How It All Began...Katie’s first audition came about because of the encouragement of her church choir leader. She sang for a spot in the choir that was being put together to perform on stage with Celine Dion during the Nashville stop of her “Let’s Talk About Love” international tour. Even though she was only nine years old, it didn’t take but an a cappella verse and chorus of, “Once Upon A December,” from the Disney movie, Anastasia, to earn her place on stage with Celine.
Fast forward to high school. While a junior at Ravenwood High School, Katie’s mom read about a songwriting contest being held for Williamson County students. Katie submitted a song, along with hundreds of others within the school system. Her song, “The Beauty Of The Breakdown,” was selected by a panel of music industry professionals as the over all winner from all submissions. As a result of her win, Katie was given the opportunity to perform as the opening act for the Ravenwood Music4Music benefit with headliners Buddy Jewell and Marcus Hummon. Katie’s unique ability to take everyday life experiences and turn them into songs is a special gift. “I’m just so intrigued with writing,” she admits. “I have bits and pieces of songs in the works that fill a bunch of notebooks. I feel like I always have a pen in my hand. Right now I’m looking for co-writing opportunities that I know will definitely help me grow as a songwriter.” Performing on stage comes natural to Katie. From the early days of singing in church, school programs and with Celine Dion, she has performed her music with groups such as The Road Crew and Second Nature. Her father, former Epic recording artist, Don King, is a member of both groups. “One of the sweetest moments in my performing career was definitely getting to sing at the Ryman Auditorium with my dad’s band, Second Nature,” she recalls. “I love performing with The Road Crew, too. They do a mix of 50’s cover songs and their own Route 66 originals. I love the old stuff. It’s timeless. That’s why I thought I’d join in with one of my all time favorites, Sixteen Tons by Tennessee Ernie Ford.” After graduating with a bachelors in Communication, Katie is poised to launch the next phase of her musical career. “My time [in college] has definitely been well spent. I’ve learned so much about writing, communicating and marketing with the amazing professors in this field,” she states. “I can’t wait to use what I’ve learned in my musical pursuits.” Katie knows the music industry is tough and is rapidly changing the way it does business. She is up for the challenge and is willing to work for her spot on stage within the Nashville music community. |