Blues artist Katie Knipp knows how to multi-task, and we are talking about that in the biggest sense of the phrase, being both an active mother of two small children as well as blowing up her musical career in a major way. Knipp hails from Sacramento and is fast becoming one of the Bay Area’s darlings in blues, having her most recent album, “Take It With You” land at #9 on the Heat Seekers charts and #10 on Billboard’s Blues Album chart ( of which she shared chart space with other blues masters such as Buddy Guy and Kenny Wayne Shepard,) “I almost passed out!” Knipp states upon hearing how her album was doing, “Then I was quickly brought back to Earth by needing to clean up my 2 year old’s vomit about a minute later.” Such is the life of a rock star mom, glory amid the day-to-day stresses of maternal duties. “It’s a daily struggle”, says Knipp, “but I am learning how to prioritize every single minute. “
It’s also worth mentioning that Knipp’s album was on the ballot for a Grammy nomination, and although that fell through and she didn’t make it to a nomination, she feels like the nod from the Grammy organization was a serious gift to her career, stating, “The experience of being on the ballot for nomination consideration was extra special. The radio support for my album has also meant so much to me, especially overseas, as it has translated to more direct sales of my CDs and downloads online.”
It’s also worth mentioning that Knipp’s album was on the ballot for a Grammy nomination, and although that fell through and she didn’t make it to a nomination, she feels like the nod from the Grammy organization was a serious gift to her career, stating, “The experience of being on the ballot for nomination consideration was extra special. The radio support for my album has also meant so much to me, especially overseas, as it has translated to more direct sales of my CDs and downloads online.”
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Knipp takes her music seriously, writing songs that span the gamut of blues-inspired subjects such as murder, abuse, war, drugs, sex, and psychotic love. She sings these songs with great exuberance, allowing her deep, powerful, rich and full voice to be the muse of the lyrics, punctuating each verse with a syrupy vibrato, juicy howls, fierce moans, or a “fuck you” attitude, all controlled with sheer brilliance. Her 4 prior albums all convey the struggle and the joy of singing the blues. “Blues has always felt best in regards to my singing style, very freeing. I remember early days of open mics as a teenager and just getting a blues song out there felt like a sigh of relief.”
Knipp has worked very hard to get to where she is, and she is grateful for her musical career. She has a degree in opera, of which you can tell by her full-throated singing style, and in conjunction with her love of piano and Dobro, Knipp has created the sound she has become known for. “I cherish every moment and just feel completely grateful. I definitely feel pressure to always do better than my previous albums, but it’s a good kind of pressure because all it really comes down to is the desire for constant growth. Music is so wonderful that way because you can never stop growing your craft on different instruments, styles, and writing.”
Knipp has worked very hard to get to where she is, and she is grateful for her musical career. She has a degree in opera, of which you can tell by her full-throated singing style, and in conjunction with her love of piano and Dobro, Knipp has created the sound she has become known for. “I cherish every moment and just feel completely grateful. I definitely feel pressure to always do better than my previous albums, but it’s a good kind of pressure because all it really comes down to is the desire for constant growth. Music is so wonderful that way because you can never stop growing your craft on different instruments, styles, and writing.”
Being a woman blues performer is a different journey than that of the male performers, it shouldn’t be that way but it is. Being a woman has its own strengths and Knipp is making it work for her, “All the nominees in my category for Grammys were men. It sure would be nice to change that the next time around,” she states of the male/female imbalance of power in the music industry. “I want to empower girls to go for it, which is why I volunteer for Girls Rock Sacramento every summer. Being a woman onstage makes me automatically struggle a bit more with vanity than I would like. I worry a little too much about my weight along with everything else. The average human tends to look before they listen.”
It’s been her strong drive and deep appreciation of her audience that makes creating music so fun for her. Performing and recording are two very different experiencing, but Knipp enjoys both. “Recording tends to be a bit more challenging because there is no audience energy/communication transfer, but it’s nice to be able to do a second take.” As far as her live performances go, even amid the stage fright, she loves the energy and vibe of being onstage, “I feel like a kid on a trampoline. It’s wonderful, and I always want to bear hug every single person afterward. That being said, I do also have more moments, especially with high-pressure solo opening act gigs for famous people like Jimmie Vaughan, Robert Cray, and Joan Osborne, where my stage fright can kick in pretty brutally. No one seems to notice, but it sometimes feels like I might pass out. I am learning to deal with it as best I can through mediation so I can HAVE FUN!”
Knipp is in the planning stages for her next studio album in the fall. She wants to continue to create music that resonates with her soul with lyrics that express her personal truth. She is a woman on the go, climbing the ladder of musical success on her own terms and with her own vision intact.
It’s been her strong drive and deep appreciation of her audience that makes creating music so fun for her. Performing and recording are two very different experiencing, but Knipp enjoys both. “Recording tends to be a bit more challenging because there is no audience energy/communication transfer, but it’s nice to be able to do a second take.” As far as her live performances go, even amid the stage fright, she loves the energy and vibe of being onstage, “I feel like a kid on a trampoline. It’s wonderful, and I always want to bear hug every single person afterward. That being said, I do also have more moments, especially with high-pressure solo opening act gigs for famous people like Jimmie Vaughan, Robert Cray, and Joan Osborne, where my stage fright can kick in pretty brutally. No one seems to notice, but it sometimes feels like I might pass out. I am learning to deal with it as best I can through mediation so I can HAVE FUN!”
Knipp is in the planning stages for her next studio album in the fall. She wants to continue to create music that resonates with her soul with lyrics that express her personal truth. She is a woman on the go, climbing the ladder of musical success on her own terms and with her own vision intact.
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