"Katie Else is that rare singer whose virtuosic vocal talent is coupled with impeccable song
selection. Her versions of “The Rocks of Bawn” and “1913 Massacre” highlight an empathic
commitment to social justice, while Gaelic numbers like “Sail Og Rua” and “Nuair a Rainig
Mi’m Baile” reveal an interpretive ability that is both erudite and poetic. Songs From Across the
Lake and Sea delivers on the tacit promise of the best folk music: that the traditional can be
brought into the contemporary realm to remind us what’s at stake."
John Freeman, Music Editor, The Museum of Americana: A Literary Review
"Katie Else is one of the finest traditional singers to be found on either side of the Atlantic Ocean. Her choice in songs reveals what connects us all."
Cara Lieurance, The Pure Drop, WMUK
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Katie Else was a natural singer from a young age. It was while training as a classical singer that she started gravitating towards folk and traditional music singing styles. After graduate school, she moved to Galway, Ireland to learn from sean nós singers from the Connemara region and to study the Irish language. Soon after, she joined the touring company of Riverdance as their lead singer, the first American to do so. She has toured the U.S., China and Europe with shows including Celtic Legends, American Steps and bands including festival veterans Full Set. She performs locally with Michigan groups Crossroads Ceili and Alison Perkins and Nicolas Brown.
Katie released her first solo album, Songs from across the Lake and Sea, in the summer of 2018. In it, she weaves together a lifetime of influences from Ireland, Scotland and the United States creating a one-of-a-kind album that deftly represents the global impact of traditional music.
Katie has performed and taught workshops at festivals including Dublin Irish Festival, Dublin OH, Kansas City Irish Fest, Kansas City, MO, Philadelphia Ceili Group Festival, Philadelphia, PA, Cincinnati Celtic Festival, Cincinnati, OH, Spanish Peaks International Celtic Music Festival, Huerfano County, CO, Lotus Festival, Bloomington, IL, Potomac Celtic Fest, Leesburg, VA and Saline Celtic Festival, Saline, MI
