1976 Keith Carradine – I’m Easy

1976 Keith Carradine – I’m Easy

Keith Carradine was born into a family that was filled to the brim with actors and actresses. As a young child, he appeared alongside his father in Shakespearean plays.

In 1969, his brother David and his then-current girlfriend (Barbara Hershey)went to an audition for the New York production of Hair. Keith went along to play piano for them. The producers turned out to be more interested in Keith, and he joined the cast as a member of the chorus. He rapidly moved up to two of the main roles in the play.

Robert Altman cast Keith in several of his movies, including the film Nashville in 1975. The film included more than a dozen songs that were performed in concerts by the actors and actresses. Keith wrote the song I’m Easy for the film. They filmed him performing the song live at the Exit In backed only by his guitar and a cello. The song won an Academy Award for the Best Original Song in March 1976.

After the song won the Oscar, they produced a new version of the song which included drums and synthesizers and other instruments. The single entered the charts in May 1976 and peaked at #17 on the Hot 100.