I have been friends with Kathy Troccoli for almost 30 years, though I’ve been aware of longer than that. Her first project, “Stubborn Love,” was released in 1982 when she was 24. It was the very first album released by Reunion Records, a label formed by Amy Grant’s management team Blanton-Harrell. They started the label because they were unable to find another record company to sign Kathy. None of them quite knew what to do with that husky, sensual alto. They were, frankly, afraid of that big voice.

That first album included several hits, including the title song and Kathy’s version of “You’re All I Need To Get By.” That album was followed in 1984 with “Heart & Soul” with hit singles “Holy Holy” and “I Belong To You.” The 1986 album “Images” didn’t get as warm a reception. Reunion released a best of in 1988, “Portfolio.”

By then Kathy needed a break and returned home to Long Island, NY. She gave voice lessons and spent a lot of time in prayer. And, apparently, she listened to the Long Island Christian radio station, WLIX, where I was doing the morning show. I know this because when I first met Kathy, in April of 1990 at Michael W. Smith’s house in Nashville, she recognized me by my voice. We talked about that first meeting, though I did need to remind of her it.

We became friends that evening. Shortly after that Kathy returned to Nashville and recorded the 1991 “Pure Attraction,” which was a very pop-oriented album with a couple of Christian and mainstream radio hits, including “Everything Changes.” Before that song was released Kathy visited me at the station and gave me a VHS copy of the video and asked what I thought of it.

Prior to the release of her next album, the 1994 “Kathy Troccoli,” I hosted a live national radio special with Kathy from the ABC Radio Network studios in Manhattan. That album included “Mission Of Love,” which I highlighted on the weekly Throw Back Thursday feature. I left Long Island in 1995, but Kathy and I kept in touch. I did a trip to Houston with some listeners for a Kathy concert when I was working at a station in St. Louis. And she’s done a couple of events in the Atlanta area. But it’s been more than 10 years since we last spoke, so when I finally made arrangements to interview her we had a lot of catching up to do.

Kathy is working on a symphony project and I asked her about that.

Through the years she hosted a number of cruises. She has two scheduled in July 2020 on the Danube River and we talked about that.

Kathy is currently booking her “Go Light Your World” concerts and “Comfort By Candlelight” events. If your church would be interested in hosting one you can call her manager directly, her name is also Kathy, at 615-478-0247. Be sure to tell her you heard about it from me.

And you can get more information on what Kathy’s been up to at her website here and see her latest videos on her YouTube channel.

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