Kate Rhudy

{{short description|21st-century American singer-songwriter and musician}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Kate Rhudy

| image =

| image_size = 200px

| caption =

| landscape =

| alt =

| birth_date =

| birth_place =

| origin = Raleigh, North Carolina
United States

| genre = Folk-pop, Country, Americana

| occupation = singer-songwriter, musician

| instruments = vocals, violin, fiddle, mandolin, guitar

| years_active = 2016–present

| label =

| associated_acts = Mandolin Orange
Mipso

| website = [https://www.katerhudy.com/ katerhudy.com]

}}

Kate Austin Rhudy{{cite web|url=https://www.ascap.com/repertory#/ace/search/workID/915802847 |title=AROUND |website=ASCAP |publisher=American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers |access-date=March 13, 2023}} is an American folk-pop and country singer-songwriter, musician, and recording artist. Trained as a classical violinist, she played in multiple local bands in Boone, North Carolina as a fiddler before moving to Nashville to further pursue a career in music. She later moved to back to her hometown, Raleigh, and began performing as a solo artist. In 2017, she released her debut album, Rock N' Roll Ain't For Me. In 2022, she released her second album, ”Dream Rooms” which she debuted at the Raleigh Rose Garden selling out her show.

Early life and education

Rhudy is from Raleigh, North Carolina.{{Cite web|url=https://www.morganton.com/entertainment/a-winter-music-fest-q-a-session-with-kate-rhudy/article_db9e2084-fef2-11e8-87de-03c6848a6ea6.html|title=A Winter Music Fest Q&A session with Kate Rhudy|last=|first=|date=December 13, 2018|website=Morganton.com {{!}} The News Herald|language=en|access-date=March 18, 2020}} She attended Raleigh Charter High School, where she ran cross country, was on the swim team, and was one of three captains on the soccer team.{{Cite web|url=https://www.athletic.net/CrossCountry/Athlete.aspx?AID=2616166|title=Kate Rhudy|website=Athletic.net|language=en|access-date=March 18, 2020}}{{Cite web|url= https://twitter.com/hudeskrate/status/1485802933350547456}} She later attended Appalachian State University for three years, but left school in 2016 to pursue a career in music.{{Cite web|url=https://indyweek.com/api/content/1e72ed91-0bf0-5e06-a199-719ca82b19b6/|title=Rachel Baiman and Kate Rhudy Find Common Ground in the Personal and Political|last=Griffith|first=Spencer|date=January 24, 2018|website=INDY Week|language=en-us|access-date=March 18, 2020}}{{Dead link|date=December 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}{{Cite web|url=https://www.last.fm/music/Kate+Rhudy/+wiki|title=Kate Rhudy biography|website=Last.fm|language=en|access-date=March 18, 2020}} As a child, Rhudy trained in classical violin, in the Suzuki method, and grew up around acoustic music, often attending fiddler's conventions in Southwestern Virginia with her older sister.{{Cite web|url=https://sheshredsmag.com/kate-rhudy/|title=Kate Rhudy and her Southern Community|last=Wynne|first=Griffin|date=August 9, 2019|website=She Shreds Magazine|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200318223228/https://sheshredsmag.com/kate-rhudy/|archive-date=March 18, 2020|access-date=March 18, 2020|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|url=https://indyweek.com/api/content/186ba3e4-c53a-11e8-b7ae-120e7ad5cf50/|title=More Kinda, Sorta Bluegrass|last=Griffith|first=Spencer|date=September 26, 2018|website=INDY Week|language=en-us|access-date=March 18, 2020}}{{Dead link|date=December 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} She started playing the fiddle when she was five and the mandolin when she was nine. Rhudy was raised Baptist, and attended Pullen Memorial Baptist Church, which was kicked out of the Southern Baptist Convention for supporting LGBTQ rights.

Career

Rhudy played fiddle and sang harmonies as a member of the band Andy Ferrell and Oncoming Train. She sang two solos for the band, covers of Jolene by Dolly Parton and You Ain't Woman Enough by Loretta Lynn. Rhudy's song The Only Pretty Thing in Texas is about her time in the band.{{Cite web|url=https://indyweek.com/api/content/a2f82736-0a1c-11e9-b3fd-120e7ad5cf50/|title=Listening to Dolly Parton, the Dixie Chicks, and Leon Bridges with Kate Rhudy|last=Griffith|first=Spencer|date=December 27, 2018|website=INDY Week|language=en-us|access-date=March 18, 2020}}{{Dead link|date=December 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

Rhudy worked with Andrew Marlin of Mandolin Orange to produce her debut album, Rock N' Roll Ain't For Me, in 2017.{{Cite web|url=https://purplefiddle.com/bands/kate-rhudy/|title=Kate Rhudy|website=Purple Fiddle|language=en-US|access-date=March 18, 2020}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.wunc.org/post/kate-rhudy-offers-songs-serenity-debut-album|title=Kate Rhudy Offers Songs With Serenity On Debut Album|last1=Shelton|first1=Charlie|last2=Stasio|first2=Frank|date=June 16, 2017|website=North Carolina Public Radio|language=en|access-date=March 18, 2020}} The album was inspired by Rhudy's personal feminist beliefs, times playing in bands, experiences as an undergraduate student, politics, and sexism towards women in the music industry.{{Cite web|url=http://www.encorepub.com/women-are-the-best-kate-rhudy-and-libby-rodenbough-stop-over-at-gravity-on-smooch-tour/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327144735/http://www.encorepub.com/women-are-the-best-kate-rhudy-and-libby-rodenbough-stop-over-at-gravity-on-smooch-tour/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=March 27, 2019|title=WOMEN ARE THE BEST! Kate Rhudy and Libby Rodenbough stop over at Gravity on Smooch Tour|last=Gentry|first=Shannon Rae|date=March 26, 2019|website=ILM's Alternative Weekly Voice|language=en-US|access-date=March 18, 2020}} She produced the album at Rubber Room Studio in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.{{Cite web|url=https://medium.com/amplify-entertainment-group/kate-rhudy-single-session-d2703d3d21b4|title=Kate Rhudy Single Session|last=Editors|first=Amplify|date=January 27, 2017|website=Medium|language=en|access-date=March 18, 2020}}

In 2018, Rhudy performed at the Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival{{Cite web|url=https://shakorihillsgrassroots.org/artist/kate-rhudy/|title=Kate Rhudy|website=Shakori Hills GrassRoots Festival of Music & Dance|language=en-US|access-date=March 18, 2020|archive-date=March 18, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200318223219/https://shakorihillsgrassroots.org/artist/kate-rhudy/|url-status=dead}} and contributed vocal tracks to the Bombadil album Beautiful Country.{{cite web|last1=Hart|first1=Bill|title=Bombadil – Beautiful Country|url=http://thevinylpress.com/bombadil-beautiful-country/|website=The Vinyl Press|date=October 24, 2019 |accessdate=October 24, 2019}}

In December 2019, Rhudy released the single Dance It Away, the first piece of music produced since her album in 2017.{{Cite web|url=https://first-avenue.com/performer/kate-rhudy|title=KATE RHUDY {{!}} First Avenue|website=first-avenue.com|access-date=March 18, 2020}} The single was produced by Jack Hallenbeck in Los Angeles and Raleigh.{{Cite web|url=https://www.wunc.org/post/premiere-listen-kate-rhudys-new-single-dance-it-away|title=PREMIERE: Listen to Kate Rhudy's New Single 'Dance It Away'|last=Burns|first=Brian|date=December 31, 2019|website=North Carolina Public Radio|language=en|access-date=March 18, 2020}}{{Cite web|url=https://indyweek.com/api/content/c9fbf3ea-317f-11ea-a7a8-1244d5f7c7c6/|title=50 Local Albums and Songs We Loved in 2019|date=January 8, 2020|website=INDY Week|language=en-us|access-date=March 18, 2020}}{{Dead link|date=December 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

In January 2020, Rhudy joined Mandolin Orange on their tour.{{Cite web|url=https://www.katerhudy.com/|title=Kate Rhudy|website=Kate Rhudy|language=en-US|access-date=March 18, 2020}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.thebirn.com/show/dead-horses-and-kate-rhudy-play-cafe-939/|title=Dead Horses and Kate Rhudy play Cafe 939|date=January 31, 2020|website=The BIRN|language=en-US|access-date=March 18, 2020|archive-date=March 18, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200318223220/https://www.thebirn.com/show/dead-horses-and-kate-rhudy-play-cafe-939/|url-status=dead}} She had previously performed as an opening act for the duo in 2017.{{Cite web|url=https://indyweek.com/api/content/afb59d48-a25f-5ad1-b677-22511559c05b/|title=Video: Mandolin Orange Plays to a Packed House at NCMA|last=Schram|first=Dan|date=August 4, 2017|website=INDY Week|language=en-us|access-date=March 18, 2020}}{{Dead link|date=December 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Rhudy has also performed with Mipso.{{Cite web|url=http://highpointarts.org/event/hp-arts-council-presents-third-thursday-featuring-kate-rhudy-joseph-terrell/|title=HP Arts Council Presents Third Thursday Featuring Kate Rhudy & Joseph Terrell {{!}} High Point Arts Council|language=en-US|access-date=March 18, 2020}}

In April 2022, Rhudy self-released her sophomore album, Dream Rooms.{{Cite web |last=Edwards |first=Sarah |date=2022-04-13 |title=On Her Sophomore Album 'Dream Rooms,' Kate Rhudy Goes Her Own Way |url=https://indyweek.com/api/content/a42b4d26-ba8c-11ec-9819-12274efc5439/ |access-date=2022-04-19 |website=INDY Week |language=en-us }}{{Dead link|date=April 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

Rhudy has cited The Dixie Chicks, Nickel Creek, and Alison Krauss, as well as Appalachian music, as influences on her music.{{Cite web|url=https://www.wataugademocrat.com/mountaintimes/kate-rhudy-bringing-original-music-to-boone/article_65cd57f9-f103-5559-978e-0023889db139.html|title=Kate Rhudy bringing original music to Boone|last=Halsey|first=Derek|website=Watauga Democrat|date=September 15, 2016 |language=en|access-date=March 18, 2020}}