The Kinleys

{{Short description|American country duo}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}} {{Infobox musical artist  | name = The Kinleys | image = Kinleys.jpg | caption = Promotional image of The Kinleys, {{Circa|2000}} | image_size = | background = group_or_band | origin = Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. | genre = Country | years_active = 1997–2005 | label = Epic, Identical | past_members = {{Hlist|Heather Kinley|Jennifer Kinley}} }} '''The Kinleys''' were an American country music duo composed of identical twin sisters Heather and Jennifer Kinley (born November 5, 1970). Between 1997 and 2000, they recorded two albums for Epic Records (1997's ''Just Between You and Me'' and 2000's ''II''). The duo charted eight entries on the ''Billboard'' Hot Country Songs charts in this timespan, including the No. 7 "Please", their debut single. Another one of their songs, "Somebody's Out There Watching", was featured in the soundtrack to the television series ''Touched by an Angel''. After departing their label in 2000 due to dissatisfaction with touring, the duo released one last album in 2004 before disbanding.

==Biography== Heather and Jennifer Kinley were born November 5, 1970, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The two are identical twin sisters.<ref name="whitburn">{{cite book|last=Whitburn|first=Joel|title=Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2012|publisher=Record Research, Inc|date=2012|pages=227–228|isbn=978-0-89820-203-8}}</ref>

Having started out on ''Al Alberts' Showcase'', a televised talent show from the Philadelphia area, the twins moved to Nashville at the age of 19.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://articles.philly.com/1997-10-01/entertainment/25538840_1_kinleys-husky-voice-music-city|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150610195457/http://articles.philly.com/1997-10-01/entertainment/25538840_1_kinleys-husky-voice-music-city|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 10, 2015|title=The Kinleys Double-team Country Scene The Sisters Grew Up In The Phila. Area. Theirs Is A Harmonic Bond.|last=DeLuca|first=Dan|date=1 October 1997|work=Philly.com|accessdate=6 October 2013}}</ref> After five years of training and practicing, they caught the attention of talent scouts and were signed with Epic Records. Their debut album ''Just Between You and Me'' was issued in late 1997, producing a No. 7 hit on the ''Billboard'' country singles charts in its lead-off single "Please".<ref name="allmusic">{{cite web |url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p225277|pure_url=yes}} |title=Kinleys Biography |accessdate=2007-12-23 |last=Bush |first=John |work=Allmusic}}</ref> This song was followed by the album's title track at No. 12, although the next two singles both fell short of Top 40. ''Just Between You and Me'' was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America. Its commercial success led to a tour with Clint Black and a radio programmers' showcase in Las Vegas, Nevada. In 1998, The Kinleys received the Academy of Country Music Award for Top New Vocal Group or Duo of the Year.<ref name="weekly"/>

The duo also recorded the song "Somebody's Out There Watching", which was used on the TV soundtrack album for the show ''Touched by an Angel''. Released as a single in 1998, it reached Top 20 on the country charts.<ref name="weekly"/> In July 1999, they released the first single from their planned second album, "My Heart Is Still Beating". The single failed to make the Top 40 in the Country charts and the second, self-titled album, slated for an Autumn 1999 release, was put on hold by Epic, who decided to bring in Radney Foster to work with the duo in order to broaden their sound and gain stronger chart appeal. "My Heart Is Still Beating" was eventually not included on their second album.

The duo did not release another single until the Foster-produced "She Ain't the Girl for You", the first single from their second album, ''II''. This album also produced a minor single in "I'm In", which peaked at number 35 on the country charts. Ten years later, Keith Urban released a cover of this song, which went to number 2.<ref name="weekly"/> Half of ''II'' was produced by Tony Haselden and Russ Zavitson, with whom the duo worked on their first album, while singer-songwriter Radney Foster (who also co-wrote "I'm In") produced the other half.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Waddell|first=Ray|date=June 17, 2000|title=The Kinleys Expand Sound on Epic's 'II'|magazine=Billboard|page=41|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mw8EAAAAMBAJ&q=%22adam+hughes%22+%22duo%22&pg=PA41}}</ref>

After ''II'', the Kinleys exited Epic's roster, as "neither enjoyed life on the road one bit" and both had wanted to start families.<ref name="weekly">{{cite journal|last=Stark|first=Phyllis|date=January 7, 2013|title=A Sister Act: The Kinleys had it all, then bravely walked away.|journal=Country Weekly|volume=20|issue=1|pages=46–47|issn=1074-3235}}</ref> They self-released their third and final album, ''All in the Family'', in 2004 before disbanding.

==Personal lives== Both sisters married in 2000, seven months apart: Heather to Mark Mendenhall, and Jennifer to Adam Hughes. Both sisters each have two sons, and Heather has a stepdaughter and stepson.<ref name="weekly"/> As of 2013, Jennifer worked as a registered nurse in Nashville, and sang in a Nashville church whose music leader is former MCA Records artist Lionel Cartwright.<ref name="weekly"/>

==Discography==

===Studio albums=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |- ! rowspan="2" style="width:14em;"| Title ! rowspan="2" style="width:19em;"| Album details ! colspan="4"| Peak chart positions ! rowspan="2"| Certifications (sales threshold) |- style="font-size:smaller;" ! width="45"| US Country <ref>{{cite magazine|url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=kinleys|chart=Country Albums C}}|title=The Kinleys Album & Song Chart History - Country Albums|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=September 15, 2010}}</ref> ! width="45"| US <ref>{{cite magazine|url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=kinleys|chart=Billboard 200}}|title=The Kinleys Album & Song Chart History - Billboard 200|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=September 15, 2010}}</ref> ! width="45"| US Heat <ref>{{cite web|url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p225277|pure_url=yes}}|title=allmusic (((The Kinleys > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums)))|website=Allmusic|accessdate=September 15, 2010}}</ref> ! width="45"| CAN Country <ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-110.01-e.php?PHPSESSID=5fqj2isgjgcrei32546u5tsu37&q1=The+Kinleys&q2=Country+Albums%2FCDs&interval=20|title=Results - RPM - Library and Archives Canada - Country Albums/CDs|magazine=RPM|accessdate=September 15, 2010}}</ref> |- ! scope="row"| ''Just Between You and Me'' | * Release date: September 23, 1997 * Label: Epic Nashville | 22 | 153 | 6 | 32 | align="left"| * US: Gold<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH_RESULTS&artist=The%20Kinleys&format=ALBUM&go=Search&perPage=50|title=RIAA - Gold & Platinum - September 15, 2010: The Kinleys certified albums|publisher=Recording Industry Association of America|accessdate=September 15, 2010}}</ref> |- ! scope="row"| ''II'' | * Release date: July 18, 2000 * Label: Epic Nashville | 18 | 177 | 10 | — | |- ! scope="row"| ''All in the Family'' | * Release date: August 3, 2004 * Label: Identical Records | — | — | — | — | |- | colspan="7" style="font-size:8pt"| "—" denotes releases that did not chart |- |}

===Singles=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |- ! rowspan="2"| Year ! rowspan="2" style="width:18em;"| Single ! colspan="3"| Peak chart positions ! rowspan="2"| Album |- style="font-size:smaller;" ! width="45"| US Country <ref>{{cite magazine|url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=kinleys|chart=Country Songs}}|title=The Kinleys Album & Song Chart History - Country Songs|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=September 15, 2010}}</ref> ! width="45"| US <ref>{{cite magazine|url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=kinleys|chart=all}}|title=The Kinleys Album & Song Chart History - Hot 100|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=September 15, 2010}}</ref> ! width="45"| CAN Country <ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-110.01-e.php?PHPSESSID=vchkb0toefgt5iorv0smir9lm6&q1=The+Kinleys&q2=Country+Singles&interval=20|title=Results - RPM - Library and Archives Canada - Country Singles|magazine=RPM|accessdate=September 15, 2010}}</ref> |- | rowspan="2"| 1997 ! scope="row"| "Please" | 7 | 67 | 22 | align="left" rowspan="4"| ''Just Between You and Me'' |- ! scope="row"| "Just Between You and Me" | 12 | —{{efn|group=upper-alpha|"Just Between You and Me" did not enter the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100, but peaked at number 22 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart.<ref name="whitburn"/>}} | 9 |- | rowspan="3"| 1998 ! scope="row"| "Dance in the Boat" | 49 | — | 84 |- ! scope="row"| "You Make It Seem So Easy" | 48 | — | 44 |- ! scope="row"| "Somebody's Out There Watching" | 19 | 64 | 23 | align="left"| ''Touched by an Angel: The Album'' |- | 1999 ! scope="row"| "My Heart Is Still Beating" | 63 | — | — | {{n/a}} |- | rowspan="2"| 2000 ! scope="row"| "She Ain't the Girl for You" | 34 | — | 48 | align="left" rowspan="3"| ''II'' |- ! scope="row"| "I'm In" | 35 | — | x |- | 2001 ! scope="row"| "You're Still Here" | — | — | x |- | 2004 ! scope="row"| "Little Shoulders" | — | — | — | align="left" rowspan="2"| ''All in the Family'' |- | 2005 ! scope="row"| "I Will" | — | — | — |- | colspan="6" style="font-size:8pt"| "—" denotes releases that did not chart "x" denotes that no relevant chart existed |- |} ;Notes {{notelist-ua}}

===Music videos=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" ! Year ! style="width:18em;"| Video ! Director |- | rowspan="2"| 1997 ! scope="row"| "Please" | Chris Rogers |- ! scope="row"| "Just Between You and Me" | Thom Oliphant |- | 1998 ! scope="row"| "Somebody's Out There Watching" | Jim Shea |- | 1999 ! scope="row"| "My Heart Is Still Beating" | Jim Shea |- | rowspan="2"| 2000 ! scope="row"| "She Ain't the Girl for You" | Adolfo Doring |- ! scope="row"| "I'm In" | Eric Welch |- | 2005 ! scope="row"| "I Will" | Flick Wiltshire |}

==Awards and nominations== === Grammy Awards ===

{{awards table}} |- |1998 |"Please" |Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal |{{nom}} |}

=== American Music Awards ===

{{awards table}} |- |1999 |The Kinleys |Favorite Country New Artist |{{nom}} |}

=== TNN/Music City News Country Awards ===

{{awards table}} |- |1998 |rowspan=3| The Kinleys |rowspan=2| Vocal Group or Duo of the Year |{{nom}} |- |rowspan=2| 1999 |{{nom}} |- |Female Star of Tomorrow |{{nom}} |}

=== Academy of Country Music Awards ===

{{awards table}} |- |1998 |rowspan=3| The Kinleys |Top New Vocal Group or Duo |{{won}} |- |2001 |rowspan=2| Top Vocal Duo of the Year |{{nom}} |- |2002 |{{nom}} |}

=== Country Music Association Awards ===

{{awards table}} |- |1998 |rowspan=4| The Kinleys |rowspan=4| Vocal Duo of the Year |{{nom}} |- |1999 |{{nom}} |- |2000 |{{nom}} |- |2001 |{{nom}} |}

==References== {{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kinleys, The}} Category:1970 births Category:Living people Category:Country music groups from Pennsylvania Category:American country music duos Category:Identical twin females Category:Musical groups from Philadelphia Category:Epic Records artists Category:American twins Category:Twin musical duos Category:Musical groups established in 1997 Category:Musical groups disestablished in 2005 Category:American female musical duos