Kate MacLeod

by Alex HendersonAlthough not well-known nationally, Kate MacLeod is an expressive singer and prolific songwriter who has been playing the folk circuit in the 80s and 90s, and can also handle bluegrass and traditional Celtic music. MacLeod, whose folk and folk-pop has often favored softness and subtlety, grew up in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, D.C. but moved to Salt Lake City in 1979 at age 18. MacLeod became a familiar face on the Salt Lake City music scene, and she spent ten years teaching at Peter Priers Violin Making School of America. In the mid 90s, MacLeod signed with Waterbug, a small folk-oriented label based in the Chicago suburb of Evanston, IL and went on to record Trying to Get It Right (her debut album) in 1995 and Constant Emotion in 1997. In addition to performing and recording as a solo artist, MacLeod (who plays acoustic guitar, harmonica and fiddle) has played traditional Celtic music with the Utah group Shanahy. Then, in 2001, Feel the Earth Spin became her third solo album. The next year, a collaboration with Kat Eggleston led to Drawn From the Well, a tribute to artist Joseph Velasco that included several original tracks as well as covers. Her songs have been recorded by artists ranging from folk singer Molly OBrian to the bluegrass band Loose Ties.