Katey - The Entertainer
Katey Kratz singing on stage at the Curve Inn - Springfield, IL
On Performing
I’ve performed alone, in duos, in trios, and more.
I’ve performed in grand halls, in bars, churches, and from the floor.
I’ve sung, I’ve played, I danced a whole lot.
And I always, ALWAYS, give it everything I’ve got.
I’ve played funerals, weddings, parties galore.
I’ve sung for thousands of people and on nights when no one walks through the door.
I’ve worn costumes, gowns, theme outfits just right.
And no matter the kind of audience, I always love the sight.
Being on stage is what I’m meant to do.
Where I long to be.
And from where I love the view.
Katey Kratz - Performing at Legacy of Giving Festival
My mom has always said that I was singing before I was talking.
The more time I spend singing, on and off stage, the more I believe her. There is always a melody, a tune, or a beat running through my brain. I tap, I dance, I hum, and I make up little songs to go with every piece of my life.
But for the longest time, I fought being on stage.
I didn’t want to do it.
I dealt with performance anxiety that left me “look(ing) like a deer in the headlights”, I was told. I would shake, cry, feel nauseous and sick.
I dealt with such terrible anxiety that told myself, as my career, I would do almost anything but perform. I was set on that fact. (until about 2012).
I got my degree in music therapy and moved to a small town. I planned to get my PhD in Music Therapy and teach. But NEVER wanted to perform.
Katey Kratz on stage performing for a charity event.
12 years, 2 bands, and hundred of performances later…I couldn’t picture my life any differently. I LOVE IT. I found my home on stage.
How I ended up here is a full story of it’s own, but the important piece is… I fell in love with the stage. I fell in love with performing and expressing myself through music. I found a piece of my heart and my soul in having a microphone in my hand. I found connection and joy. I found me.
I pushed myself so far outside my comfort zone and fell head over heels with entertaining. In college, I studied with a classical voice professor. I sang art songs, arias, and broadway tunes. I sang in German, Italian, Spanish, etc!
When I joined my first band, my experience couldn’t have been ANY more different from the performances I had done in college. I went from performing classical pieces in grand halls to singing jam band tunes and ballads by pop artists in dark, dirty bars. The juxtaposition was astounding. I learned a whole new side of my voice and the ways I could dynamically express myself through music.
Katey Kratz singing with a child at her business - Music Therapy Connections.
As I started working more with children, teens, and adults alongside performing with bands, I began learning even more about my voice and skill set. I began growing a diverse set of repertoire that covered everything from church hymns and children’s songs to hip-hop and hard rock. Things I never thought I would be doing.
I started taking more and more performance opportunities that, truthfully, scared me and challenged me to learn and grow. With decades of experience, I now have the capability to energetically perform nearly any genre AND LOVE having new opportunities to continue to develop my skill set.
I may have thought I knew what I wanted over a dozen years ago, but now, I couldn’t imagine my life without being on stage or performing in some capacity. Wether it’s with a band or on my own, I love making music.
Preparing to perform at a memorial services in Bloomington, IL
If you are ever looking to hire a solo musician for an event or recording, don’t hesitate to reach out. I have provided:
recording lead and background vocals
wedding ceremony music
engagement music
holiday party music
graveside performance
special songs at church services
cocktail hour music
funeral or visitation music
princess party music
birthday performances
children’s sing-along events
special events music
music instruction
AND SO MUCH MORE.
Katey Kratz performs at a princess party.
Looking for a musician? Let’s find a time to talk more!
