Live at the Evening Muse: "Heart for a Ride"
One of my more "rollicking" songs. Joined here by Mark Larson on keyboard and Cheryl Hoover on bass.
Filtering by Category: Acoustic
Live at the Evening Muse: "Never Enough"
Words and music by Katie Oates. Cheryl Hoover joins me on bass and back-up vocals.
Live at the Evening Muse: Laughing Through My Tears
Performing an original song at The Evening Muse on January 15 with Cheryl Hoover on bass and harmony (for description and pics of the evening click here). I dedicated the song to my friend, Katya Lezin, who was in the audience. See prior post on Katya and how she was part of my inspiration for this song. Watch video here:
Memorable Night at the Evening Muse
Photo by Daniel Coston: Katie and Cheryl
A wonderful night at the Evening Muse sponsored by the Charlotte Folk Society. Four sets of performers and a packed house. I started my set on the keyboard playing "Little Song Blues" (click here to listen) which I dedicated to the crowd that came out to support us all. Music photographer Daniel Coston took pictures (full album on my Facebook music page: Katie Oates Music). Mark Larson took some video which I'll add in later posts on the Listen page and link to the titles of the songs in this post.
Cheryl Hoover joined me for "Never Enough" and "Laughing Through My Tears" (click here to watch the video). Laughing Through My Tears is currently the only original song I have recorded in a studio and is available as a single on my ""Buy Online" page).
Mark Larson joined us for a rousing version of "Heart for a Ride"
Photo by Daniel Coston
and for "Play Me"
Photo by Daniel Coston
Folk Jubilee at the Evening Muse
On Wednesday, January 15th I will be playing for Charlotte Folk Society’s new venture: "Folk Jubilee" at the Evening Muse: 3227 North Davidson Street from 9:30-10:00pm. I will play 5 original songs at the end of the evening and will be joined by frequent collaborator Cheryl Hoover (bass, vocals), who also plays at Covenant Church (and formerly played with the 'Rents and Crossroads) and multi-instrumentalist Mark Larson on keyboard. Some of the songs I'm playing I've put up on youtube or recorded "Little Song Blues," "Never Enough," and "Laughing Through My Tears," and two songs I haven't recorded yet which are a little more risqué (!) but all in good fun: "Heart for a Ride" and "Play Me." The evening will begin with a song circle at 7:30 pm, then at 8 pm Casey Conerly and DeWitt Crosby (who are in a songwriting group with me) play. The Myers Park High School Bluegrass Band (filled with many talented young folks I have heard perform) plays at 8:30 followed by Mark Larson (who I am also in a songwriting group with) at 9:00pm. Come out and enjoy Charlotte's best listening room for music!
Advent song for sharing
Here's a free song for sharing or downloading. I arranged this old advent hymn for guitar using all minor chords to keep that haunting sound throughout and changing some phrasing so the wording isn't so awkward. This live recording is from last week's service at Park Road Baptist Church. Much of my singing career has been in churches, so I rarely have a recording of it (for obvious reasons…what??it's not all about me??!!), so thank you Bruce Holliday for the recording and picture.
Never Enough
They say try and try again. That's the motto I keep in my mind when writing songs. I might not have ever finished this song (Never Enough) if not for encouragement from Nashville singer/songwriter Sally Barris.
I met Sally in 2011 at a guitar and songwriting camp (“Swanannoa” held annually at Warren Wilson College). My guitar teacher, John Tosco, had recommended the camp as well as Sally as a teacher. At the time I was brand new to guitar playing and songwriting, so I was a bit of a mess when I tried to play my song for the class. But Sally was gently supportive and encouraging. She has a way of hearing what a song wants to be despite the flaws of songwriters and performers, and after class she sat down with me and helped me work on my song. (It took me many more months and more than a few nudges from Sally but my song “Never Enough” which I eventually recorded on 2 cds came out of that effort.)
I've been intrigued by how people interpret the song differently; some people feel the frustration of constantly striving but never getting "there," others feel time slipping through their fingers and want to hold on, still others feel that existential emptiness of wanting more from life. All of those interpretations are part of that emotion I wanted to capture.
For Laura....
Thanks to Cate and John Cloer for giving me permission to cover their song "I want to Say."
Hosted Sally Barris in SOLD OUT Concert on my back porch on July 26!
See my Face Book Band Page: Katie Oates Music for pictures of the entire evening.
Loving the local markets!
Must give a shout-out to Lynn Caldwell who founded Atherton Mill and Market and provided my favorite place to play in Charlotte since I started "playing out." I'll be playing there Saturday, May 18 in the am. I'm also excited about a new arts market uptown that Ed Camp is bringing to Epicentre where I'll play for the first time (same day!) in the afternoon. Hooray for the way Charlotte supports local food, businesses and artists!
My cd is available for download! Click HERE
Wayfaring Stranger (Katie's original arrangement from her cd "Going Over Home")
(Track 11 is Wayfaring Stranger)