Member Profile

Kathy Chiavola is one of the most respected vocalists and rhythm guitarists in bluegrass and acoustic music. She grew up playing guitar and singing folk, blues and rock in Kansas City, MO and was awarded a scholarship to the Oberlin Conservatory of Music where she earned her bachelor and master degrees in vocal performance. She later studied in a doctoral program at Indiana University with Metropolitan Opera star Eileen Farrell. Her focus moved to bluegrass, country and acoustic music in 1978 and she moved to Nashville in 1980. She toured as bassist with The Doug Dillard Band, Vassar Clements, and The Country Gazette, before forming her own group with Jerry Douglas, Edgar Meyer, and Bela Fleck in the mid-eighties. Kathy current release SOMEHOW is her first recording of all original songs and incorporates diverse influences; bluegrass, blues, jazz, Latin, and country with an extraordinary cast of musicians including Victor Wooten, Edgar Meyer, Darrell Scott, Stuart Duncan, Jeff Coffin, Joey Misculin, Rob Ickes, and flamenco greats Chuscales and Yiyi. Critic Tom Travis named it his pick for album of the year in the UK’s Country Music People Magazine, December, 2007. Kathy has toured the US, UK, Europe, and Japan extensively and was the first bluegrass artist to perform in the Faroe Islands. "It was nothing less than a volcano of a concert, a country and bluegrass victory, where the acoustic instruments and a big voice filled every corner”, and Castleford, England, "nothing short of incredible", to Kenilworth, England "The audience - not all bluegrass fans, were captivated....Awesome." Her previous recordings include FROM WHERE I STAND, A Personal Tribute, dedicated to world champion fiddler Randy Howard, her partner of nine years. Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine proclaimed, “stunning, emotional... beautifully compelling...Kathy’s vocal style and range fill a huge gap in today’s world of female bluegrass singers....An inspiring and courageous album to be treasured” and THE HARVEST which features Randy Howard, Roy Huskey, Brent Truitt, Chet Atkins, Emmylou Harris, Tony Rice, Bela Fleck, John Cowan, Bill Monroe, and Vince Gill. The Chicago Tribune hailed it one of the top five bluegrass CD’s of ‘96. Her duet with Bill Monroe is believed to be his last vocal recording. Kathy’s country debut LABOR OF LOVE gathered unanimous critical acclaim in 1990. It was London’s Tower Records’ No. 1 country CD for two weeks and reached No. 2 on the UK country chart. Kathy’s recorded “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” for A PICTURE OF HANK, Mercury Records and “Won’t Be Long” for CLASSIC RAILROAD SONGS, VOL 4, Rounder Records. Kathy reprised the title role of the Bell Witch Ballet with the Nashville Symphony and Ballet in October, 2008. Kathy has been featured on NPR’s Weekend All Things Considered, (www.npr.org, click on archives, select “Weekend All Things Considered” and type Kathy Chiavola)and was co-artistic director of the Nashville Chamber Orchestra American Song Festival featuring her, Tim O’brien, Peter Rowan, Guy Clark, Nanci Griffith, Darrell Scott, Bill Miller, Marcus Hummon and Jim Lauderdale. Kathy was voted 1995’s Outstanding Background Vocalist in the Nashville Music Awards for her work with Garth Brooks and Emmylou Harris. She has also recorded with Bill Monroe, John Hartford, John Oats, Ricky Skaggs, Rhonda Vincent, Tammy Wynette, Kathy Mattea, Tony Rice, Vince Gill, Kenny Rogers, Victor Wooten, Wayne Newton, Mark O’Connor and has recorded jingles for State Farm, Mcdonald’s and Country Time Lemonade. She is a voice instructor at Belmont University, endorses D’Addario strings, Martin Guitars and serves on the board of directors for the Nashville chapter of The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. AWARDS Recorded Event of the Year, FOLLOW ME BACK TO THE FOLD, IBMA 2001 Female Vocalist of the Year, nominations, 1998 & 2000 SPBGMA International Artist of the Year Independent Label - British Country Music Awards, nomination 1997 Female Vocalist of the Year, SPBGMA Bluegrass Awards 1997 Top 5 Bluegrass CDs, Chicago Tribune 1996 Backup Vocalist of the Year, Nashville Music Awards 1995