"Terry Kelly-- Singer-Songwriter-Philosopher"  The Music Scene January 2005

It is a Friday night on Webster Street.  At "Coffee for Thought" which has quickly become a staple of the Alemeda music scene, Terry Kelly is singing what has been billed as "songs about bears, love and other wildlife."

Kelly plays predominantly originals-- a blend of genres that he half-jokingly calls "postmodern Americana."  Most of his songs are clearly autobiographical, recalling travels, friendships, romance and various (mis)adventures.  Others recall historical events, largely tragic, such as the great Midwestern flood of 1993, the sinking of the fishing vessel Artic Rose in the Bering Sea, and the well publicized death of disaffected twentysomething Christopher "Alex Supertramp" McCandliss in Denali National Park.  Throughout Kelly layers melodic guitar and vocals over lyrically powerful portraits of extraordinary places and people.  Whether playing for  an audience of five or fifty, Kelly is a spellbinding performer, showcasing equal parts musician, philosopher, storyteller and comedian....

Spend five minutes with Kelly and you will see the extent to which his Alaska experiences has shaped his music and his life... His EP Inside Passage was recorded shortly after Kelly returned from a month-long kayak voyage and explores physical and metaphysical journeys with a balance that is poignant without being self indulgent.  Like his music generally, the album draws heavily from Kelly's personal experiences in creating honest music that tells stories which are in turns introspective, tragic and transformative.