitar), Andy Odom (bass), Jeremy Buller (guitar, keyboards), and Winston Chapman (drums). They are currently working on the first full-length album, which is scheduled for a late-summer 2007 release, with the tentative title The Incurable Want.