BIO
KATE RUSSO THOMPSON is a singer songwriter multi-instrumentalist, touring and recording music artist from central Massachusetts. A stand out in the violin world, she created her own style of lead rock electric 5-string violin, equally influenced by blues/rock guitar legends, classic rock, pop, blues and classical music. Kate has shared the stage with classic legendary rock, pop and blues artists as well as contemporary international acts. Besides blazing a trail on electric rock violin, Kate has won her own intimate and loyal audience as a respected and acclaimed singer-songwriter, performing solo and with full band. Memorable melodies, energy, intimate vocals and the one-of-a-kind violin solos create a unique but familiar sound in Russo's diverse song catalogue. Russo has been a member of legendary bands Ronnie Hawkins and the Hawks, performing on NBC's Live With Conan O'Brien, and Janis Joplin's original band Big Brother and the Holding Company.
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Born into a musical family and growing up surrounded by sonic bliss, Kate followed the roots of music from classical to rock, and almost everything in between, picking up instruments along the way. As a teen Kate became Concertmistress of the NEC Youth Symphony, with international classical tours, and she began writing her own pop music at 16.
Next was a stint at New England Conservatory of Music, which she left to join the award-winning crossover act Boccherini Ensemble on violin, vocals, keyboard, sax and songwriting as a young recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts grant. Boccherini's independent Paisley Park recording release "Time Machine" drew enthusiastic reviews from Rolling Stone Magazine and The New York Post, and the group morphed into the more mainstream rock/pop Jon Found Kate before she went solo and branched out with local southwest favorites Bit O' Jane and The Elliots. With successful Indie recordings "The Elliots (Color Album)" and her own "Looking For Ringo" with guest drummer Prairie Prince (the Tubes and Todd Rundgren), Russo has toured across the US, Europe and Asia with her own bands and as a member of legendary classic acts.
In 2016 Kate toured The Netherlands with Big Brother and the Holding Company, where they recorded "Live In The Lowlands", released on DVD and CD on Marista Records (and available online). 2017-19 brought them back together for concerts across the US.
Currently Kate teaches from her home studio in central MA and performs solo and occasionally with Big Brother and the Holding Company. She is recording a new solo album of original music, performing live with POMP, the Blake Thompson Band and as sideman with different projects.
Other Players/
Performances
PERFORMANCES WITH: Ronnie Hawkins and the Hawks, The Gin Blossoms, Clyde Stubblefield ("original funky drummer" of the James Brown Band), Big Brother & The Holding Company,
Rick Danko, The Band, Savoy Brown, Lonnie Mack, Vassar Clemens, James Cotton, Van Morrison, Gavin DeGraw, Medeski, Martin & Wood
*OPENINGS FOR: Edwin McCain, Cake, Sugar Ray; Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers, The Samples, David Crosby, Little Feat, Taj Mahal, Derek Trucks Band, Delbert McClinton,
Leo Kottke, Boney James, The Zombies, Arlo Guthrie, Richie Havens, Leslie West + Corky Lang
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*NTL. TV: Late Night With Conan O'Brien with Ronnie Hawkins & The Hawks (NBC)
*PERFORMANCES AT: Woodstock '94 in Bethel (25th Anniversary), NYC's The Bottom Line, CBGB's, The Bitter End, Brownies, Mercury Lounge.
Clubs/Festivals/Concert Halls across US and in Canada including:
Markham Theatre, Ontario - Rock n Roll Marathon- San Diego and Phoenix - House Of Blues, LA - Shank Hall, Milwaukee - Red River Opera House, Bash on Ash, Tempe, AZ - Wrigley Mansion, Phoenix - Smith Opera House, Geneva, NY - Jordan Hall, Boston - Johnny D's, Somerville, MA – Regent Theatre, Arlington, MA- Stadium Theatre, Woonsocket, RI- The Kate Theatre, CT-Sellersville Theatre, PA- Philadelphia Museum Of Art- Flower Power Cruise 2019-The Flying Monkey, Portsmouth, NH-Blue Ocean Music Hall, Salisbury, MA-The Suffolk, Riverhead, NY-Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA- Arcada Theater, St. Charles, IL-Luxor Live, Arnhem, Netherlands-Paard Van Troje, The Hague, Netherlands-Poppodium de Bosuil, Weert, Netherlands-North Sea Jazz Club, Amsterdam, Netherlands-Koh Samui Music Festival, Koh Samui, Thailand-Teatro Metropolitan, Mexico City, Mexico.
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*Winner of WMRC LMAs "Best Original Act" and "Best Album - 'Looking For Ringo'" in 2012*