THE HARVEST "Only superlatives can describe this stunning album. Wonderfully sung, superbly played, but, more importantly, constructed with care and not constrained within the bluegrass straitjacket. Explodes another theory-no one sings a John Hiatt song better than John Hiatt. Should be compulsory listening for anyone about to record an acoustic album." John Atkins, 4. Critics Choice Favourite albums of 1996, Country Music People "Her new self-produced album...is as passionate as it is virtuosic. More than just a terrific album, The Harvest is testimony to Chiavola's musical vision and to the esteem of her friends and peers." The Nashville Scene "Chiavola is simply a highly talented bluegrass-style performer who possesses a golden ear for great songs plus the sterling voice and delivery needed to do them justice." Bluegrass Unlimited "Anyone with an interest in acoustic music, whether it be bluegrass, singer-songwriters or simply superlative musicianship should head out and buy this album right away....The highest of this album's high spots is Kathy's arrangement of John Hiatt's Thirty Years of Tears. It's stunning, even better than Hiatt's version, and I can give no more praise than that." Country Music People "the voice is back....one of the best releases of '96...Kathy Chiavola has once again, if that's possible, surprised many of the critics in country music with her breathtaking and stunning vocal presentation on the new album." The New Country Music Gazette "This is by far the best release this year." Bradford Telegraph & Argus KATHY CHIAVOLA Kathy Chiavola is a premier voice in bluegrass and acoustic music. Her newest recording FROM WHERE I STAND, A Personal Tribute, is dedicated to world champion fiddler Randy Howard, her partner of nine years. "This doesn't fall under any genre--it's emotion, raw and rare. I feel I may never hear anything so eloquent again...unbearable beauty." Ginger Boatwright. FROM WHERE I STAND was awarded five stars and featured CD of the month in Country Music People magazine which selected it as one of the top recordings of 2001. The Chicago Tribune named it #6 of the top ten bluegrass cd's of 2002. Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine proclaimed, "stunning, emotional... beautifully compelling...Kathy's vocal style and range fill a huge gap in today's world of female bluegrass singers....An inspiring and courageous album to be treasured." June, 2002 In March, 2002, Kathy was the featured interview on NPR's Weekend All Things Considered, titled "Brahms, Bluegrass and Backup Singing." Listener response was overwhelming. (To listen: www.npr.org, click on archives, select "Weekend All Things Considered" and type in Kathy Chiavola) Kathy's band includes veterans Richard Bailey, banjo; Aaron Till, fiddle and vocals; Steve Thomas, fiddle, mandolin and vocals and Todd Cooke, acoustic bass. In 2001, Kathy and her band completed five international tours which included England, Ireland, Wales, France, Spain, Japan and the Faroe Islands, (where she was the first ever bluegrass artist to perform) at sold out concerts and rave reviews. "It was nothing less than a volcano of a concert, a country and bluegrass victory, where the acoustic instruments and a big voice filled every corner." in the Faroes to Castleford, England "nothing short of incredible", to Kenilworth, England "The audience - not all bluegrass fans, were captivated....Awesome." Kathy co-wrote and recorded a new city song for Toulouse, France to promote the Garonne River Festival which she headlined. 2. Drawing on her classical roots, Kathy performed the roles of the witch and narrator in the Bell Witch Story for the NCO/Nashville Ballet premiere and performed a Beth Neilson Chapman's "My Softest Heart" at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center in November, 2001. In April, 2003, Kathy appeared on the American Song Festival featuring members of the NCO along with Tim O'brien, Peter Rowan, Guy Clark, Kathy Mattea, Darrell Scott, Bill Miller, Marcus Hummon and Jim Lauderdale. As festival co-artistic director, she also organized the first ever Belmont and Blair School of Music voice faculty joint recital. Kathy's previous recordings include THE HARVEST which features her band, the late Randy Howard, the late Roy Huskey, and Brent Truitt with guests Chet Atkins, Emmylou Harris, Tony Rice, Bela Fleck, John Cowan, Bill Monroe, and Vince Gill. The Chicago Tribune hailed it one of the top five bluegrass CD's of '96. The songs span traditional bluegrass to the contemporary songs of Peter Rowan, Marcus Hummon, John Hartford, Bob Lucas & two originals. Her duet with Bill Monroe is believed to be his last vocal recording. Kathy's country debut LABOR OF LOVE gathered unanimous critical acclaim in 1990. It was London's Tower Records' No. 1 country CD for two weeks and reached No. 2 on the UK country chart. Kathy's recorded "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" for A PICTURE OF HANK, Mercury Records and "Won't Be Long" for CLASSIC RAILROAD SONGS, VOL 4, Rounder Records. Kathy was voted 1995's Outstanding Background Vocalist in the Nashville Music Awards having recorded with Vince Gill, Ricky Skaggs, Tammy Wynette, Kathy Mattea, Garth Brooks, Emmylou Harris, Bill Monroe and many others. Television jingles include State Farm Insurance and Country Time Lemonade. Kathy grew up singing folk, blues and rock in Kansas City, MO and was awarded a scholarship to the Oberlin Conservatory of Music where she earned her bachelor's and masters degrees in voice. She studied in a doctoral program at Indiana U. with Metropolitan Opera star Eileen Farrell and has sung opera professionally. Before forming her own group, she toured with The Doug Dillard Band, Vassar Clements, The Country Gazette, Jerry Douglas, Edgar Meyer and Mark O'Connor. She is a voice instructor at Belmont University, endorses D'Addario strings, and serves on the board of directors for the Nashville chapter of The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. AWARDS Recorded Event of the Year, FOLLOW ME BACK TO THE FOLD, IBMA 2001 Female Vocalist of the Year, nominations, 1998 & 2000 SPBGMA International Artist of the Year Independent Label - British Country Music Awards, nomination 1997 Female Vocalist of the Year, SPBGMA Bluegrass Awards 1997 Top 5 Bluegrass CDs, Chicago Tribune 1996 Backup Vocalist of the Year, Nashville Music Awards 1995 ALBUM REVIEWS FROM WHERE I STAND "With a voice that borders somewhere between Patsy Cline and light opera, Chiavola puts across every emotional moment with grace, confidence and tremendous comprehension....listen to the incredibly deep quality of her delivery. " Stephanie Ledgin, SING OUT MAGAZINE, Summer 2001 "Chiavola has one of the purest, most refined voices in Nashville, and it commands attention here on a variety of music, from folkie material like Kate Wolf's 'Across the Great Divide' to her own heart-breaking folk aria 'Senza Parole'." Craig Havighurst, THE TENNESSEAN, MARCH 8, 2001 "Setting aside the emotional charge that pervades this recording, the selection of material is first-class and the performances, wholly acoustic, are divine....she holds the listener spellbound." Craig Baguley, COUNTRY MUSIC PEOPLE MAGAZINE, March 2001 "She's pure of heart and pure of voice. Somehow equal parts classical soprano and mountain folkie." Robert K. Oermann, MUSIC ROW, March, 2001 LABOR OF LOVE "I love this voice. I love this woman. I love this record." Robert K. Oermann "The Voice...the find of the country year."Folk Roots "Stunning!" Country Music People "Chiavola has one of the sweetest and most sought after session voices in Nashville" Billboard CONCERT REVIEWS "Time and time again her stunning performance raised the roof.." Country Music People "I adore Kathy's wonderful voice and so did this festival audience. She cast a musical spell over all of us that I will long cherish...an unforgettable performance. International Country Music News and Routes "Backed by just her own guitar and the hugely expressive fiddle work of world champion Randy Howard, she enthralled the audience with a vocal purity, pitch and control that was nothing short of beautiful..." Country MusicPeople "Kathy, 'the voice', holds any audience spellbound when she sings, we sat there absolutely entranced as did other members of the audience. Absolute bliss." North Country Music