Kat Wright

Wright was born in Rochester, New York, where she attended Our Lady of Mercy High School and later received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Alfred University in Alfred, New York. Her first forays into touring began in 2009 with a folk project consisting of Wright and her childhood best-friend Maggie Clifford called Loveful Heights. They released a full-length album recorded by Ryan Power in 2012.{{cite web|url=https://www.mpnnow.com/news/20200131/front-row-seat-soulful-return-to-rochester-for-kat-wright|title=Front-Row Seat: A soulful return to Rochester for Kat Wright|publisher=Daily Messenger|date=January 31, 2020|accessdate=February 7, 2020}}

In 2010, having newly relocated to Vermont, Wright formed a group for a Thursday-night residency at the Radio Bean on North Winooski Ave in Burlington, Vermont, a venue Wright co-owns with her husband and Radio Bean founder Lee Anderson. The residency lasted weekly for more than five years before touring elsewhere took precedence.{{cite web|url=https://www.sevendaysvt.com/vermont/the-indomitable-rise-of-kat-wright/Content?oid=3811176|title=The indominitable rise of Kat Wright|work=Seven Days VT|accessdate=February 22, 2021}}

In the years since, Wright has expanded from shows solely in her adopted hometown of Burlington, Vermont and has toured throughout US. She has primarily toured with both her 8-piece soul band as well as a newly formed acoustic trio with longtime band mates Josh Weinstein (bass) and Bob Wagner (guitar). The acoustic trio made its live debut supporting The Wood Brothers in early 2020 with stops at the newly reopened Webster Hall in New York City,{{cite news|url=https://liveforlivemusic.com/news/the-wood-brothers-webster-hall-1-31-20/|title=The Wood Brothers Performance At Sold-Out Webster Hall|work=Live for Live Music|date=February 2, 2020|accessdate=February 22, 2021}} The Fillmore in Philadelphia and the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee.{{cite news|url=https://www.mpnnow.com/news/20200131/front-row-seat-soulful-return-to-rochester-for-kat-wright|title=Front-Row Seat: A soulful return to Rochester for Kat Wright|work=mpnnow.com|date=January 31, 2020|accessdate=February 22, 2021}}

In 2017, Wright alongside Clifford were featured performers in the Eugene Jarecki music documentary The King.{{cite news|url=https://www.heraldnews.com/news/20180705/from-block-a-palooza-to-music-documentary-kat-wright-shines-in-spotlight|title=From Block-a-Palooza to a music documentary, Kat Wright shines in the spotlight|work=Herald News|date=July 5, 2018|accessdate=February 22, 2021}}

Wright has supported Kacey Musgraves, Grace Potter, Marco Benevento, Rubblebucket, Lawrence, The Preservation Hall Jazz Band, The Wood Brothers, Leftover Salmon, Ryan Montbleau, Soulive, The Motet, The Original Wailers and Leon Russell.{{cite web|url=http://www.sevendaysvt.com/vermont/leon-russell-kat-wright-and-the-indomitable-soul-band/Event?oid=2413548|title=Leon Russell, Kat Wright and the Indomitable Soul Band|publisher=Seven Days|date=August 6, 2014|accessdate=February 28, 2015}}

Notable touring includes an appearance at NPR's Mountain Stage in 2018, two appearances at the Syracuse Jazz Festival as well as appearances at the Montreal International Jazz Festival{{cite web|url=http://montrealjazzfest.com/en-CA/Programmation/Concert/9261|title=Kat Wright|publisher=Montreal Jazz Festival|accessdate=July 1, 2017}} in 2017, Jam Cruise, Burlington Discover Jazz Fest, Summer Camp Music Festival, Green River Festival, Grace Potter's Grand Point North, and the Brooklyn Bowl.{{cite web|url=http://www.brooklynbowl.com/event/781965-gedeon-luke-people-kat-brooklyn/|title=Gedeon Luke & The People, Kat Wright and the Indomitable Soul Band|publisher=Brooklyn Bowl|date=April 16, 2015|accessdate=February 28, 2015}} In 2019, she appeared at moe.down in Turin, New York and The Peach Music Festival in Scranton, Pennsylvania.{{cite news|url=https://www.dcmusicreview.com/peach-festivals-amazing-lineup-wows-all-weekend/|title=Peach festival's amazing lineup wows all weekend|date=August 1, 2019|work=DC Music Review|accessdate=February 7, 2020}}

Wright's debut EP, Introducing... was released in 2013, credited to Kat Wright and the Indomitable Soul Band. As well as soul, it showed jam band and hip-hop influences.{{cite news|url=http://www.rochestercitynewspaper.com/rochester/album-review-introducing-kat-wright-and-the-indomitable-soul-band/Content?oid=2359403|title=ALBUM REVIEW: ".... Introducing Kat Wright and the Indomitable Soul Band"|first=Frank|last=DeBlase|newspaper=Rochester City Newspaper|date=April 9, 2014|accessdate=March 31, 2015}} The EP was chosen as one of the top 10 best Vermont Made Recordings by Seven Days Newspaper in 2013.{{Cite news|url=http://www.sevendaysvt.com/vermont/recapping-the-top-vermont-made-recordings-of-2013/Content?oid=2296014|title=Recapping the Top Vermont Made Recordings of 2013|last=Bolles|first=Dan|work=Seven Days|access-date=March 22, 2018|language=en}} In 2014 the readers of the paper voted her Vermont's "Best funk/R&B artist or group" and "Best jazz/blues artist or group".{{Cite news|url=http://www.sevendaysvt.com/vermont/BestOf?category=2399483|title=Best Arts & Entertainment in Vermont|work=Seven Days|access-date=March 22, 2018|language=en}} Wright also recorded a live album at Signal Kitchen, Burlington in April 2014.{{cite news|url=http://www.sevendaysvt.com/vermont/soundbites-record-store-day-album-news-from-kat-wright/Content?oid=2351273|title=Soundbites: Record Story Day, Album news from Kat Wright|date=April 16, 2014|work=Seven Days|accessdate=February 28, 2014}}

Wright's first full-length album, By My Side, was produced / recorded by Joel Hamilton (Pretty Lights, Tom Waits, Elvis Costello) at Studio G, Brooklyn and independently released in November 2016.{{cite news|url=http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/entertainment/2016/11/17/kat-wright-finally-makes-first-album/93836248/|title=Kat Wright throws a party for first album, 'By My Side'|work=Burlington Free Press|date=November 17, 2016|accessdate=March 17, 2017}}

In April 2019, Wright began production on her second full length album with producer Eric Krasno. In October, she was invited to be the featured guest vocalist with the Vermont Symphony Orchestra for their fall program.{{cite news|url=https://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/entertainment/2019/10/24/kat-wright-vermont-symphony-orchestra/4000860002/|title=With Kat Wright show, Vermont Symphony Orchestra moves forward on winning strategy|work=Burlington Free Press|date=October 24, 2019|accessdate=February 1, 2021}}

Wright remains proud of her Vermont heritage and has vocally supported the politics of Bernie Sanders, campaigning as a surrogate with him and performing at his rallies during his 2016 presidential campaign.{{cite news|url=http://digital.vpr.net/post/kat-wright-indomitable-soul-band-release-their-first-full-length-album#stream/0|title=Kat Wright & The Indomitable Soul Band Release Their First Full-Length Album|work=VPR|date=November 18, 2016|accessdate=December 1, 2016}} She supports the environmental movement and uses refillable water bottles during touring. In 2018, she opened a booth called Katnip Vintage at The Vault Collective, a much loved vintage clothing group shop in Burlington, Vermont.

• Introducing (EP) – 2013
• By My Side – 2016
• Trio Sessions Vol. 1 (EP) - 2021

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Category:Singer-songwriters from Vermont

Category:American soul singers

Category:American women pop singers

Category:Musicians from Burlington, Vermont

Category:21st-century American women singers

Category:Musicians from Rochester, New York

Category:Singer-songwriters from New York (state)

Category:Alfred University alumni

Category:American women singer-songwriters

Category:21st-century American singer-songwriters