Kathi McDonald

Kathryn Marie McDonald (born 25 September 1948), popularly known as Kathi McDonald, is a blues and rock singer. She currently performs with Kathi McDonald & Friends. She has appeared on an extensive list of rock and blues albums and toured extensively with Long John Baldry prior to his death. She and Baldry enjoyed pop success in Australia where their duet "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" reached No. 2 in 1980. Kathi was born in Anacortes, Washington and resides in the Seattle Washington state area but still has strong San Francisco music connections. In February 2009 she performed at the opening gala for the San Francisco Museum of Performance & Design along with Sam Andrews. Welcoming in a new museum dedicated to the art and music of San Francisco of the 1965-1975 era.

The early years

Born in Washington state in 1948, McDonald performed professionally for the first time around Seattle when she was 12 years old. Kathi recalls her parents often upon their return from the local Elks club, waking her up and having her sing from her crib. The first song she fully learned was "Goodnight Irene" by Huddie Leadbetter and at age 2 she would sing all 5 verses from her crib. She attributes these evenings to the reason for her late night work habits.

San Francisco years

At the age of 19 she moved to San Francisco and joined Ike and Tina Turner as an Ikette. She then did some work with Big Brother & the Holding Company. In 1972 she recorded "Insane Asylum" for Capitol Records. The album was Co-Produced by David Briggs and Pete Sears...Sears was also musical arranger and played keyboards and bass, as well as writing several of the albums songs with Kathi.

Post San Francisco

Save Your Breath was released over 20 years after Insane Asylum appeared. Above and Beyond followed in 1999, featuring contributions from Lee Oskar on harmonica and Brian Auger on keyboards. McDonald devoted more than two decades to recording and performing in collaboration with Long John Baldry, and the duo scored with their version of "You've Lost That Loving Feeling" when it was released in Canada. In later years, she also contributed to the Seattle Women in Rhythm and Blues project. She reunited with Big Brother & the Holding Company in California for a concert on New Year's Eve, 1997. She was inducted into the Washington Blues Society's Hall of Fame two years later 1999.

Currently

Kathi McDonald often performs with Chicago Blues guitarist Rich Kirch (John Lee Hooker's Band from 1989–2001). She also performs with her own band Kathi MacDonald and Friends as well as with other arrangements in the Seattle area.

List of bands

During her career, Kathi McDonald has been a member of a number of groups including:

• The Unusuals
• Fat Jack
• Guilty Pleasures
• Big Brother and the Holding Company
• Long John Baldry
• MisFits
• Brian Blaine
• Kathi McDonald & Friends

Discography

Kathi has been recorded on the following releases

• 1969 Ike & Tina Turner - Come Together
• 1970 Joe Cocker - Mad Dogs and Englishmen
• 1971 Big Brother & The Holding Company - Be A Brother
• 1971 Freddie King - Getting Ready
• 1971 Leon Russell Shelter People
• 1971 Delaney & Bonnie - To Bonnie From Delaney
• 1971 Rita Coolidge - Rita Coolidge
• 1972 Big Brother & The Holding Company - How Hard It Is
• 1972 The Rolling Stones - Exile On Main Street
• 1972 Nils Lofgren - All Out
• 1973 Dave Mason - Headkeeper
• 1973 Betty Davis - Betty Davis
• 1974 Kathi McDonald - Insane Asylum
• 1975 Leon Russell - Best Of Leon Russell 1971-1974
• 1976 Long John Baldry - Baldry's Out
• 1975 Quicksilver Messenger Service - Solid Silver
• 1980 Ike & Tina Turner - Best of Ike & Tina Turner 1969-1974
• 1982 Long John Baldry - Best Of Long John Baldry
• 1991 Long John Baldry - It Still Ain't Easy
• 1994 Kathi McDonald - Save Your Breath
• 1996 Nick Vigarino - Victims Of Cool
• 1997 Kathi McDonald & Nick Vigarino - Ghost Of Time
• 1997 Big Brother & The Holding Company Can't - Go Home Again
• 1998 Mark Riley - Lead Suit
• 1999 Kate Hart - Queen Of The Night
• 1999 Seattle Women - Back Porch Gossip
• 1999 Seattle Women - We Are Not Good Girls
• 1999 Kathi McDonald - Above & Beyond
• 2003 Kathi McDonald - Kathi McDonald
• 2010 Kathi McDonald & Friends - On With The Show

External links

• Kathi McDonald website