Album Notes

Kate creates insightful glimpses of ordinary people dealing with life’s dilemmas. She wants her songs to do four things: help listeners see the extraordinary in the ordinary, make them laugh, make them cry, stir them spiritually. A West Virginia native, she has developed a musical following all over the country, and her songs have been recorded on four continents.

bigollady showcases her ability to do all of that. Audiences laugh out loud when she sings "When I Meet You in Heaven, I'm Gonna Give You Hell" or "Why Can't You Speak Plain English?” People are moved to tears by ballads such as "Oh, How I Meant to Love You (two lovers find each other in their old age)" or “McNamara’s Tear” (a woman remembers her lover, lost in Vietnam).

"McNamara's Tear" took top honors at the South Florida Folk Festival and Songs for Life at the Kerrville Folk Festival.

Warm and down-to-earth in performance, Kate Long writes classic songs that have been recorded by artists on four continents. Rooted in Appalachian traditional music, she branches into swing, blues and jazz.

Her voice - which Rambles Magazine called “a rich, deep force” – is instantly recognizable, full of emotion and humor.heart.”

“Expect to laugh, cry, think, and come away with a full heart," said Meryle Korn, who produced two of Kate’s concerts for the Portland (OR) Folklore Society.

Recording artist Charlie King: “Kate has a keen eye for the surprises in everyday things – hope in turmoil, sadness in silence, irony that exposes the hazards of business-as-usual. Every story took me someplace different than I expected to go, with a skill that let me enjoy the journey.”

Laurie Lewis, Rounder recording artist: “She writes with a depth of love and understanding that is all too rare in the world.”

A national award-winning songwriter and fiction writer, she has performed at the International Storytelling Center, the Kennedy Center Millineum Stage, and a variety of camps and venues and has taught at Augusta, Swannanoa and other camps. She performs regularly for public interest and spiritual groups and has three CDs of her own songs.

She is also a West Virginia public radio producer and newspaper writer. Her songs and reporting showcase her heart, humor, and down-to-earth ability to connect with people.

“Kate’s songs make you think, but – more important – they make you feel.” – Gaye Adegbalola, Uppity Blues