Katie Moore

Katie Moore has been a key figure in Montreal’s folk and country scene for almost 15 years. The Alberta-born, Quebec-raised singer-songwriter has released four solo records and has collaborated, played with and supported a range of musicians including Socalled, Gonzales, Feist, Patrick Watson, the Barr Brothers, Joe Grass and Plants and Animals. She has been a member of several Montreal bands including Socalled, Timber, Yonder Hill and El Coyote. A long-time country music lover, Katie has co-hosted Ckut Montreal Radio’s Country Classics Hour for the last nine years (Sunday nights, 90.3FM in Montreal). Her latest album, Fooled By the Fun, mixes folk-ish and country-ish sounds into a haunting Americana mélange that’s fueled by her enchanting voice. Katie’s first album was released in 2005. The collection of mostly traditional country songs, peppered with a few originals, had a strictly traditional feel (acoustic guitars, upright bass, fiddle, pedal and lap steels) that was influenced by 1950s country music (Louvin Brothers, Kitty Wells, Alice Gerard and Hazel Dickens). Her second album, Only Thing Worse, was released on Borealis Records and featured mostly originals songs that strayed into the folk tradition. On this album, the sparse arrangements were complemented with beautiful harmonies, piano and violin. This album marked the beginning of Katie’s long-standing collaboration with producer Warren Spicer (Plants and Animals). Katie’s song “Rush Enough” was nominated for the Echo Songwriting Prize and the album was nominated for a MIMI and a GAMIQ. In 2011 Katie released Montebello on her own label Purple Cat Records. The album, which focused on songwriting and beautiful guitar melodies, won a GAMIQ Award for Folk/Country Album of the Year. Her single “Wake Up Like This” won the SOCAN ECHO Songwriting Prize. Katie’s fourth and latest album, Fooled by the Fun (Club Roll Records) catalogs her development as a songwriter. Built around a persuasive simplicity, the songs are anchored by her unique voice and built up with lush harmonies, guitars, violins, drums, piano and Rhodes. The album, produced by Warren Spicer, attempted to take a musical snapshot of musicians who have worked and played together for years and features some of Montreal’s most awesome musicians: Mike O’Brien (Sin and Swoon), Dave Payant (Silver Mount Zion), Andrew Horton, Socalled, Warren Spicer, Angela Desveaux, Josh Zubot, Jessica Moss (Silver Mount Zion), Patrice Agbouku (Islands). Recorded live at Mixart Studio and at her parents’ home in Hudson, Qc, the songs were often captured in just one or two takes (with violin and string arrangements added after). Who wants Moore?