Fourth studio album, SILVER, available now. With crisp production and poetic themes, Kat's newest work features all original material and an A-Team rhythm section, including David Spinozza (Paul Simon), Clifford Carter (James Taylor) and Zachary Alford (David Bowie). The songs travel the wider folk landscape, from personal to political, but always with Kat's smoky alto and vintage Martin guitar at the helm. "Smooth", "confident", "impressive", and "rich" are some of the words fans are using in SILVER reviews.
Kat Mills was raised down the street from the high lonesome sounds of the famous Birchmere, and a stone's throw from the urban pulse of Washington D.C. Church choir, marching band, school musicals, and her brother's extensive record collection were early training grounds. She attended college and found a second home in the Hudson Valley of New York, where she was a founding member of acclaimed newgrass band, GRASS. Since launching a solo career in 2000, Kat has come to celebrate the rock 'n roll myth, play with tastes of soul and r&b, but above all herald the power of a lone voice and guitar. Audiences mention nostalgia for the Joans: Armatrading, Baez, and Mitchell. Kat is currently based in Blacksburg VA and tours throughout the east and beyond.
Songwriter series, in-the-rounds, and house concerts have been a mainstay. Yet, Kat Mills is equally at home on a theater or festival stage, having played notable songwriter venues including The Towne Crier, The Rosendale Café, The Lyric Theatre, Caffe Lena, and The Jefferson Center. She has proudly been involved in Clearwater’s Great Hudson River Revival (NY), Floyd Fest (VA), Solar Fest (VT), The Takoma Park Folk Festival (DC) and other events lining up with issues of social justice and environmental responsibility. Some favorite opening sets have supported Pete Seeger, Levon Helm, Dar Williams, Grace Potter and The Nocturnals, The Steel Wheels, and Sarah Lee Guthrie. She was a finalist in the 2015 NewSong/LEAF Singer-Songwriter Competition, has had original song placements in film and podcasts, and appears as a back-up vocalist for other artists.
Kat Mills has independently produced four solo albums, three with award-winning engineer and collaborator Scott Petito of NRS Recording. LONG TIME is a personal, mellow and sweetly accompanied debut. TWO explores more extensive production with world class backing musicians Larry Campbell (Levon Helm), Marc Shulman (Suzanne Vega) and Jerry Marotta (Peter Gabriel). TOWNIE brings Kat back home to Virginia, with a live, back-porch session feel, featuring Charlottesville favorites Mark Goldstein and Stuart Gunter. And the newly-released SILVER is Kat's most ambitious effort yet--both in songwriting and arranging. It was supported by a successful fan-funding campaign on PledgeMusic, and is now making its way out into the world.
Solo, soul folk live shows. Layered, collaborative recordings. Kat Mills is a writer, singer, guitarist and seeker rooted in GenX habits, nodding to 60s and 70s troubadour traditions, and openly commenting on the aches and triumphs of the moment. Kat’s honest sound and independent career have been crafted gradually and carefully, and professionalism shines in her stage presence, manners, humor, and genuine connection to listeners and venue staff alike. At a time when we have almost forgotten how to get quiet, reflect and respond, Kat Mills makes it easy to remember.
“Pure. That’s the voice that appeals…that’s Kat Mills.” --Ulster Publishing, NY
“Music that feels more like an intuition than an actual product, Kat Mills has found a way to go beyond what we think we hear or feel. Intangible.” --Independent Songwriter
