Kate James and Lost Country

It's inevitable that when a female country singer comes along there will be comparisons to the ladies of country music who've come in the past. Even today, in the age of the country music diva, country music largely remains a man's arena, and unless gals play their "diva" card, it's tough for them to make themselves a niche in the market. Kate James is taking the risk and following in the footsteps of Loretta Lynn and Tammy Wynette rather than glossing up and going diva, and I couldn't be happier.

James has a warm, full, rich voice that dives in and grabs hold and doesn't let go. Backed by Lost Country, a tight combo consisting of Bill Brooks, Chuck Kelly, Joe Fleming, and Mark Van Allen, James heads down the path blazed by female honky-tonkers of the past and joins ranks with other great ladies of real country music such as Danni Leigh, Heather Myles, and Jill King. These gals don't grace the covers of Cosmo and Vanity Fair, and they don't get played alongside Celine and Britney.

In other words, Kate James sings COUNTRY music. Bare-bones, heartbreakin' country music with a twang and a shuffle and a swing. With such tracks as "Fool For You Honey," "My Heart's Been Broken," "Poor Little Fool," and the tight title track "HomeWrecker, HeartBreaker," James proves herself as solid a country singer as any of the greats, with a delivery as heartfelt as Wynette with as much gusto and gumption as Tanya Tucker.

But she's certainly not derivative. Nope, James has her own soul and her own delivery. With a solid handle on what makes country music real and honest, James gives us a great new sound with a traditional feel that is one-hundred-percent authentic. This gal is one of those folks out there keeping country music from disappearing completely into the morass of mechanized vanillin blandness.

So take a chance on listening to a new voice and a new sound, and you'll really like Kate James and her Lost Country. 'Cause that's country. - CountryFans.net

Roots country bands and honkytonks come to mind when listening to this album. Some great country tunes lead by the vocal performance of Kate James. Kate’s singing is superb. She sings a song as good as anybody in the business. This is just damn good country music.
- Roots Music Report

The Bottom Line
Kate James and Lost Country were voted Atlanta's Best Country Band of the Year 2003. They provide a fresh new sound with a warm traditional feel.

It often happens when a new female country singer comes along that there are comparisons made to the great ladies of the past. These days, with country music-singing women being pushed more and more to the pop-diva side, hard country music remains largely a man's area, and it's hard for the honky-tonk gals to get a foot in the door. Kate James, though, is taking that step and following the likes of Loretta Lynn and Tammy Wynette. These listening ears couldn't be happier. She's a heartfelt honky-tonkin' lady who belts it out with heart and soul and all that emotion that makes country music COUNTRY.

Kate James belts out hard country with a full, rich voice that grabs hold and doesn't let go. She's backed by Lost Country, a tight combo consisting of Bill Brooks, Chuck Kelly, Joe Fleming, and Mark Van Allen. With them, James blazes down the trail laid by great female honky-tonkers of the past and joins ranks with other great ladies of country music.

Singing such awesome songs as "Holdin' On To Nothin'," "Lonely Hearts," "Picture Show," and the powerful title track "HomeWrecker, HeartBreaker," James proves herself a solid singer, with a delivery as heartfelt as Wynette with as much gusto and gumption as Tanya Tucker.

Kate James is a fresh and delightful new voice. Give it a listen.

- About.com