Kate McDonnell

"Trapeze", Kate McDonnell’s 6th album, is rooted in contemporary American life, with topics ranging from hope and life’s purpose surrendering to love and desire in crazy times. On the heels of her successful album "Ballad Of A Bad Girl", "Trapeze" comprises 14 original songs written over a prolific 3 years. Her new songs will hit your gut with truth, intelligence, and humor.

Kate’s new songs leave bold impressions on the listener with melodies that become earworms and universal themes, while exploring a sophisticated production of the songs and their moods. "Trapeze" remains rooted in the concerns of contemporary American life, with topics ranging from hope and life's purpose, recovering from self sabotage, surrendering to desire in crazy times, pushing past boundaries and expectations, to new beginnings, as well as loss.

The majority of the new album’s 14 songs were written after 2021 by Kate or co-written with her longtime co-writer Anne Lindley. The cathartic title cut depicts listening to and overcoming the external voices proclaiming how to live one’s life. "Nowhere To Go", "You Won’t Blow Away", and "Hard Heart" remind the character of her former self and how missteps, anger, and sadness kept her from moving forward.

"Breakdown Lane features the hapless protagonist who seems always to get herself wedged between poor decisions and her own good. "All On My Own" is sung from the point of view of an older woman who’s lost her husband, while displaying her fierce resilience in moving forward. And Kate is not without a bit of humor in "Come Over Here", "Tea In China", and "Pretty Good Day", a song that reminds us of a dog’s simple pleasures, including his request for a daily walk.

Kate also lifts us up with songs like "Bona Fide", "Come Over Here", and "No Ordinary Time", while speaking up for young adults who are sad, angry and lost in "Fight For Your Life" and also "Madeleine", told from an adult’s perspective. Kate’s rage against gun violence can be heard in "Step Right Up", as she profiles the lives of 3 children whose lives have been lost to this American tragedy.

And "Tea In China" is a dialog between two divergent characters as Rhett Butler and Betty Friedan. Or Pepé Le Pew and Penelope Pussycat. Or unrequited, outmoded pursuer and enlightened pur sueé.

"Trapeze" was recorded and produced in the winter of 2024 by Jimi Woodul at his studio in Mechanicsville, New York. The album features friends and bandmates Sam Zucchini on drums and James Gascoyne on bass, also known as 'her right hand men'. Jimi W plays the remainder of the dubbed instruments, keyboards, guitars and 'noisemakers'. Although right handed, Kate plays her guitar upside down and backwards on her Taylor 912, Gretsch G5420, and a folk guitar built for her by William Cumpiaño. The album is mixed by Andrew Oedel at Ghost Hit Recording and mastered by Chris Muth at Taloowa Mastering.

Born and raised in Baltimore, Kate picked up her mother’s big Gibson folk guitar with the neck pointing to the right, and she learned chords by ear at the age of 4. From that point on, singing and playing was all she wanted to do, while influences like Leo Kottke began to help her discover her style. After singing in her teens with her identical twin sister, Kate later joined with guitarist Freddie Tane in the late 80's, opening for luminaries such as Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, Alan Jackson, Kathy Mattea, while later also cutting her comic teeth in the women’s trio Colossal Olive.

Accomplishing a long held dream of hers, Kate played gigs at the Newport Folk Festival, as well as at WXPN’s World Cafe, Mountain Stage, and the Kennedy Center, among other venues. "Trapeze" marks her 6th album as a solo performer, and she’s toured the US and Europe extensively. In 2000 Kate moved to upstate New York where she lives with her husband, dog, and cat. She is currently booking upcoming gigs and is looking forward to touring in Europe and the US to share her new songs.