Thankful and happy are the most descriptive adjectives representing the heart, soul and spirit of a woman known to the world as Kimberley Locke. Once a small town girl with big time dreams, the Gallatin, Tennessee native has evolved into a talented singer, songwriter and business woman exemplifying confidence, passion and determination to persevere through any obstacle placed in her path. The former American Idol, season two contestant showcases all of her raw emotions, character and journey to now on her sophomore Curb Records release, Based On A True Story.

Taking calculated risks, exercising her faith and recognizing that only Kimberley is responsible for Kimberley’s own destiny, has afforded this American Idol top 3 finalist opportunities to pursue her dream of singing. Growing up, Kimberley always sang around the house, with family, at church or with friends in performance groups. Once she headed to Belmont University in Nashville, the business administration major did not want to perform due to the competitive atmosphere and expectations of her college. Chance would have it that a friend’s band needed a replacement and Kimberley once again was on the performance trail throughout her collegiate years keeping her chops sharp.

While her creativity flourished, Kimberley’s more practical nature began to take a stand when she realized that although she loved singing, she did not want to continue in bands and nightclubs when she got older, so she stopped singing and applied for law school. As she prepared for this next chapter in her life, a once in a lifetime opportunity presented itself with American Idol.

Encouraged to take the risk and audition, Kimberley succeeded week after week, round after round and contestant after contestant until she became the only female amongst two other southerners, Clay Aiken and eventual winner Ruben Studdard. Although making it to the top three was a huge sense of accomplishment, “the saddest thing for me when I got voted off was the bubble that I had been living in for 8 or 9 months was bursting.” Knowing that television was about ratings and the exposure from the show is invaluable, Kimberley was learning and building relationships for her future recording career goal. “If you go on that show with the right attitude and the right frame of mind, the possibilities are endless,” noted the savvy songstress.

The American Idol national tour soon followed as did a contract with Curb Records. Although known for their country superstars, the Nashville based label wanted to get back into the pop arena and Kimberley was just the artist they were looking to do business with. Her debut album One Love hit stores in mid 2004 and spawned the 1 Billboard Hot 100 Sales Single for “8th World Wonder,” where Kimberley became the third “Idol” to enter the chart at number one. With her first real entrée into the business, Kimberley learned quickly that establishing herself was about more than just the music, observing “with the first album it did what it was supposed to do for all of us [myself, management and label] in preparation for future projects.” In three short years, Kimberley has scored 5 top 10 Billboard AC hits including “8th World Wonder,” “I Could,” Up On The Housetop,” “Jingle Bells,” and “Change.” The dance remixes of “Change,” hit 1 on the Billboard Club Play charts making it her 4th time at 1 on a Billboard chart.

By 2005 Kimberley Locke was busy with her endless possibilities. She signed with Ford Modeling Agency and became a Lane Bryant spokeswoman. During the same year she could also be found hosting a tour for the Game Show Network / Bank of America’s “Get Schooled” competition where winners received scholarship funds. Kimberley recorded “A Dream Is A Wish” for the Disney Mania 3 album and appeared on the accompanying TV/DVD special, in addition to recording a duet with Peabo Bryson entitled “Wishes” for a special Disney / Make-A-Wish compilation. By late 2006, both Jenny Craig and VH1’s Celebrity Fit Club had resurfaced, after having previously approached Kimberley; the timing could not have been more perfect.

Always confident with her self image, the 5’3” Locke has always been “thick.” The buxom brunette loved her size and learned to love it more especially after the scrutiny following Idol and the steady work flow she was engaged in as a result of it. Now that she has established herself, Kimberley is comfortable with taking the next step on her journey. With Celebrity Fit Club 5 and serving as a spokeswoman for Jenny Craig on a corporate level, Kimberley observes, “I had to love myself first before I was able to make any changes because if I didn’t accept myself for the way I was, then I would not have been doing it for the right reasons. There would have been some sort of resentment as if somebody made me change and I didn’t want to do that.”

Kimberley began working on Based On A True Story late 2005 not merely as a singer, but also as a songwriter, co-penning 10 of the albums 12 tracks. “I got to tap into another aspect of my creative self as the creator and I watched these songs come to life.” The self-explanatory title as Kimberley expresses, is about “a bad relationship that I was in and more about me growing up and learning about myself. It wasn’t until the end that I realized why I was going through it, and that was to get this album so I would have something to pull from emotionally.” Not one to comfortably fit into a nice, neat, constructed box called pop or R&B, the self assured Kimberley recognizes that her latest effort is choc-full of good, ‘ol fashioned, heartfelt music. “A great song is a great song, a hit is a hit. If you want to place me in a category and miss out on a great song then go ahead.”

The first single “Change,” produced by pop architect Dan Muckala (Nick Lachey) originally represented the transformation within Kimberley as she stood at the crossroads of her relationship with her ex-fiancé. With the heavy electric guitar strums, pulsating drums and piano chords, Kimberley’s lyrics (co written with Jess Cates, Ty Lacey and Dennis Matkosky) bring to life the pain with having to make a choice between herself and her relationship. Once she began filming her 100 day commitment to Jenny Craig and Celebrity Fit Club 5, the coming change reflected her rising to the occasion of this new challenge in her life. “I had to talk to myself before I did it, then I listened to the song and it took on a whole new meaning because I felt like I was about to elevate myself to a different level personally and professionally.”

“Trust Myself” is a personal tale of Kimberley having to learn how to do just that for herself. As she sought advice and fought through the tears in preparing this album, writing partners Matthew Gerrard and Bridget Benenate, who created “Breakaway” for former Idol winner Kelly Clarkson, helped Kimberley put pen to pad and pull herself out. The result was an awakening within the songbird that reveals her process of self discovery through heavy rock guitar riffs.

A last minute submission to the album turned out to be one of Kimberley’s favorite records. Birthed from the cliché adage “who needs an enemy when I have a friend like you,” shockingly came to life for the giving spirit known as Kimberley Locke, when she began to see the true colors of some of her dearest and closest friends. As a huge Maroon 5 fan, producers Mark J. Feist and Damon Sharpe brought the best of the band out for Kimberley’s own unique representation with electric guitars and drum riffs coupled with a little R&B flavor. Disappointed but thankful to God for the revelation, “when you start writing about your personal experiences, you start airing out your dirty laundry, and my other friends know. Everybody has been in that situation where they look at their friends, or someone they thought to be their friends and they are doing some scandalous stuff behind their back.”

Writers Allan Rich and Jud Friedman who penned the mega-successful “Run To You” for Whitney Houston’s The Bodyguard Soundtrack, contributed one of Kimberley’s favorite records, “You Don’t Have To Be Strong.” The smooth and bluesy yet melodic track, produced by Feist and Sharpe, has Ms. Locke easing her man into putting his guard down.

As she told herself, “listen to this album you created, you’re writing about stuff that everybody goes through and they are going to listen and say ‘oh that’s my song.’ I was able to write those songs and get writer credit because I was going through something that I needed to express. I had an outlet. I didn’t go into the studio and just sit there and let these guys take over. I was very much a part of the writing process and that’s what I’m most proud of.”

Kimberley’s co-collaborators from writers to producers represent her “Everyday Angels.” Being fully aware that it would have cost her a fortune to go to a therapist for the same therapy that writing for Based On A True Story gave her, “going into the studio pouring my heart out, they would talk to me, be objective, give advice and then say let’s write about it.” That’s what an everyday angel is, “they affected my life by just saying something that would change my day. The whole situation made me stronger. I’m thankful for the good and the bad.”

Based On A True Story took a year and a half for Kimberley to complete and she could not feel more proud of her accomplishment. Wearing her heart on her sleeve, Kimberley knows her fans will be able to relate to her album because, “we all go through the same things we just go thru them at different times. That’s what makes music the universal language because everybody falls in love, out of love, gets hurt and hurts somebody. That’s just life.”

The co-owner of Croton Creek Steak House & Wine Bar in Croton Falls, NY recognizes that the sky is the limit and the goal to all of this is longevity because this journey is a marathon, not a sprint. “I want to continue to work in this industry and have opportunities come my way. A lot of people shoot up to the top and they are a flash in the pan. I don’t want to be a flash in the pan, I want people to remember my name,” just as they do her idols Tina Turner, Patti Labelle and Whitney Houston.

There’s a quiet humility to Kimberley Locke which is part southern girl charm, but the other part, is truly based on a true story. “Nobody knows what I’ve been through except me and God. I know what it has taken me to get here and I know I didn’t get here by myself. I’m always thankful for people who have helped me to get to where I am. I try to stay focused and remind myself that you get out of it what you put into it.” (Summer 2007)