Local band The Kites brings soulful indie pop music to Oxford’s music scene, from the rooftop bar of the Graduate hotel to the open garage doors of Chicory Market.
Married for 20 years, Kyle and Amy Jo Kite have been singing together since high school. Jason Vallas, the band’s lead guitarist, is originally from Madison, Miss., and met Kyle Kite while attending the University of Mississippi. Kyle and Amy found their voices while singing for their local church congregation in their hometown of Columbus, Miss.
“(Singing is) a solid part of our relationship,” Amy Jo Kite said. “Kyle (Kite)’s been writing songs for forever, (and) we’ve been playing more consistently around town the past few years.”
The Kites are inspired by artists Grouplove, Death Cab for Cutie and R.E.M. Kyle Kite writes and produces the choruses for the band’s original tracks, and Amy Jo Kite enjoys the artistic process, adding harmonies that complement and enhance their songs.
“Kyle (Kite) is a poet,” Amy Jo Kite said. “He embodies being a poet. It comes out in lots of ways and in songwriting.”
With Oxford’s numerous live music venues and eager concertgoers, the Kites find endless opportunities to perform both original and cover songs. The band plays every Saturday at Heartbreak Coffee; The Kites also occasionally perform at local farmer’s markets and the Proud Larry’s stage.
“Proud Larry’s is my favorite place (to perform),” Kyle Kite said. “When it’s packed and sold out, and everybody’s into the band, that’s so special.”
The Kites recently played at local grocery store Chicory Market, creating an inviting, authentic atmosphere for workers and locals. They performed original songs like “Stick the Landing,” “Come a Long Way” and “11:11,” along with global genre mash-up covers of Ella Langley, Fleetwood Mac and Kate Bush.
“The mash-ups were so fun,” Sadara Evans, Chicory Market’s community engagement and marketing coordinator, said. “The Fleetwood Mac song really surprised me — it was so good.”
Evans organizes all live entertainment events for Chicory Market during the spring and fall seasons, encouraging local artists to sign up via website or social media.
“For the most part, we don’t say no,” Evans said. “We try to make sure that everybody has a space to be able to come and play.”
When covering other artists’ music, Kyle Kite enjoys curating songs that are popular across generations.
“In Oxford particularly, you have a 50-year-old and an 18-year-old. What do they both share in common? Fleetwood Mac,” Kyle Kite said. “It’s cool to see the older stuff that students keep knowing every year.”
Though The Kites’ unique takes on cover songs are beloved by fans, the group prefers to show off its original work.
“There’s something just special for us and people,” Kyle Kite said. “Nobody can be you but you. It is a really special kind of moment to get to share that with people.”
Kyle Kite is proud to partake in something bigger than himself. He believes that all genres of music have a place in Oxford.
“Oxford feels like a big Thanksgiving dinner, and we’re trying to bring our little dish,” Kyle Kite said. “There’s all these different kinds of authors, all these kinds of musicians. The students bring a lot of this. You’ll find indie-rock bands, then Taylor Swift-type songwriters, then Izzy (Arthurs) doing throwback rock.”
Arthurs, a University of Mississippi alumna, frequently returns to Oxford to perform songs from rock, indie and pop genres.
The Kites performed on the University of Mississippi campus for the Fall Campus Farmers Market on Thursday, Sept. 17 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Kites plan to release music on streaming platforms in the near future.
“Live music is so special, and I love the idea that we’ll never get to have this moment again,” Kyle Kite said. “Even if we play the same songs sometimes, I’ve never played that song here, in this space. That’s so special to try and take advantage of that.”
