Connie Mims
Connie Mims began her musical career in Houston in 1973 as a part of the acoustic group WHEATFIELD which evolved into the pop-rock band ST. ELMO'S FIRE, performing everywhere from the Armadillo World Headquarters in Austin, Texas to The Troubadour in Los Angeles. WHEATFIELD was one of the first bands to appear on the PBS TV series "Austin City Limits". During the seventies, the group also wrote, performed and toured two original rock ballets with the Houston, Chicago, Dallas and Fort Worth ballet companies.
After disbanding in 1979, Connie pursued a solo career as a songwriter and studio vocalist, appearing on numerous radio ads and in the classic Blue Bell Ice Cream commercial known as "Texas Musicians" with Tish Hinojosa and Toni Price. Her comedic vocal impersonations of well-known recording artists were made popular on the nationally syndicated Q-Zoo in the Morning radio network.
She is an avid supporter of the Texas music industry and is a member of the Houston Association of Acoustic Musicians (HAAM), is a co-founder and facilitator of The Woodlands Songwriters Association, and is a member of the Nashville Songwriters Association. She serves on the Board of Governors for the Texas Chapter of the The Recording Academy (GRAMMYS). She teaches songwriting to individuals and groups as part of the GRAMMY Career Day Program and the Kerrville Folk Festival Foundation's Professional Development Curriculum for Teachers.
A songwriter and publishing affiliate with BMI, Connie and co-writer Gordon Payne won an Honorable Mention Award in the 2004 CMT/NSAI Songwriting Contest for "Maybe By Topeka". The song was also selected to be on the 2005 HAAM compilation CD, “Songs From The Stack”.
She performs around the state both as a solo performer and with musical partner Craig Calvert as the duo CALVERT & MIMS. The two pair up with some other ex-Wheatfield bandmates, Ezra Idlet and Keith Grimwood (otherwise known as Trout Fishing in America), for recording and touring as WHEATFIELD. The band has released two recordings, "Wheatfield" (2003) and "Second Chances", a 5-song EP, (2007).
Connie released a ten-song CD, "Go Deep", in January 2008, produced by Jack Saunders for Canela Records.