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Hometown: Holliston, MA
Website: web.mac.com
Sounds Like: The Beatles, Janis Joplin, Aerosmith, Stevie Ray Vaughan, John Lennon
Genre: Singer Songwriter
KATE RUSSO THOMPSON is a singer songwriter, multi-instrumentalist touring and recording music artist from central Massachusetts. A stand out in the violin world, she created her own style of lead rock electric 5-string violin, equally influenced by blues/rock guitar legends, classic rock, pop, blues and classical music. Kate has shared the stage with classic legendary rock, pop and blues artists as well as contemporary international acts. Besides blazing a trail on electric rock violin, Kate has won her own intimate and loyal audience as a respected and acclaimed singer-songwriter, performing solo and with full band. Memorable melodies, energy, intimate vocals and the one-of-a-kind violin solos create a unique but familiar sound in Russo's diverse song catalogue. Russo has been a member of legendary bands Ronnie Hawkins and the Hawks, performing on NBC's Live With Conan O'Brien, and Janis Joplin's original band Big Brother and the Holding Company.
Born into a musical family and growing up surrounded by sonic bliss, Kate followed the roots of music from classical to rock, and almost everything in between, picking up instruments along the way. As a teen Kate became Concertmistress of the NEC Youth Symphony, with international classical tours, and she began writing her own pop music at 16. Next was a stint at New England Conservatory of Music, which she left to join the award-winning crossover act Boccherini Ensemble on violin, vocals, keyboard, sax and songwriting as a young recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts grant. Boccherini's independent Paisley Park recording release "Time Machine" drew enthusiastic reviews from Rolling Stone Magazine and The New York Post, and the group morphed into the more mainstream rock/pop Jon Found Kate before she went solo and branched out with local southwest favorites Bit O' Jane and The Elliots. With successful Indie recordings "The Elliots (Color Album)" and her own "Looking For Ringo" with guest drummer Prairie Prince (the Tubes and Todd Rundgren), Russo has toured across the US, Europe and Asia with her own bands and as a member of legendary classic acts.
In 2016 Kate toured The Netherlands with Big Brother and the Holding Company. "Live In The Lowlands" DVD is expected to be released in Summer 2017. Currently Kate is performing solo and occasionally with Big Brother and the Holding Company on violin/keys/vocals, including US concert dates in summer 2017. Russo is also currently recording a new album of original music, expected to be released in 2018 and performing live this summer with her husband Blake Thompson in the Blake Thompson Band in the US.
PERFORMANCES WITH: Ronnie Hawkins and the Hawks, The Gin Blossoms, Clyde Stubblefield ("original funky drummer" of the James Brown Band), Big Brother & The Holding Company, Rick Danko, The Band, Savoy Brown, Lonnie Mack, Vassar Clemens, James Cotton, Van Morrison, Gavin DeGraw, Medeski, Martin & Wood *OPENINGS FOR: Edwin McCain, Cake, Sugar Ray; Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers, The Samples, David Crosby, Little Feat, Taj Mahal, Derek Trucks Band, Delbert McClinton, Leo Kottke, Boney James, The Zombies, Arlo Guthrie, Richie Havens, Leslie West + Corky Lang
*NTL. TV: Late Night With Conan O'Brien with Ronnie Hawkins & The Hawks (NBC)
*PERFORMANCES AT: Woodstock '94 in Bethel (25th Anniversary), NYC's The Bottom Line, CBGB's, The Bitter End, Brownies, Mercury Lounge. Clubs/Festivals/Concert Halls across US and in Canada including: Markham Theatre, Ontario - Rock n Roll Marathon- San Diego and Phoenix - House Of Blues, LA - Shank Hall, Milwaukee - Red River Opera House, Bash on Ash, Tempe, AZ - Wrigley Mansion, Phoenix - Smith Opera House, Geneva, NY - Jordan Hall, Boston - Johnny D's, Somerville, MA – Philadelphia Museum Of Art .
*Winner of WMRC LMAs "Best Original Act" and "Best Album - 'Looking For Ringo'" in 2012*
--Residing in central MA, Kate currently performs
* Lead Blues Rock Violin, Keys and some vocals with Big Brother and the Holding Company
*Solo Shows
*Duo Blake and Kate, with talented singer-songwriter-guitarist and husband Blake Thompson (2 vocals, guitar, elec. violin and keys)
*Full band with originals and covers with Blake Thompson: Kate Russo Band with Blake Thompson
*Janis Joplin tribute local sensation Piece Of My Pearl (POMP)
--Thanks to all the people that enjoy and support what I am so lucky to do - rock on and peace! ~KR
“For the older younger will this cd be a trip (sorry for the pun) down Memory lane with songs like Summertime, Down On Me, Me & Bobby McGee, Ball & Chain and Peace Of My Heart. Call On Me –beautiful soulful sung by Eileen- is (to me) absolute goose-bumbs-giving-piece of the cd! Also quite extraordinary is the input of the violin playing of Kate Ruso that Tom Finch digs in the solos. Especially on Summertime the sound sometimes is not to distinguish of the guitar. As level-headed youngster I was never impressed with this band without Janis. As (still) down to earth, older youngster, I have turned my opinion of this band with Eileen Humphreys as a singer at to the opposite.”
Gezien-gehoord
“Singer Kate Russo talks about Joplin's music and film, 'Janis: Little Girl Blue'
Jeanne Denizard - AXS Contributor
By: Jeanne Denizard AXS Contributor Jan 12, 2016”
Jeanne Denizard - Axs
“Perhaps the major difference is that Joplin seemed to enjoy herself in the process, as can be seen in her tortured and rapturous rendition of “Ball and Chain” at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967. It’s included in Berg’s documentary. Looking on with awe at Joplin’s performance is Mama Cass Elliot of the Mamas & the Papas, no vocal slouch herself, who would also die tragically young — in 1974, at the age of 32.
The film screens for a week starting Friday at the Regent Theatre in Arlington. The opening night will also feature a live performance by Kate Russo, former member of Joplin’s best back-up band, Big Brother and the Holding Company. Showtime is 7:30 p.m.
For more information go to www.regenttheatre.com.”
Peter Keough - Boston Globe
“The Boston premiere of “Little Girl Blue,” a documentary on the legendary rock star Janis Joplin, on Jan. 8 will feature a live performance by Holliston singer-songwriter, Kate Russo. The New England Conservatory trained violinist is particularly qualified for the Regent Theatre gig in Arlington, as she spent years touring with Joplin’s backing band, Big Brother and the Holding Company."We toured everywhere, even as far away as Thailand," says Russo, 44, who has also played with Van Morrison and Gavin DeGraw. "When I met Big Brother in 1996 I didn’t know who they were. But they wanted a rock violinist and we became great friends.” Along the way, Russo took on Joplin’s vocal role and the film reveals that’s no easy task. Narrated by Chan Marshall (a.k.a Cat Power), and written and directed by Oscar-nominated Amy Berg (“Deliver Us from Evil,” “West of Memphis”), “Little Girl Blue” gives a front row seat to Joplin’s live performances and glances behind the sce”
Linda Laban - Metro
"It’s that time of year again…the time to gather with friends and family and barbecue meat, drink (American) beer and randomly engage in loud chants of “U-S-A! U-S-A!”, preferably in the most unorthodox of locations.
Below, you’ll see our Back Page Magazine list of 11 of our favorite cover versions, ranging from the obvious (classic rock artist) to not-so-obvious (electric violin, anyone?). Feast your eyes and ears on this list while you’re cramming hot links and Budweiser into your body this weekend. America!
6. Kate Russo
Live from Rock Hall Elementary School in Maryland, this video features a violin that sounds eerily like an electric guitar. Kate Russo, the woman doing the violin-shredding, certainly knows her way around a bow."
Adrian Garro - Back Page Magazine
“Blake Thompson: A Blues Journey at the Mainstay, May 3
April 18, 2014 by The Mainstay Leave a Comment
Blake Thompson: A Blues Journey brings a musical history of the blues and his band to the Mainstay in Rock Hall, Maryland on Saturday May 3 at 8:00 pm as part of the Mainstay’s blues series, MainstayBlues. Admission is $20.
Blake Thompson has made his name as a hard-rocking guitarist with a deep love of the blues, for his blistering rock leads and his powerful blues chops. While he was, for a time a fixture on the local scene, he is now based in New England. This concert marks his return and will let him delve deep into the blues he loves.
This foot-stomping, hard-driving blues journey will travel from the roots of the blues in the rural South with stops along the way in Detroit, San Francisco, Austin, New Orleans, New York and more. Thompson will play everything from acoustic bottleneck slide guitar to an electric set with the full band featuring Kate Russo on violin.”
The Mainstay - Chestertown Spy
"Dave Getz, who anchored the drums for Big Brother and the Holding during and after Janis Joplin's tenure with the band, is a man of serious talents, including a beautiful eye for graphic arts. Not every drummer is a rounded musician; Getz very definitively is. The new offering from the Dave Getz Breakaway, Can't Be The Only One, doesn't just come with Getz's own Bay Area pedigree: it's got a stable full of them...
The musicians sharing the duties on Can't Be The Only One are solid professionals... I can, however, offer up a few personal "whoa, DAMN!" moments: "Borderline (The Show Goes On)", lyrically and thanks to Mitrovich's phenomenal vocal, is a knockout. All four of the purely instrumental tracks - "She Comes In Dancing", "Dark Song", the hard-edged guitar grind and shred of "Trail of Tears", and Kate Russo's exquisitely passionate violin on "Heavning" - work, and work in different ways."
Deborah Grabien - Green Man Review
