Kate McDonnell is an American folk singer/songwriter.

Career

In her teens and early 20s, she was part of a duo with her sister, Anne McDonnell. They self-produced the LP, "Middle Flight," in 1980, through Owen Productions. From 1989 to 1992, she was part of the duo McDonnell–Tane with Freddie Tane. They opened for

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, and

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. McDonnell released her first solo album, "Broken Bones," reissued by

Waterbug Records Waterbug Records is a small independent record label based in Glen Ellyn, Illinois specializing in singer-songwriters and traditional folk musicians who do original research. The label was founded as an artist cooperative label in 1992 by singer ...

in 1994. She was voted #1 singer/songwriter in the New Haven Advocate, New Haven, Connecticut, in 1994. Her 1998 album "Next" was reviewed in the Boston Globe: "Arrangements ... centered on McDonnell's soaring soprano vocals, expressive acoustic guitar finger picking"... "With her poetic songs... she shares life with an unforgettable impact". She has played at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival, and the Kerrville Folk Festival. In 2001, her CD "Don't Get Me Started" was released on the Swiss label

Brambus records Brambus Records is a small record label based in Chur, Switzerland. It was founded 1988 by Paul Rostetter. In 2013, Brambus Records celebrated 25 years of existence and his 270th released production. The record label is focused on international fo ...

. Rani Arbo in Acoustic Guitar wrote: "Kate McDonnell applies a polished and subtle musicianship to bluegrass, swing tunes, and classic single–songwriter fare." When the finger picked or flat-picked, the guitar is rhythmically solid, fleet and energetic... best of all, McDonnell's voice has a sweet patina that complements her stylized yet unaffected delivery and stays fresh throughout". That year, McDonnell performed at the

Newport Folk Festival Newport Folk Festival is an annual American folk-oriented music festival in Newport, Rhode Island, which began in 1959 as a counterpart to the Newport Jazz Festival. It was one of the first modern music festivals in America, and remains a foc ...

, and in 2002 she won first place at the

Mountain Stage ''Mountain Stage'' is a two-hour music radio show, first aired in 1983, produced by West Virginia Public Broadcasting and distributed worldwide by National Public Radio (NPR). Hosted by Larry Groce from the show's inception until 2021 and curre ...

Festival new song competition for "Go Down Moses."

Discography

* Middle Flight, Katie & Anne McDonnell (1980) * Volcanic Rendezvous, Kate McDonnell–Freddie Tane (1991) * Broken Bones (1992) * Next (1998) * Don't Get Me Started (2001) * Where the Mangoes Are, (2005) * Ballad of a Bad Girl (2021)

References

External links

* __INDEX__ {{DEFAULTSORT:McDonnell, Kate Living people 21st-century American women singers 21st-century American singer-songwriters 20th-century American women singers 20th-century American singer-songwriters American women singer-songwriters American folk singers 1961 births