http://www.myspace.com/katehearne

Kate Hearne is an 18-year-old performing songwriter who also happens to be an ace lead guitarist. The Winnsboro, Texas, high school junior picked up the guitar during spring break of her 8th grade year, and hasn't put it down since.

The daughter of performing songwriter dad Lindy Hearne (cofounder of Crossroads Coffeehouse, a weekly live music venue in Winnsboro), Kate Hearne grew up surrounded by songwriters and guitars. In her even younger years though, she refused to have anything to do with music making. Then one day when no one was looking or listening she made the fateful choice, picked up a guitar, and discovered a new way to express herself.

With the added guidance of famed guitar instructor John DeFoore of Mineola, Texas (a la Michelle Shocked, Miranda Lambert, Kacey Musgraves and Adam Carroll to namedrop a few former students), Kate takes her songwriting and guitar studies seriously. As a solo artist, Kate Hearne has opened for Terri Hendrix, The Dreamsicles, and Kacey Musgraves. She also recently opened all three nights for the 3rd Annual Pauline Reese & Outlaws Picnic in Concan, Texas.

Kate never misses an opportunity to learn from the musicians she meets. And due to her skill on the guitar, and the ease with which she "plays well with others," Kate often gets invited up to jam with those who headline the Crossroads Coffeehouse stage.

For a guitar player, there is nothing like picking up and strumming a fine, hand-crafted instrument. There is a difference between it and a factory produced guitar, and for many pickers and strummers the dream is to someday have enough money to buy that special guitar.

Kate Hearne of Winnsboro didn't have to wait that long.

Tony Stewart, an artisan and co-owner of Mossman guitars that recently opened a retail store in Winnsboro, gifted Kate with one of his handmade guitars. He presented the guitar to her at the Jimmy LaFave concert at Crossroads in September. Stewart has given a few guitars away before, but this one was really special for him because of the high regard he has for her talent. "I feel like Kate is on her way somewhere big in music," he said. " I love her passion for playing. And to have the talent she has at her age is unbelievable. Lloyd Maines who is a Grammy award winning producer (and father of Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chicks) is a friend of mine and has played with and recorded with some of today's biggest stars. He has told me that he feels Kate is going somewhere! When he and Terri Hendrix last played at Crossroads, I watched him as he was watching and listening to Kate when she opened for them. He was really impressed."

Not only is Stewart impressed with Kate's talent, he has high regard for her character and considers her a good friend. That is why he was willing to put in four months of work to make this guitar for her. He used Honduran mahogany, with 24 coats of lacquer that had to be sanded between each two or three coats. "Kate's guitar is also customized a bit because we used an abalone sound hole ring, tortoise shell bindings, and diamond shaped markers on her fret board, all of which are normally reserved for our more costly instruments," Tony said. "We also put a special tag inside saying that we custom built it especially for her."

Kate said she was totally surprised by the gift. She had visited the Mossman shop in Sulphur Springs with her father, Lindy Hearne, and admired a guitar that Tony was building for his partner, Bobby, but she never expected him to give her one. "We talked about him making one for me," she said. "But I didn't know he was going to give it to me. I'm so grateful. It is the best-sounding guitar and it feels so great to play."

Talent runs strong in the Hearne family. Lindy is a wonderful musician, singer and songwriter and he has bought and sold many a guitar. "It's great to have the Mossman factory right up the road in Sulphur Springs," he said. "They are great, hand made guitars that have been around since the early 1970's."

Lindy is very proud of what Kate has accomplished as a musician in just a few short years, and he considers her very fortunate to have such a nice guitar at such a young age. "My first guitar cost me $15," he said. "And I didn't have one as nice as hers until I was well into college. I think she really appreciates it, though. So I'm glad she's got it and I know she'll put lots of great mo jo in it for years to come."

Lynn Adler, who is partnered with Lindy in the Crossroads venture as well as their Spring Hollow Organic Song Farm said she thought it must be great fun "to be able to gift such a beautifully handmade guitar to such a beautiful and talented young guitarist, who also happens to be a woman! The guitar-playing world has always been predominated by men."

Like Stewart and so many others, Lynn really appreciates Kate's talent as well. "To watch and listen to Kate's playing is truly a delight," she said. "It's also fun to watch the audience watch Kate! She's so cool up there. So at ease on the instrument. And such a great listener, so she plays just the right licks in just the right places. Comes up with amazing fills and leads. She's naturally gifted, but she works hard at it to -- always wanting to learn new things from the musicians she meets. And they often want her to get up and play lead with them on our stage, and other stages too."