Kamerra Jodale Franklin (born June 7, 1987), known professionally as Kam Franklin, is an American singer-songwriter, performance artist, activist, writer and orator. She is the known as the lead singer for the Houston

Soul The soul is the purported Mind–body dualism, immaterial aspect or essence of a Outline of life forms, living being. It is typically believed to be Immortality, immortal and to exist apart from the material world. The three main theories that ...

group,

The Suffers The Suffers are an American soul, funk, and R&B group from Houston, Texas. The band consists of Kam Franklin (lead vocals), Juliet Terrill (bass guitar), Kevin Bernier (guitar), Jon Durbin (trumpet), Michael Razo (trombone), Jose Luna (percus ...

. She began her career as a backing vocalist and dancer, and has toured with

Jim James James Edward Olliges Jr. (born April 27, 1978), professionally known as Jim James or Yim Yames, is an American vocalist, guitarist, producer, and primary songwriter of the rock band My Morning Jacket. He has also released several solo albums. ...

and the Very Best.

Background

Franklin is known for her soulful

mezzo-soprano A mezzo-soprano (, ), or mezzo ( ), is a type of classical music, classical female singing human voice, voice whose vocal range lies between the soprano and the contralto voice types. The mezzo-soprano's vocal range usually extends from the A bel ...

vocals, as well as her collaborations with artists of many different

genres Genre () is any style or form of communication in any mode (written, spoken, digital, artistic, etc.) with socially agreed-upon conventions developed over time. In popular usage, it normally describes a category of literature, music, or other form ...

, including Houston rappers

Z-Ro Joseph Wayne McVey (born January 19, 1977), better known by his stage names Z-Ro and the Mo City Don, is an American rapper from Houston, Texas. He was named one of America's most underrated rappers by ''The New York Times'' in 2007. Early life ...

and

Fat Tony (rapper) Anthony Lawson Jude Ifeanyichukwu Obiawunaotu or Anthony Lawson Obi (born March 24, 1988), better known by his stage name Fat Tony, is a Nigerian-American rapper. He has been recognized in '' URB''s "Next 1000", a list of emerging new artists a ...

Americana Americana may refer to: *Americana music, a genre or style of American music * Americana (culture), artifacts of the culture of the United States Film, radio and television * ''Americana'' (1981 film), an American drama film * ''Americana'' (20 ...

-rocker

Matthew Logan Vasquez Matthew Logan Vasquez is best known as the lead singer/songwriter/guitarist of indie rock group Delta Spirit. He is also a member of indie supergroup Middle Brother. He has released three solo albums: ''Solicitor Returns'' (2016), ''Does What H ...

Delta Spirit Delta Spirit is an American rock band from California, United States. The group consists of Jonathan Jameson (bass), Brandon Young (drums), Matthew Vasquez (vocals and guitars), Kelly Winrich (multi-instrumentalist), and William McLaren (guita ...

, and famed drummer Chris Tsagakis of RX Bandits and

The Sound of Animals Fighting The Sound of Animals Fighting is an American rock supergroup founded by Rich Balling of Rx Bandits. In the band's initial run, they released a trilogy of records between 2004 and 2008, and performed only four live shows, following their sec ...

Career

2008–2017: Background career

Franklin was nominated for the 2008, 2009, and 2011

Houston Press The ''Houston Press'' is an online newspaper published in Houston, Texas, United States. It is headquartered in the Midtown Houston, Midtown area. It was also a weekly print newspaper until November 2017. The publication is supported entirely ...

Music Award for Best Female Vocalist. Franklin finally won the award in 2012, and again in 2014. Her band, The Suffers, took home The 2012

music award for "Best New Act" and Best

Reggae Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica during the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its Jamaican diaspora, diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, "Do the Reggay", was the first ...

Ska Ska (; , ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. It combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues. Ska is characterized by a w ...

/ Dub. Franklin won 2014 and 2015 Houston Press Music Award for Local Musician of the Year. Franklin was featured in a national advertising campaign for

ModCloth ModCloth is an American online retailer of indie and vintage-inspired women's clothing based in Los Angeles. History Modcloth was founded in 2002 by Susan Gregg Koger and Eric Koger. Susan and Eric were students at Carnegie Mellon University an ...

and has been featured in a

BuzzFeed BuzzFeed, Inc. is an American Internet mass media, media, news and entertainment company with a focus on digital media. Based in New York City, BuzzFeed was founded in 2006 by Jonah Peretti and John Seward Johnson III, John S. Johnson III to ...

article on fashion for plus-sized women. Franklin was in Houston when

Hurricane Harvey Hurricane Harvey was a devastating tropical cyclone that made landfall in Texas and Louisiana in August 2017, causing catastrophic flooding and more than 100 deaths. It is tied with 2005's Hurricane Katrina as the costliest tropical cy ...

hit in 2017 and gave an account of it to the

Texas Monthly ''Texas Monthly'' (stylized as ''TexasMonthly'') is a monthly American magazine headquartered in Downtown Austin, Texas. Founded in 1973 by Michael R. Levy, ''Texas Monthly'' chronicles life in contemporary Texas, writing on politics, the Natura ...

newspaper.

Influences

Her primary musical influences are drawn from

soul The soul is the purported Mind–body dualism, immaterial aspect or essence of a Outline of life forms, living being. It is typically believed to be Immortality, immortal and to exist apart from the material world. The three main theories that ...

country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. When referring to a specific polity, the term "country" may refer to a sovereign state, state with limited recognition, constituent country, ...

gospel Gospel originally meant the Christianity, Christian message ("the gospel"), but in the second century Anno domino, AD the term (, from which the English word originated as a calque) came to be used also for the books in which the message w ...

reggae Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica during the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its Jamaican diaspora, diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, "Do the Reggay", was the first ...

and

rock music Rock is a Music genre, genre of popular music that originated in the United States as "rock and roll" in the late 1940s and early 1950s, developing into a range of styles from the mid-1960s, primarily in the United States and the United Kingdo ...

Appearances

On August 28, 2016, she performed lead vocals on "

I Against I ''I Against I'' is the third studio album by American rock band Bad Brains. It was released on November 21, 1986 through SST Records with the catalog number SST 065. The best-selling album in the band's catalog, ''I Against I'' finds the band ...

" during the 2016 Afropunk Festival Power Jam alongside

Bad Brains Bad Brains are an American punk rock band formed in Washington, D.C., in 1976. They are widely regarded as pioneers of hardcore punk, though the band's members have objected to the use of this term to describe their music. They are also an ade ...

Living Colour Living Colour is an American rock music, rock band from New York City, formed in 1984. The band consists of guitarist Vernon Reid, lead vocalist Corey Glover, drummer Will Calhoun and bassist Doug Wimbish who replaced Muzz Skillings in 1992. T ...

, and

Fishbone Fishbone is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1979, the band plays a fusion of ska, punk, funk, metal, reggae, and soul. AllMusic has described the group as "one of the most distinctive and eclectic alternative ...

. She has performed with the Suffers on the

Late Show with David Letterman ''Late Show with David Letterman'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS, the first iteration of the ''Late Show'' franchise. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and was produced by Letterman's production com ...

The Daily Show ''The Daily Show'' is an American late-night talk show, late-night talk and news satire television program. It airs each Monday through Thursday on Comedy Central in the United States, with extended episodes released shortly after on Paramount+ ...

and

Jimmy Kimmel Live! ''Jimmy Kimmel Live!'', sometimes shortened to ''JKL'', is an American late-night talk show, created and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, and broadcast on ABC. The nightly hour-long show tapes and is based out of the Hollywood Masonic Temple in Hollywo ...

. She sang the

National Anthem A national anthem is a patriotic musical composition symbolizing and evoking eulogies of the history and traditions of a country or nation. The majority of national anthems are marches or hymns in style. American, Central Asian, and European ...

before a

Houston Astros The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West Division. They are one of two major leag ...

game at

Minute Maid Park Daikin Park (originally Enron Field and formerly Astros Field and Minute Maid Park) is a retractable roof stadium in Houston, Texas, United States. It opened in 2000 and is the home ballpark of the Houston Astros of Major League Baseball (MLB). ...

in August 2017.

Critical reception

Franklin is often praised for her "massive voice". The

Edmonton Journal The ''Edmonton Journal'' is a daily newspaper published in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It is part of the Postmedia Network. History The ''Journal'' was founded in 1903 by three local businessmen — John Macpherson, Arthur Moore and J.W. Cunn ...

applauded her "vibrant grooves and emphatic vocal declarations", while ''303 Magazine'' referred to her "highly personal style". The

Seattle Weekly The ''Seattle Weekly'' is an alternative biweekly distributed newspaper in Seattle, Washington, United States. It was founded by Darrell Oldham and David Brewster as ''The Weekly.'' Its first issue was published on March 31, 1976, and it becam ...

called her "the epitome of a powerhouse vocalist". The

Idaho Statesman The ''Idaho Statesman'' is the daily newspaper of Boise, Idaho, in the western United States. It is owned by The McClatchy Company. History The paper was first published as the ''Idaho Tri-Weekly Statesman'' on July 26, 1864, by James S. Reynold ...

called her the band's "powerhouse singer". JamBase said that Franklin and her band had become "

WXPN WXPN (88.5 FM) is a non-commercial, public radio station licensed to the Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that broadcasts an adult album alternative (AAA) radio format, along with many other format sh ...

Fan darlings". Jewelry designer Jessie Dugan said that Franklin is the "contemporary vision of rockstar royalty in a world where women reign".

Houston Public Media Houston Public Media operates under the University of Houston System, and may refer to either two licensed stations: * KUHT, the PBS television member station * KUHF KUHF (88.7 FM broadcasting, FM) (branded as News 88.7) is a public radio stati ...

stated that "the Suffers are fantastic, and everybody wants lead singer Kam Franklin to be their big sis/best friend". The Houstonia magazine called her a "burgeoning Houston style icon" with "engaging, high-energy style". CultureMap.com said "While rocketing to fame, Franklin has become the band's style icon by pairing colorful dresses with hip cowboy boots and funky jewelry". In a live concert review, the

said "The crowd roared with Franklin extra wispy, almost ready to let her arms and joints do all the talking for her". Describing a duet with Clay Melton, Broadway World said: "Kam's soulful, sexy tones embellish the more raspy masculine voice of Clay Melton and together they lay down a track that begs a closer listen." The New Orleans'

Times-Picayune ''The Times-Picayune , The New Orleans Advocate'' (commonly called ''The Times-Picayune'' or the ''T-P'') is an American newspaper published in New Orleans, Louisiana. Ancestral publications of other names date back to January 25, 1837. The cu ...

said "Singer Kam Franklin has enough soul to melt away the decades between the band's source material and today." The

San Diego Reader The ''San Diego Reader'' is an alternative press newspaper in San Diego County, California. Published weekly since October 1972, the ''Reader'' is distributed free on Wednesday and Thursday via street boxes and cooperating retail outlets. Hi ...

talked about her "sonic gravity". The

Austin American-Statesman The ''Austin American-Statesman'' is the major daily newspaper for Austin, the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas. It is owned by Hearst Communications. The distribution of the following ''The New York Times'', ''The Washington Post'', '' ...

wrote: ''"Houston’s diversity and internationalism is reflected in my favorite H-Town bands. The Suffers, fronted by vocal powerhouse Kam Franklin, blend reggae, Mexican influences and hints of bayou Cajun sounds into a mix they call Gulf Coast soul. Khruangbin mixes surf pop and psychedelic sounds with Thai funk of the 1960s."''

Discography

Solo Studio albums

*(2008) – Bamitskam (EP) *(2018) – Nu Metals (EP)

The Suffers

*(2013) "Slow it Down" b/w "Step Aside" (single) *(2014) "Make Some Room" (EP) *(2016) ''The Suffers'' (album) *(2018) "Everything Here" (album) *(2022) "It Starts With Love" (album)

Other appearances

*2009 – Nick Gaitan and The Umbrella Man – Self Titled *2010 – RABDARGAB –

("Not Now") *2010 – Horse shoes and Hand Grenades – Nosaprise *2011 – SCREWDARGAB Chopped-Up, Not Slopped Up by OG RON C –

("Not Now") *2011 –

Disaster A disaster is an event that causes serious harm to people, buildings, economies, or the environment, and the affected community cannot handle it alone. '' Natural disasters'' like avalanches, floods, earthquakes, and wildfires are caused by na ...

– Chris Tsagakis *2011 – Revelator – Sideshow Tramps ("Revelator") *2012 – 24KT GOLD – DIRTY AND NASTY Featuring Hollywood Floss *2016 – Tomorrow Never Comes – Funk in the Trunk Featuring Neko *2017 –

– "Same" *2017 - "Once Upon A Time" - with

Scarface (rapper) Brad Terrence Jordan (born November 9, 1970), better known by his stage name Scarface, is an American rapper and record producer, notable for his solo career and as a member of the Geto Boys, a hip-hop group from Houston, Texas. Raised in the c ...

and

Starlito Jermaine Eric Shute (born December 15, 1984), better known by his stage name Starlito, is an American rapper. He gained his first national look for the 2005 song "Grey Goose", which featured artists Young Jeezy and Yo Gotti. His second single, ...

*2018 –

Z-ro Joseph Wayne McVey (born January 19, 1977), better known by his stage names Z-Ro and the Mo City Don, is an American rapper from Houston, Texas. He was named one of America's most underrated rappers by ''The New York Times'' in 2007. Early life ...

– "Hi Hater" *2018 –

La Mafia La Mafia is an American five-time Grammy Award-winning musical group. It has its roots in the Northside neighborhood of Houston, Texas, and has charted a course as a Latin music band. History La Mafia was founded in 1980 in Houston, Texas. V ...

– "Enamorada" *2021 -

Jackie Venson Jackie Venson (born 1990) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist from Austin, Texas. She graduated from Berklee College of Music in 2011. Venson has released five studio albums, ''Joy'' (2019), ''Love Transcends'' (2021), ''Evolution of J ...

- "Down by the Riverside/ Up Above My Head" *2021 -

Har Mar Superstar Sean Tillmann-Hauser (born February 6, 1978) is an American singer-songwriter and actor. He has performed and released studio albums as Sean Na Na and as a member of hardcore band Calvin Krime, but is best known for his work under the name Har M ...

- "Another Century" *2023 -

Khruangbin Khruangbin ( ; , , ) is a musical trio from Houston, Texas, Houston, Texas. The band consists of Laura Lee (bassist), Laura Lee Ochoa (bass guitar and vocals), Mark Speer (guitar and vocals), and Donald "DJ" Johnson (drums, keyboards, and vocals ...

& Friends - "Live at Stubbs" *2023 -

Deer Tick (band) Deer Tick is an American alternative rock-folk band from Providence, Rhode Island, composed of singer-songwriter John J. McCauley, guitarist Ian O'Neil, bassist Christopher Ryan and drummer Dennis Ryan. The band's music has been described as r ...

- " Emotional Contracts" *2024 - The Tennessee Freedom Singers - "Tennessee Rise" *2024 - Young Jimmy - "HEAVY. (feat. Kam Franklin)"https://www.clashmusic.com/news/young-jimmy-unleashes-new-single-heavy/

Filmography

Award references

References

External links

Kam Franklin Official Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Franklin, Kam 1987 births American mezzo-sopranos Songwriters from Texas Southern hip-hop musicians Texas Southern University alumni Living people 21st-century American singers 21st-century American women singers