Contact Big Picture PR: Amy Cunha, +1.415.626.3333, amy@bigpicpr.com For Immediate Release May 16, 2005 After The Silence: Kathryn Keats Reclaims Her Voice Singer/Songwriter Kathryn Keats Performs At Greenwich Village s Legendary Nightclub, The Bitter End on Her New York Tour WHO: Singer/Songwriter Kathryn Keats and Aram Avagyan, award winning Armenian composer WHAT: An original musical performance WHERE: The Bitter End, Greenwich Village WHEN: Wednesday, June 8th, 2005 Showtime: 7:30 p.m. 8:30 p.m. San Francisco, CA - AFTER THE SILENCE - Kathryn Keats brings her performance, After The Silence to The Bitter End in New York City, kicking off her New York tour, Wednesday, June 8 th, 2005. Following this performance, Ms. Keats will perform at a benefit for Women s Resources of Monroe County at June 11th, 2005. Performing with Ms. Keats is the Grammy award winning Armenian composer, Aram Avagyan. The duo enjoyed sell-out performances recently at The Knitting Factory, Hollywood and The Empire Plush Room, San Francisco. Fifteen years have passed since singer/songwriter Kathryn Keats stepped off the stage at the height of her career to protect her life, escaping the death threats of her abusive boyfriend of the time, a prominent musical director. The relationship resulted in a criminal trial, and an eventual commitment to a mental hospital for her musical director boyfriend, and a name change for Kathryn Keats from her birth name of Ellen Christian Munger. The trial received significant media coverage by the Bay Area press. Today, the period Kathryn Keats spent looking over her shoulder has ended. Kathryn Keats is back to reclaim her voice with the upcoming release of her CD After The Silence and pursue the career that had been put on hold, not altogether silenced. During her ascent as a composer and singer, the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music/Herbert Berghoff trained performer boasted a list of notable credits The Tree People, Rocky Horror,
winner of a Critics Circle Award for her performance in Michael Smuin s Curse of The Werewolf, recorded with artists such as Gunnar Madsen, Denny Yaeger, Rosie Gaines and Olan Jones. Tenacity, infectious exuberance and charisma define Kathryn Keats today. She is not one to lament the loss of time. She has spent these last fifteen years behind the scenes of stardom, packaging and developing films with her business partner, Mark Monroe, owner of Progressive Associated Artists, Inc. Monroe is a renowned director whose talent has brought him to direct at The Kennedy Center, Radio Music Hall, The Hollywood Bowl and Lincoln Center. Performing with Kathryn will be Grammy winner, (Best Composer of the Year; 2001, 2002), Aram Avagyan. Aram, a composer, arranger and pianist with a style that ranges from contemporary pop to soul and R&B to music for film, has been composing original works since the age of 11 in his homeland of Armenia. He attended the renowned Armenian Jazz College and four years later was invited to attend the Armenia State Musical Theatre. Additional accolades for Aram include being awarded the coveted Anoush Award in Los Angeles, California for the Best Song of the Year, having numerous international artists perform his songs and having famed singer Lianna attended the International Music Contest in Bulgaria performing Aram's song "Ari Ari" which won the Grand Prix Title. Kathryn Keats story that culminated in a grueling five-week jury trial is currently in production. For more information, visit: www.kathrynkeats.com Song Samples available at www.kathrynkeats.com/showroom/showroom.html Photos available at www.kathrynkeats.com/photoroom/photoroom.html In the press: Kathryn Keats was a featured guest on Voice America Miracle Maker s Club, to listen visit: http://www.health.voiceamerica.com. # # #
Kathryn Keats Biography Singer/composer Kathryn Keats has been writing and performing since she was a child. She toured throughout North America until a hiatus was forced upon her many years ago, keeping her from live performance. Ms. Keats continued on with the work she could do and began creating content and developing for film with her producer, manager and director Mark Monroe (The Kennedy Center, The Hollywood Bowl, Carnegie Hall). Though unable to perform live during this time, she was able to proceed with her work as a recording artist, working with Rosie Gaines, Denny Yeager, George Hearst and Gunnar Madsen among others. Kathryn has worked for many years as co-owner of Progressive Associated Artists, Inc., developing, packaging and creating film and television with her partner Mark Monroe. Some of the productions they have been involved with include Tryst (Best International Thriller NY Film Festival 2003), Surviving Eden aka Nothing Ever Happens To Me (2003), Coldwater (2005 preproduction), The Mommies, A Roomful of Trees, To Life L Chaim and Holy Orders, to name a few. Ms. Keats U.S. tour began in Los Angeles in January 2005 at The Knitting Factory, Hollywood.
Q & A with Kathryn Keats Q. How did you first get involved with music? A. I was five years old and came home and announced to my mother that I was going to sing in the talent show. I sang from that moment on and wrote as well. Q. Who are some of your musical influences and artists that have inspired you to be a singer and songwriter? A.Oh so many. I use to love those classical music concerts that we would go to in grade school. I would conduct in my head. All the classical composers. The score from Porgy and Bess is my favorite. J. Cash, Roy Orbison, Joan Armatrading, Holly Near, Quincy Jones, too many to count. Oh Judy Garland and Marlene Dietrich. Q. Describe your sound. Your style. How did you come to develop your sound and style, or how did you choose the genre? A. My style comes from my feelings at the time I am writing. I take a small piece of something real and magnify it ten fold. Method writing. Q. Discuss the creative process for you, yourself personally, and working with the artists in producing your CD? A. Well, the artists were and are the bomb. Pete Sears sets me on fire. Darol Anger literally cradled me in his arms after he played the track from going home. He knew what it was about. Next time I ll be swinging on the tunes a little more. Rippin Why Don t You Pray up to the heavens so my mama can hear it! The process was very intense. We did the whole thing in four days! It was very emotional for me and at the same time the most freeing experience I have had, well actually giving birth was the most freeing experience I have had. Q. Describe the lyrical content. A. Content: Everytime I See You Just a magnification of the feeling of an old flame. I wanted to write about the secret we ALL always have which is that we always have love that lasts even if we are not with that person. It s ok. It s real. Break the secret about that for all of us. I like truth. Why Don t You Pray That s the song I wrote the day I found out my partner was dead. I wailed like a dog, I loved him so much and hated him for breaking down mentally. Wailed that I lost so much time and that without that loss I would not have all I have now. As I sang the lyrics my sweet 7 year old, Lorenzo, starts singing the chorus, why don t you pray, like it s some message from above. He WAS giving me a message because what I came to realize as we recorded it, was that as my brother lay dying (one year or so before I met my partner) in the hospital a woman yelled at me, Why Don t You Pray? I remember thinking I don t know how. So even though the song is about my partners death and not John s, my brother, it is about my awakening to the power of God. To the power of forgiveness. I worked very hard to forgive for everything he did to me. I do forgive him. I know how to pray now.
Going Home My sister wrote it the day after my brother was killed in a motorcycle accident. That was forever ago and it feels like yesterday. My sister can write. She s smart and can tell great stories to music. We plan on doing more collaboration. Her day job is as a shrink! Anyway, that was the hardest song to cut. It will be in every show. The day after we cut it I went to my friend Amy and could not keep it together. Just had to cry with her. I never ever cry. She probably does not even know that. So private. Going Home is a tribute to my family. To my brother. I am finally going home. Q. Talk about the music writing process. What are some reasons you write some of the songs you do? A. I write the songs that come through me. I do not plan them. They come. They come out of the blue and usually very fast. Q. How have your challenges attributed to your growth as an artist? A. I understand that a feeling is a part of life. All feelings. All challenges are relative and we all share the same feelings. Artists grow from everything. I would like artists to understand they do not have to go through deprivation in order to create. I did not want all of the loss. It happened. I grew in some ways and I am wounded in others. I am fortunate that I get to write about it and purge. I really do not think I would be alive if that were not possible. Q. Who does your music speak to? What will your audience be drawn to? A. People who like good music. People who see to see to be able to see...(h. Pinter) They will be drawn to my honesty and humor. My cahones, my unwillingness to give up - I will NOT give up and my favorite word really is No. Sets the warrior out to conquer. They will like the moments they can fly vicariously through the music in their own world. They will love not having to work for a moment because there will be no work for them to do but to hang and feel, if they want. My audience will be a vast group of people from all over the map. Q. Talk about the process of producing your first CD? What did you learn, take away? A. My first CD was a long time ago. This time round, I am learning that I can take a peek around and all is well. I am learning that I am very talented, indeed and this IS what I am supposed to be doing. Q. What does the future hold for Kathryn Keats? A. Everything that I was going to have before I was silenced. Simply, a career as a composer and singer.
Kathryn Keats What People Are Saying "Kathryn Keats' haunting songs and heartfelt vocals reflect her unique experiences and showcase her considerable talent." - Pete Sears Jefferson Starship, Hot Tuna Kathryn writes from a personal place of strength and hope to share her extraordinary experiences. With a passionate and often times tender voice, she combines lyrical melodies with pure emotion. Her irresistible presence and compelling vocal range invites us to relive life s most important but far too often difficult secrets. It is a thrill to be directing her again." - Mark Monroe Progressive Associated Artists, Inc. Kathryn Keats unveils a strength and grace in her music that had been hidden from the world too long. Her amazing voice has all the technical gifts required, but it is her ability to embrace you with her songs that leaves you changed. - Julie Caitlin Brown Writer/Producer, Illumina Productions Kathryn Keats is one of the quickest and most natural talents I have worked with. - Gunnar Madsen Composer, G-Spot Records