In 1978, I relocated to Southern California, but by 1989 my first husband and I separated then divorced. After a trip back to New Jersey to attend a childhood friend's wedding, I made the decision to stay in New Jersey to raise my 6 year old daughter and my one and 1/2 year old son. There was something special about raising my children where I grew up and surrounding them with my parents and family. After four years in New Jersey, I reacquainted with a school friend, who had always had a crush on me. We were married in 1993. Finally I was back home!
I returned to working in the hotel industry and assisted with the opening of a brand new hotel on Route 1 in Princeton, N.J.
During that time, I also started an office and housecleaning business now with a full time job cleaning on the side, and raising two young children, I sure was busy!
Kat with daughter Brianne and son Thomas in 1987
Continuing my love of music, I attended every H.O.R.D.E. Tour (Horizons of Rock Developing Everywhere), Lollapalooza festivals, Ozzfests, and Warped Tours. Music was still a large part of my life. I attended the second Woodstock in 1994, traveled to NYC to see Pearl Jam, Audio Slave, Alice In Chains, Dream Theater, Blues Traveler, Tom Petty, and so many more music venues like Madison Square Garden, The Hammerstein Ballroom, Webster Hall, and various small clubs in the city.
Plugging myself into the Philly music scene, I saw concerts at the Tower Theatre, the Trocadero, Electric Factory, the Tin Angel, and the World Cafe Live. Music was still pumping through me, as in the past, trying to see as many artists I could.
After birthing my third child in 15 minutes, I damaged my lower spine. To help with the pain, it was suggested I try acupuncture three days a week in Princeton. One day after a session, I stopped at a local brewery and met a girl who asked me to stay and listen to her band playing soon that night.
The band had a bluesy sound that I liked very much, and after that, I made an effort to continue following their performances. I made sure the band had water on stage. I introduced myself to the sound people, and during the shows I walked around with a clip board collecting emails and thanking everyone for supporting the band.
One weekend I attended a music festival at a campground. It was 10:30 pm, and after a long day, I decided to stay for the last act, a blues man from Australia. After his set, I introduced myself and was glad to have met him.
Three months later, in the lobby of the Stanhope, my eye caught a poster on the wall. It had a picture of the same blues guy from Australia, who had just performed there. When I returned home, I contacted him on MySpace. He remembered me, and thought I should contact his booking agent who lived in Georgia. I had no idea what a booking agent even was.
As it ended up, I had two close friends who booked acoustic musicians where they worked. They asked me if I would assist them in booking local artists. After working with them for a few years, I learned what a booking agent actually was. That’s when I began assisting local artists who were looking for gigs, booking them in coffee shops, and I hosted a weekly acoustic event inside a local supermarket.
The very first year I began working with four local singer-songwriters. Establishing Tunes2ya.com, a website, a domain and a logo. The next year my musical roster grew to fourteen artists. By the fifth year, I was representing over fifty musicians worldwide.
Soon, I did in fact contact that booking agent in Georgia. She asked me if I had ever been to Nashville? I told her I had never worked with twangy country artists and wasn’t sure I would fit in there. She told me that Nashville was about ALL genres of music. So I agreed to meet her in Nashville, and we shared a hotel for the week of the Americana Music Awards Conference.
When I arrived, it truly was my very first rodeo. That night I was invited out to dinner, and I sat next to the president of the AMA, along with the woman in charge of volunteers. She asked if I had interest in volunteering all week. She told me to meet her at 8 am the next morning at the hotel where the conference was being held.
Kat’s First time in Nashville 2006
That was back in 2006, and for the next 18 years I have continued to volunteer. The only years I missed was when I had a broken foot and during COVID. My responsibilities ranged from stuffing thousands of goodie bags, working the registration desks, hosting daily luncheons for the conference attendees on Broadway, working and hosting international events, assisting in the AMA office, delivering the award trophies to the Ryman, working the daily information desks, working and over seeing the daily panels, selling merchandise and so much more.
When I first got involved, there wasn’t even an Americana genre. Years later, Americana was added to the Grammy Awards. I became known as Jersey Kat or Princeton Kat. This is where I would meet worldwide industry contacts, and looked forward to reuniting with my musical friends from year to year.
It was important for me to learn as much as I could about the music industry, spending quality time in Asbury Park, New Jersey, Philadelphia, NYC, and Nashville, networking with key music representatives and decision makers. Along with worldwide DJ’s. Making a name for myself while never soliciting my services. I felt word of mouth and allowing an organic approach worked best for me. At this time I was representing musicians from the USA, the UK, Scotland, Italy, France, and Sweden.
Tours were put together from New Jersey to California and back, New Jersey to Chicago to Colorado and back, From New Jersey to Asheville, NC, North Carolina to NYC, New Orleans to NYC, New Orleans to Key West and back and the UK to Sweden. Tour support and bookings became a huge service I provided.
Robert Hazard at 2011 Singer-Songwriter Cape May
I got involved with Singer-Songwriter Cape May for 11 years, hosting a two night showcase from year to year. Meeting Robert Hazard and his wife and beginning to work with him until his sudden death. Coordinating and Hosting The Tributes to Robert Hazard in Cape May, NJ and Nashville. Sscapemay took a hiatus and will be returning in March 2025.
I attended and booked acoustic acts for the Wave Gatherings in Asbury Park, NJ, and spent quality time getting to know artists and booked the Saint, the Wonder Bar, the Twisted Tree, and the Stone Pony. I was fortunate to reunite with Bruce Springsteen a few times when he and his band were rehearsing at Convention Hall for his upcoming tours.
One of the highlights of my musical career, was bringing the New York Songwriters Circle to the Grounds for Sculpture, in Hamilton, NJ. This entailed three years of successful shows of singer-songwriters from NYC.
Kat hosts the New York Songwriters Circle at the Grounds For Sculpture
I traveled to NYC three nights a week booking the Bitter End, The Rockwood Music Hall, The Living Room, Pianos, Arlene’s Grocery Store, The Red Lion, Sullivan Hall, Cafe Vivaldi and a weekly gig at a brand new music venue owned by two musical brothers, the National Underground. Then teaming up with two guys in Philadelphia for an acoustic night at the Triumph Brewery. Booking Grape Street for festivals, showcase night at the Tin Angel, and shows at the World Cafe Live. Booking SXSW a few years, coordinating and hosting four Lyme Disease Benefits for a close personal DJ friend, as well as booking bands and artists in Nashville and also during the AMA festival, all became a constant for me.
In addition, I’ve booked numerous artists in Knoxville, Tennessee at the legendary WDVX Blue Plate Special, live over the air performing at the Knoxville Visitors Center.
All of this was accomplished while raising three children, running a housecleaning business and representing musicians yearly in my musical roster. I kept busy 24/7 and when my phone pinged at 3 am, I knew it was London calling. And I always answered.
Looking back, I never became involved in the music business to make money, knowing I’d never make back all the money that I had invested. I’ve enjoyed everything, and I continued to learn more and more as I went along. The artists I have represented became Family. We achieved goals together. When they succeeded, I succeeded. There was really nothing I would or could not do. I’ve stood up to some nasty powerful people. You have to in order to be respected, and I always advocated for the musicians I represented.
The Mike Montrey Band performs in Nashville at the basement 2023
Now as I look back, on the past 24 years, I have come to realize I’ve enjoyed My Musical Journey watching artists rise to fame, sadly watching artists pass and some take their lives. Watching some musicians switch gears, get married, have children, get divorced. I’ve seen it all and stuck with it every step of the way.
It took lots of networking , personal growth, and staying true to what brought us to achieve these goals. While helping others accomplish what they set out to do, has always been paramount.
Thank you to each and every one of you for your confidence in me. For reaching out to me and taking their musical journey together. It has been a ride of a lifetime watching each of these artists grow and fulfill their dreams and goals.
Music will always be a huge part of me. Some of my favorite people are musicians. Even though I am now walking away from My Musical Journey, I know Music will Always be playing in the background.
More to come…
Kat with Anthony D'Amato and Brian Dunne of Fantastic Cat in Nashville, 2023
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