Peter Kelly has been played on NTS in shows including Fergus Clark, featured first on 22 October 2024. Songs played include For All The Babies.

Peter Kelly is a singer/songwriter/guitarist from NYC.

"It all starts with the song," says singer/songwriter/guitarist Peter Kelly, "an acoustic guitar (or piano if you've got one), your voice, and whatever idea that is trying to come out." All the songs on Peter's debut solo EP, Forever, Again, go through the same process. "There is that flash of inspiration, the race to get it down on tape or paper, then hours of building and molding and pulling your hair out until you think you have something that may be worthy of a second opinion." Peter believes that his favorite songwriters like Billy Joel, The Beatles, Coldplay, Dave Matthews, Jamie Cullum, U2, Damien Rice, and Jeff Buckley are masters of balancing melody, harmony, lyrics, and groove to create brilliant compositions before a band or producer begins to add life and color.

In the case of Peter Kelly's Forever, Again EP, the life and color was the job of producer John Campos. Campos, who once played guitar for the heavy metal band Type O Negative, and Kelly met while recording a country album with the band the Roadside Poets. Peter, the band's guitarist, was impressed with how Campos's natural instincts added clarity, character, and dynamic to the songs. When contacted by WACBIZ founder Suzanne Hilleary to submit singer/songwriters to her licensing company, Campos called Peter Kelly to record some of his original material. Though the songs were raw and underproduced, Kelly was immediately offered a deal by Hilleary. Kelly and Campos, feeling inspired by their collaboration, decided to spend the next several months working together on a fully produced EP.

The songs on Forever, Again deal with a number of themes. The song He Says, She Says talks about the fights in a failing relationship while the title track takes an uplifting and hopeful look at wanting to make it work again. The edgier I'll Be Late is a declaration of independence and describes his "selfish phase." In the song May Flowers, Kelly talks about the loss of a childhood friend and the guilt of missing his last chance to see her. One of the first songs he wrote for the project was Oz, a sonically ethereal number about appreciation for what one has or has achieved. The EP closes with Maybe. This haunting ballad about loneliness is an older song from his catalog which showcases Kelly on piano unlike past recorded versions.

Peter Kelly never really thought of himself as a solo artist. He spent most of his early career as, "just the guitarist." His first band was an all kid's 50's and 60's cover band that had him opening up for acts like the Coasters, Shirelles, and Spinners. He spent his teens playing weddings and clubs with cover bands while playing for local theater productions and the high school jazz band. After high school he relocated to Boston to attend Berklee College of Music where he received a partial scholarship and would graduate with a degree in Music Performance for guitar. His early years at Berklee were spent studying jazz and classical music while trying to emulate guitar virtuosos like Steve Morse, Eric Johnson, and Mike Stern. Along the way he found himself as the guitarist in a pop/rock band called Lasavali ("don't worry, you never heard of us though you may have heard of Adam Dutkiewicz from Killswitch Engage who played bass for us"). It was in this band that he developed an interest in writing and arranging pop songs. Eventually, Lasavali fell apart like bands do; but Peter was hooked. He felt compelled to start writing his own songs and, for the first time, singing them himself.

Hemenway ("you may have heard of us") was Peter Kelly's band. The band originally formed in Boston at the end of his Berklee days, but reformed in New York City (where Peter had relocated after his graduation). Hemenway recorded 2 CDs, had some regional and college airplay, and racked up some notable achievements. Their song Calling Me was selected as one of 2004's best new songs by Q104.3 WAXQ's Jonathan Clarke; they performed at the Hard Rock Cafe in NYC with the cast of the Jack Black film "School of Rock"; and appeared on the cover of New Jersey's Aquarian Magazine. They attracted the attention of Beatles promoter Sid Bernstein, Skip Carlton (father of Vanessa Carlton), and Ari Goldstein (CEO of NYC PR company Goldstein Communications). They worked with producer Mike Jackson (Christina Aguilera) and producer Mike Sapone (Brand New, Taking Back Sunday). Peter and his bandmates also spent some time as members of 80's star Shannon's band. Shannon was best known for her hits Let the Music Play and Give Me Tonight.

Hemenway disbanded in 2010 and Peter took some time away from the "original" music business. He joined up with tristate area cover band Spoiled Rotten and began performing at casinos, weddings, clubs, and corporate events from Atlantic City to Boston. They did a special performance at Cipriani in NYC for the United Nations in 2011. It was Spoiled Rotten bassist Paul Briscoe (who would later play bass on Peter's Forever, Again EP) who introduced Kelly to the members of the Roadside Poets.

With the 2012 release of his Forever, Again EP, Peter Kelly shows that one's best work is the culmination of a wide variety of experiences. "An artist's work is always a work in progress," he says, "but I can say that it took a piece of everything I've done this far to create music that I am this proud of." Kelly says that though he never really thought of himself as a solo artist, he is finally comfortable enough to go out on his own.