In today's episode, I invite you to savor the musical life of piano based singer and songwriter KATE MILLS. She creates lovely songs with honest lyrics and tells stories from the most recent years of her life with her debut album 'EACH BITTERSWEET DROP.' Kate was raised in Bucks County Pennsylvania and is currently settled in laid-back Astoria, Queens in New York with her husband Joey, but the sound of her album suggests something different. This young woman's musical psyche seems to hail from an earlier time in 1970's Southern California, an era and place I know well since I lived through it. She indeed was inspired by that emerging league of iconic Laurel Canyon singer-songwriters a la Linda Ronstadt, influences brushed with a touch of Dan Fogelberg and all blended together with modern artistry and production styles. As you will learn, Kate's songwriting is autobiographical and poetic, sometimes imbued with feelings she experienced as a social worker. She briefly shares how the escalation to creating her first record was nearly halted due to a debilitating digestive disease which was treated in a timely matter. Happily, she has completed and released this gorgeous project, and as you listen to us chat, I hope you'll enjoy Each Bittersweet Drop.
Dean Olson
StrongWriter On the Radio
* Listen to Kate's Interview with Dean! *
Featured Guest: KATE MILLS
ABOUT KATE MILLS
Kate, who has been performing in front of audiences since she was 9, is no stranger to the stage. As a pre-teen, her voice carried her to multiple musical theater opportunities from performances with Debbie Gibson at the Merriam Theater in Philadelphia, to the Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade. Throughout her adolescence, Kate continued to develop her piano and vocal skills while writing original music and performing in local showcases.
In college, Kate was a founding member of the band Drive Thru Parking, where she fell in love with the recording process. The group toured the northeast for several years, including a performance at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia in January of 2010. After 5 years with the band, Kate felt it was time to pursue her solo career in New York City and she and the band parted ways.
While Kate was transporting her large keyboard to and from rehearsals and performances, she was also juggling a rigorous coursload at the University of Pennsylvania, earning her Master’s in Soclal Work. As one who continues to work towards raising awareness of emotional and mental health issues, Kate is always looking for opportunities to merge her love of music with the pursuit of social good. “I believe music, at it’s core, is emotional. It’s not only a platform for raising awareness about important social issues, but music itself can offer healing, expression and create genuine connections that help us feel less isolated and alone.”
Within just one year on the NYC music scene, Kate performed at some of New York’s most famous music venues including The Bitter End, Rockwood Music Hall, and Pianos, and was interviewed on several local radio programs including “Mind Over Music” hosted by Cari Cole. In this short time Kate also landed her first TV performance on The Gimme Mo Show hosted by “High School Musical’s” Monique Coleman and earned two nominations in the 2013 JAM Awards.
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