Conversations with Kat King

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kat King.

Hi Kat, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I can remember writing songs as early as 2nd grade. My mom was a performing musician and she started teaching my siblings and I piano at a young age. By late elementary school I was taking classical piano lessons and my mom had started teaching me chords on the guitar. She had a friend in Omaha with a home studio and in middle school I recorded my first EP with him (Kyle Knapp) and started playing in coffee shops in different small towns in Kansas. By the end of high school I had recorded another EP and a full length album that my brother drummed on. I went to the University of Kansas for college strictly for the Lawrence music scene. I started getting gigs as a solo singer-songwriter and eventually worked up a full band of rotating musicians that were primarily family members. During college I also started playing in other projects which led to some bigger gigs in Kansas City and I felt like I had a foot in. After graduating and giving Lawrence my last few years I decided Kansas City was the next step. I had already started playing guitar for a band in Kansas City in my last year in Lawrence and I moved with the goal to find a consistent band of my own to keep honing my sound. I was introduced to John McCain who I knew of from the Lawrence scene and he joined me on bass immediately. I found our drummer, Daniel Cole, through instagram and the three of us started playing together. We rotated out some other musicians along the way and eventually I met who would be our guitarist Derek Melies while working at a coffee shop/bar with him. The four of us really found a sound together that felt like the “this is what we’ve been working towards” moment. We recorded our first EP together as a band and once the world opened back up we realized we needed someone to join us on keys and harmony so we could do all of the parts that were in the EP live. That led us to Kara LePage who we had met in the scene through Blue False Indigo. Now the five of us have signed with Manor Records, a local non-profit label here, and have started playing gigs from opening for touring artists to Boulevardia. We also have our first single with all five of us coming out on July 29th!

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Being involved in the music scene has certainly had its own challenges and sometimes very hard life lessons to learn. I’ve been through a pretty devastating band break up, I’m constantly having to hustle to make a name for myself or make people care, I have to balance making an income while also trying to exercise my creative brain and fund the necessary things like recording fees, merch, gear, the list is never ending. Being an artist is so much more involved than just creating your art. It has been a slow progression from leaving a small town of 3000 to trying to make a name for myself in Kansas City. Finding a consistent band who I felt like shared the same sound, morals, and goals has probably been the longest challenge. However, all that said, I think I’ve had a fairly smooth road to where I’m at now. The momentum has only continued to grow which has been the biggest encouragement to keep doing what I’m doing.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I dabble in quite a few instruments but I would say I specialize in piano, guitar, and drums. I also sing both melody and harmony and I’ve filled in for bands on lead guitar, rhythm guitar, bass, back-up vocals, and keys. On top of being a performing musician I’m also a video producer and graphic designer in my day job and take freelance gigs here and there. I think my versatility sets me apart from others. I previously worked for a Pest Control company where I ran their social media, I shot and produced their commercials, and I even wrote them a jingle just for fun that people recognize from their commercials now. I’m pretty proud to say that I created all of that!

Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
I find that being open to honest feedback, treating everyone with respect, and weeding out the people who don’t have your best interest at heart have been most valuable to networking. Never come into a conversation thinking you are better than someone else but also come in with confidence (even if you have to fake it) in what your craft is and what you can offer. You also of course have to find the scenarios where you can put yourself out there to meet people!

Contact Info:

• Website: katbking.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katbking/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katbkingmusic
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3OXwasVZuiNUaTCkwZfJjg

Image Credits
Doug Bybee, Zachary Kanzler, Asia Raine