Kate McDonnell with Jimi Woodul

Singer-songwriter-guitarist Kate McDonnell has been captivating audiences around the world for decades with her jaw-dropping guitar technique, her award-winning songwriting, and a voice so pure and expressive it stops a room in its tracks.

Kate’s introduction to folk music came early—at age four—when she discovered a Joan Baez record in her mother’s collection. She picked up her mother’s guitar, which was taller than she was, and taught herself to play left-handed, upside-down, and backwards. That unconventional beginning sparked a lifelong devotion to the instrument. As she grew, Kate absorbed the influences of Leo Kottke, Mason Williams, Steve Howe, and Duane Allman—eventually developing a style all her own: rhythmic, intricate, fluid, and mesmerizing.

From her roots performing with her twin sister in Baltimore to opening for legends like Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, and Judy Collins, Kate’s career has been marked by artistry, curiosity, and constant evolution. Her songwriting took off in the early ’90s when she became a Kerrville New Folk Finalist, a Falcon Ridge Showcase finalist, and released her debut album Broken Bones, praised by Sing Out! and Dirty Linen for its emotional power and standout musicianship.

Kate has toured extensively throughout Europe, performed on World Café, appeared at the Newport Folk Festival, and earned praise from artists including Jonathan Edwards—who called her “one of the premier female solo acoustic acts around”—and Bill Staines, who called her “one of the finest writers and performers I’ve heard in a long time.”

After years of performing, Kate took a meaningful detour into a second calling: working as a child therapist. But songwriting was never far from her heart. She continued writing with long-time collaborator Anne Lindley, eventually returning to the studio for her acclaimed 2020 album Ballad of a Bad Girl, recorded at Dreamland Studios with legendary players Jerry Marotta (drums) and Tony Levin (bass). The result is a rich, thoughtful, emotionally charged collection that blends deep experience with renewed creative fire.

Kate McDonnell live is something rare and unforgettable. Her shimmering soprano voice. Her extraordinary guitar work. Her stories—playful, wise, and profoundly human.

This is an artist who has lived many lives, carried many songs, and brings all of it to the stage with honesty, clarity, and heart.

SAMPLE SONG

A chance to witness a masterful musician return to the spotlight—still evolving, still surprising, still singing with stunning beauty.

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Singer Songwriter

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