Kate & Corey … You’re Gonna Like Them

Kate Shaffer and Corey Coleman have made a musical name for themselves.  In the last 11 months, they have gone from playing on the street in downtown Buffalo, making 300 dollars a month, to playing up to 6 times a week, at venues like the Hard Rock Café in Niagara Falls, and Darien Lake Performing Arts Center, for a special VIP reception for Brad Paisley and Rascal Flatts.

Growing up, Kate listened to country, while Corey listed to jazz and the blues.  The inspirations of Patsy Cline, The Dixie Chicks, Miles Davis and Bob Dylan are quite apparent in their Bluesy Americana style.

In September 2012, the duo moved to Georgia to follow their bliss. Time on the road and living out of a car enabled them to enhance the robust sounds of the simple setup of two acoustic guitars and two distinct voices. That sound is a result of the guitars and voices communicating the dynamics of their distinctively different backgrounds.

Corey’s exceptional method of hand percussion relies on striking both fretted strings and carefully chosen parts of the guitar with an attack that creates a dose of eclectic flavors.

Kate 's extremely wide vocal range allows the duo to offer a wide variety of sound from different genres.

Together, the well-seasoned duo brings great attitudes and excellent music in the recently released CD, You’re Gonna Like Us, which serves up 11 jaw-dropping tunes.

Award-winning Kate & Corey, walked away with the Northeast Regional Title, as well as an all-expense paid trip to the National Final of the 31st Annual Texaco Country Showdown in Nashville, Tennessee, in January 2013.  Before advancing to the state level, Kate & Corey won their local competition representing WQRS in Olean/Salamanca.

In October, Kate and Corey won an Open Mic competition at Craze Tavern in Duluth, GA, hosted by Drew Epton and sponsored by Groove Tunes Studios in Alpharetta, GA.

The prize, along with a very helpful chunk of cash, was eight hours of studio time at Groove Tunes, generously awarded by studio owner and producer extraordinaire, Eric Tunison.

Since it is the season of giving and sharing, Kate and Corey decided to write a Christmas song, invite Atlanta area musicians to join in, and offer it during the Holidays as a great way to raise money to help fight hunger.

In short order, The Daniels Brothers (www.facebook.com/TheDanielsBrothers), Drew Epton (www.facebook.com/drewepton) and Philip Sanders (philipsandersmusic.com) signed on, and the result is All We Have, a song being released on December 4, 2012. All proceeds will be donated to the Atlanta Community Food Bank.

Kate and Corey said, “It's a song about having fun, enjoying each other's company, eating, drinking and being merry, but never forgetting to be extremely thankful for the fact that we get to do and have all these things.  That isn't always true for everyone out there.”  Additionally, “It is beyond unacceptable for hunger to be a problem in a nation such as ours, but it is the reality.”

I’ve had the pleasure of meeting this dynamic duo.  I can honestly say, they are as kind as they are talented.  If you have the opportunity, please check one of their live performances.  You won’t be disappointed 

For more information about Kate and Corey, or to purchase the CD single, visit www.kateandcorey.com.