Kate Myers

Artist Information

Biography

Kate Myers, over a lifetime of traveling, living in various locales around the country, touring in backseats of vans surrounded by sweaty men, and spending time with relatives in Europe, has figured at least one thing out. Music is and will be a central element in anything that she does. “Music inspires my life, it’s what I was destined to create,” she says.

Coming from a musical family, beginning at a young age, Kate was surrounded by instruments and people who loved to play them. “We're like the Partridge Family during the Holidays. The whole family jams together.” It was this upbringing and a portable Sony tape recorder that since the age of five-years-old has pointed Kate in the direction of making music. When she was in sixth grade, she learned to play the piano and the guitar and since then, she has been dedicated to practicing and perfecting her craft.

Her music is passionate and introspective. Drawing influence from singer/songwriters of the past (Jim Croce, Bob Dylan) and of the present (Conor Oberst, Fiona Apple), she has been able to create a style that is completely and recognizably her own and that transcends the standard coffee shop singer/songwriter genre. Her songs are stories of pain, love, hope and the experience that she has collected through her travels, her family and her years.

Kate’s debut, self-titled album was released in 2004, her second album, “Blanket Sky” in 2004 and her most recent work, “Instant Clarification,” in 2008. She has performed on stages all over the USA and in Europe, and is currently writing for her anticipated fourth full length release.

Instrumentation

Kate Myers - guitar, piano, vocals

Discography

May 2004 - self-titled full length
May 2006 - "Blanket Sky" full length
August 2008 - "Instant Clarification" full length

Audio

• Shift in the Stars
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• Cry
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• Peace
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• With Me
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• Tea
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• The Meadow
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Lyrics

• Shift in the Stars
• Peace
• Cry
• With Me
• Tea
• The Meadow

Video

Photo Gallery

Press

• Recording review: Kate Myers, Instant Clarification [+ Show ]
  

  *Third release captures singer-songwriter's skillful mix of light and dark * "Saudade." T...
  *Third release captures singer-songwriter's skillful mix of light and dark *
  
  
  
  
  "Saudade." The versatile word and concept has the denotation of sad and happy, but it can apply to many contexts.
  
  For this critic, it's having had the privilege of seeing Kate Myers perform in various regional venues, but knowing her reliable presence on the regional music scene is gone. I'm happy for her growth and striving as an artist, but still sad to see her leave for L.A. to continue it. The Portuguese word has that element of loss built in its connotation.
  
  To apply the concept of saudade to Kate Myers the artist, her strongest songs on previous releases explore the light and dark, such as Blanket Sky's ruminations on death and loss, "False Interpretation" and "The Sun and the Snow," and the melancholy take on an adulterous relationship, "Scarlet."
  
  Instant Clarification builds on this strength with several personal and powerful songs in which she and/or her protagonists affirm their identity and deal with adversity. The defiant woman on "Just Try Me" emphatically states "I'll eat your words and drink your filth/Just try me/But I won't move/No, not for you." Another song expresses her need to "Cry" and pull herself out of the darkness ("Light will heal the suffering/And make you Kate again"). On "Shift in the Stars," the artist grapples with fate and the nature of being a singer-songwriter, promoting herself but trying not to sell her soul, becoming "A passion wrapped in ribbon given on the holidays."
  
  Myers' chiaroscuro writing technique also serves her love songs well. The human raincloud protagonist of "Hello" pays tribute to a lover who accepts and embraces the real her. "With Me" is perhaps the song most dappled with dark and light, with Myers singing of a past love who has "branded my body with footprints as memories," but she holds a pragmatic hope that "Things don't have to fade away/If true, they'll come right back to prove/That fate knows way more than we do." In the same vein, having Stephenie Meyers' Twilight lovers Edward Cullen and Bella Swan inspire the darkly romantic piano track "The Meadow" just makes sense.
  
  Sometimes the chamber pop intensity is abandoned and the change-up works on tracks such as the idealistic and anthemic opener "Peace," and the playful and "naughty" novelty closer "Sexual Autopsy," a favorite at her live shows (her attempts at an evil laugh are a hoot). But even when tracks are misses, for example the mundane round of "Everybody love each other, come together, let's be happy" on "Just for Today," or the bordering-on-precious "Sleep Sweet," there's still Myers' crisp guitar work or skilled piano phrasing to grab a listener's attention.
  
  The production by Ryan Herma at Valparaiso's Alley Recording Company makes much of this "crispness" possible. This is the first of Myers' full length releases that really captures the sonics of Myers' live performances. Herma's bass (and electric guitar work) and Will Schnabel's percussion compliment and appropriately color the songs. The rhythm section doesn't overwhelm what is rightfully the central focus, Myers' lyricism and musicianship.
  
  This focus continues with the visual design by musician and graphic artist David Lubarski (Kindle, Blue Birds & Bright Lights). He takes Myers out of the shadowy layouts of previous releases and features her profile in his cover photography, and provides space for all her song lyrics within the eco-friendly packaging.
  
  Even though the nature of saudade is bittersweet, there are memories to be savored from that state of mind. Such is life, and such as it is with the best words and music on Instant Clarification.
  
  My rating: A-.
  
  Kate Myers, Instant Clarification. An independent release available at Kate Myers' shows and all major online retailers.
  
  A recent interview with the L.A.-bound singer-songwriter can be found on the Mad Artist Blog under "Blogs" on Heyregion.com.

• Blanket Sky and Live [Self Released] [+ Show ]
  

  "On the few dates I caught Kate Myers live I found her absolutely enchanting and I can't even say ex..."On the few dates I caught Kate Myers live I found her absolutely enchanting and I can't even say exactly why. I think I'm a sucker for that sort of artist who quietly slinks onto a stage with no sort of presence whatsoever, an almost apologetic charm, and as soon as they start to sing the room stops to watch what is going on. Her voice is smooth but with rough overtones, most likely a natural talent with no training and whilst her guitar lines are simple and fairly similar across songs they compliment her voice brilliantly and succinctly. On Blanket Sky & Live you lose the presence that comes from seeing her in the flesh, but you can still hear the strength of the song writing and the inherent beauty of her music. It won't suit everybody, it's very American (something that normally puts me off) in style, sound and lyrical content, but give a few tracks a listen and try to catch Kate Myers live, then maybe you might see what I mean." - Chris Chincilla (ex- Art Brut member)

• Kate Myers Review [+ Show ]
  

  Every now and then, amidst the hustle and bustle of your everyday life, you are by chance, offered a...Every now and then, amidst the hustle and bustle of your everyday life, you are by chance, offered an oppurtunity to experience something purely joyful and life affirming. This happens quite rarely as life generally is so hectic, when these oppurtunities do come along we mostly never even realize they are there.
  
  Last night was one of those nights for me, as I was invited to see a show at Uncle Fester's in Bloomington, IN. The headliners were a band called Planetary Blues, a phenomenal band, of varied and impressive talents. With them I can honestly say I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Something I have not been able to say for a number of months.
  
  But there was something else there last night. Her name was Kate Myers and she was something truly unique and special. She lives her life solely ( one could argue its spelled SOUL-LY in this case) by her drive to create and perform music. Her talent exceeds much of what is seen on anything remotely contempory and initially that was the most refreshing part.
  
  But I must comment on a few things, her voice was breathtaking. It actually moved me to tears. Now as many of you on my list know, my parents have both passed away and tears were things I didn't shed even on the days of the burials. This moved me beyond my facilities to understand. Often in entertainment they refer to performers that are great as "triple threats". Well it is this man's opinion that our state of Indiana twenty one years ago gave birth to one.
  
  Along with her voice, her piano and guitar skills are equally "threatening". I look forward to her next passage through Bloomington as well as any other show I may attend within the area. If there is any justice in the world, than we will stop seeing Paris Hilton on the radio and start seeing Kate.
  
  I implore all of you to look her up on her website.
  www.katemyers.com
  
  As well attend any shows you may hear about. If you enjoy music masterfully performed, a lyrical quality that is hauntingly poetic, and show performed in an intimate, darkened atmosphere then check her out.

Setlist

Kate's sets consist of a mix of songs from all released CD's with a mix of newly written songs. Set lengths can vary anywhere from 30 mintues to 3 hours, adding cover songs when needed.

Basic Requirements

Calendar