Neal Katz

Neal Katz is an emerging artist on the folk music scene. After years of writing folk music and playing it for friends and open-mics, Neal began performing his music at coffee-houses, folk festivals, living room concerts, and more. On stage, he is high energy and offers touching and funny introductions to his songs. His music is uplifting, beautiful, and funny. In the summer of 2010, he will perform as a New Folk finalist at the Kerrville Folk Music Festival.

Over the past few years, Neal has been an opening act for Billy Jonas, Buddy Mondlock, Tom Kimmel, Nick Annis, and Albert and Gage - as they all passed through East Texas. He was also a regular at the Up-A-Creek Coffee House and performed at the Mud Creek Music Festival. Neal has also played at coffeehouses in other parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Ohio, and Virginia.

In 2009, Neal released "Day Will Come," his debut folk CD filled with 13 original songs. The project was produced by famed singer/songwriter/producer Tom Prasada Rao. A number of other artists contributed to the project including Gordon McLeod, Dave Massengill, Dirje Smith, Martin McCall, Cary Cooper, Phil Rumbley, and Milo Deering.

In his quest to promote his fellow local artists, Neal produced a compilation CD in 2007 of East Texas singer/songwriters that benefitted a social-service agency in Tyler, TX called PATH. He followed this project up with a similar project in 2009 that was a compilation of local jazz musicians benefitting the same agency.

His most recent project is "Be A Light - Chanukah Songs For Grown-ups," a collection of traditional Chanukah songs mixed in with some new melodies by Neal, including the hit song, "On The Air." "Chanukah Songs For Grown-ups" was released in October of 2009 and was also produced by Tom Prasada Rao. Other musicians on the project include Sonia Rutstein, Billy Jonas, Cary Cooper, Stacy Beyer, Michael Grinnell , Adam Myers, Griffin Goodman, and Dirje Smith.

In the world of Jewish music, Neal has released three CDs starting with 2002's debut project "Who Am I?" A number of the songs on that CD have been incorporated into the music lists at Jewish camps, congregations, and youth groups around the country. His second album of Jewish music was titled “Strength in Numbers” and was released in Fall 2006. Neal was honored to work with famed producer and multi-instrumentalist Josh Nelson on this incredible follow-up CD. The third CD was 2009's "Be A Light."

Neal is the rabbi of Congregation Beth El in Tyler, TX. With his wife, Jennifer, they have a son, Micah and two daughters, Lila and Rebecca.