Kate McDonnell has been gracing the stage since the late 70s-first in high-school and college as one-half of Katie and Anne (her twin!) McDonnell-in her hometown of Baltimore. She then stopped performing in 1985 to move to New Haven, CT and do "real jobs" for a while--editing, AIDS work, etc., but was harkened back to her calling in 1989 forming the duo "McDonnell-Tane" which proved successful in the short time they were together. They got a "break" opening for some of the biggest names in the industry: Bob Dylan, Suzanne Vega, Kathy Mattea, Willie Nelson, Judy Collins, Leo Kottke, and Arlo Guthrie. In 1992, she and Tane split, whereupon she launched a solo career, which is where we find her now. And her successes continue, counting among them 1999 performances on WXPN's World Cafe and at the Kennedy Center, as well as a yearly European tour. This summer she performs at the NEWPORT FOLK FESTIVAL!!! She has quickly garnered the respect of her peers and folk fans all over the U.S. and Europe for her vocal abilities, adroit songwriting, and upside-down-and-backwards guitar style. Also a true entertainer, Kate has honed her comedic abilities from her years in a musicomedy trio "Colossal Olive," along with her pals Cara Burgarella and Alison Farrell. Recordings and Such KATE MCDONNELL celebrates the January 2001 release of her brand new CD "Don't Get Me Started." This is Kate's second collaboration with Scott Petito as producer and bass player (not to mention sitar, octave mandolin, percussion, and electric guitar player). Other contributors to this album include Jerry Marotta (drums) (a name often found on the CDs of the most distinguished performers--Emmylou Harris, Indigo Girls, Peter Gabriel, Sheryl Crow); Gina Forsyth (fiddle), an amazing singer-songwriter and Cajun musician from New Orleans; and Ben Murray (harmonica) of the popular folk/blues duo Ben Murray and Siobhan Quinn. The jury's not in yet, but this one promises to be the breakthrough album for Kate. "Don't Get Me Started" dares to cross several genres--contemporary acoustic, modern bluegrass, traditional folk, and blues, and lots of eyebrows are arching. In 1998, Kate released her second solo CD "NEXT," (Waterbug Records #0038) which took her from a regional performer to international status (see attached reviews). Based on this CD Kate is able to tour regularly in Europe and the U.S. and gets a very healthy dose of airplay on folk and Americana radio formats. Again, produced by Kate McDonnell, assistant production and engineering by Steve Drown, her musicians are genius-Jim Lyden (double bass), and Ginger "Boom Boom" Cote on drums. This recording surpassed the first one in exposure and distribution, and continues to enjoy a long shelf-life! Kate released her first album "Broken Bones" in 1994 (reissued by Waterbug Records in 1996, #0020) (see attached reviews). On the momentum of this first CD she was voted #1 singer-songwriter in her home town of New Haven, CT, appeared as a New Folk Finalist at the Kerrville Folk Festival as well as a finalist at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival Showcase, and performed about 100 gigs a year. Kate's songs began to appear on CD compilations in the U.S. and in Europe, and she was invited to be a guest vocalist and guitarist on several recordings, as well. Produced by Kate McDonnell, Engineered by Scott Petito of NRS Studios in Hurley, NY, top-notch musicians include Larry Packer (fiddle), Stacy Phillips (dobro), and the late Dewey Burns (vocals). Beginnings It all started at the age of four. Kate was rummaging through her mother's VINAL record collection, landing on Joan Baez 5. The record went on the RCA Victor, "MOM!!! I WANNA DO THAT!" Songwriting came much later with the help of a B.A. in English literature (1983), reading the mystic writings of Yeats, Joyce, Milton, Dante, et al. She wrote her first song in 1989 just to see if she could. She did and she could!