"Gutsy
poetry, real-feeling, RAW",
was how legendary Hollywood director Oliver Stone
(notorious rock fan) described Kathleen LaGue's unique sound.
LaGue's
legion of fans in the press are unanimous - the sultry songstress
sings, plays and writes pop-rock that is both adventurous
and edgy. And if you have the chance to catch the former
New York fashion model on stage, you'll soon know why she's
the only solo female artist to share the prestigious Voodoo
Music Festival bill with the likes of Eminem, Moby and The
Counting Crowes. Renowned for her cat-like confidence and
take-me-or-leave-me attitude on stage, the spotlight-savvy
entertainer translates her modeling and acting experience
into confident stage command. LaGue dominates audiences'
attention with her hearty vocals, low-slung guitar and boldly
sexy presence.
LaGue's
live credits include opening for John Hiatt, Chris Whitley,
Pete Yorn, and Patty Griffin, and, in the tradition of a
host of musical legends, two USO 'tours of duty' entertaining
American troops overseas. The first was a 10-day trip in
24/7 darkness in Greenland and the latest a 60 day tour
of Japan, Okinawa, South Korea and Guam. "I've never
been more moved by an audience than by the young soldiers
I entertained overseas, their appreciation for the band,
and vigor for participating in the shows was daunting. It
meant so much to me to be able to bring a little "home"
into their lives at a very trying time for them."
Away
from the stage, LaGue is equally in demand for her critically
acclaimed studio recordings, which depending on the review
you read, fall anywhere between "Chrissie Hynde meets
Karen Carpenter" to "Shania Twain without the
"twang"".
On
the web, the first day LaGue posted songs, her first single,
"Play One For Me", rocketed to the top of the
worldwide charts, heading off more than 500,000 MP3.com
alternatives. In the Nashville listings alone, LaGue's name
was alongside six of the top seven singles. To date, LaGue
has garnered over 250,000 downloads from the mp3.com website
alone and continues to join the retail digital download
community on iTunes and many other download sites.
While
LaGue has sashayed down some of the world's glitziest catwalks
as a runway model, and starred in numerous national TV commercials
and feature films, music has always been her first love.
Growing up in Kansas City, KS in a family of eight, LaGue
received her early singing training in choir, musical theatre,
and classical voice lessons. She counts Fleetwood Mac, Heart,
Cat Stevens and The Beatles as early influences. "My
Dad would wake us up playing the Beatles' "Here Comes
The Sun" almost every Sunday morning," recalls
LaGue.
After
graduating cum laude with a psychology and art degree from
Baker University in Baldwin City, Kansas, LaGue headed for
the bright lights of New York City and joined "the
first rock band she could find". While juggling modeling
on 7th Ave and acting in TV commercials to take care of
the bills, LaGue toured with a three girl group throughout
Brazil and Europe, and fronted a host of NYC show bands,
singing everything from torch songs to pop hits. "That
work helped me get away from the Broadway-style training,
holding notes out perfectly..." she says. "I learned
how to relax, develop my own rock vocal style, and how to
front a band."
At the
same time her desire to focus on songwriting and producing
her own music continued to grow, eventually steering her
to Nashville. After a stint in 'Music City USA' where she
honed her writing skills, studied guitar and wrote and produced
her debut album on her own label, Lioness Records, LaGue
moved to her current base in Los Angeles.
"I couldn't have made that record without the community
of incredible songwriters and musicians in Nashville,"
says LaGue. Tom Bukovac, (Faith Hill, Sheryl Crow, LeAnne
Rimes) co-produced and played all guitars on LaGue's debut,
including a rare vocal appearance on the ballad “When
Will You Learn”, which he also cowrote.
Currently, while continuing to pursue her acting career
in Los Angeles, LaGue writes songs for film/tv and is presently
writing and in preproduction on her second self produced
and independently released CD. She recently wrote a bluegrass
tune entitled "I Could Just Cry", for an upcoming
Edward Norton film entitled "Down in the Valley"
in which she also has a supporting acting role, joining
Edward Norton, David Morse, Bruce Dern, Ellen Byrstn and
Evan Rachel Wood as cast members. This past year she also
adds supporting roles in "Starsky and Hutch",
"American Pie: Band Camp", and "El Cortez"
to her acting resume.
"In
Los Angeles, the opportunities are endless for all of my
creative endeavors and I'm excited to be here!"
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