“This ain’t no concert. It’s a PARTY”, exclaims Kat Riggins as she encourages her audience to cut loose. Backed by a dynamic band, Kat’s extraordinary show will get your mojo workin’ with high energy originals along with some of your favorite down home blues standards! With a refreshing, and unapologetically authentic approach, Kat writes songs that hope to uplift, enlighten and inspire. With intentional lyricism and extraordinary musicianship, whether it’s your hips, your heart, or both… YOU WILL BE MOVED at a Blues Revival!
PERFORMER BIO:
Inspired by the variety and abundance of music in her parents’ collection, it makes sense that her own original music is peppered with hints of R&B, soul, country, gospel, hip-hop, and rock-n-roll. Make no mistake; however, Kat Riggins is undeniably a BLUES WOMAN! She travels the world with the sole mission of keeping the blues alive and thriving through her Blues Revival Movement.
What is a “Blues Revival” anyway? According to Kat, it is a musical revolution that aims to awaken the masses and introduce them to the sincerity behind Blues music. “It’s about the raw emotion in every note”, says Kat Riggins as she attempts to describe her love of the genre. Kat Riggins & her Blues Revival invoke said emotion through high energy soul shakers as well as heartbreaking ballads. During a meet and greet after a sold out show in Belgium, a fan once jokingly asked Kat if ever there was a time she “phoned it in” to avoid ending up exhausted and sweaty by the end of the night… “If I can move someone to feel what I feel when I sing a song, then it’s all worth it”, answered the singer-songwriter.
She has been vocally compared to Koko Taylor, Etta James and Tina Turner to name a few. While obviously influenced by those icons, Mrs Riggins has a voice and delivery all her own. Full of power, rasp and grit she can belt out one of her contemporary Blues originals one minute, then deliver a tender, sultry standard the next. She does this all while making each person in her audience feel as if she is speaking directly to them. Blues Revivals are interactive and personal no matter how large the crowd. This intimacy is what makes every Blues Revival a memorable experience…not only for the audience, but for Kat.
Born Katriva Riggins in Miami, Florida on February 7, 1980. She grew up in a household where there was always background music. As a result, Kat developed a love for all types of music.
She was specifically drawn to the smoky gritty sounds of artists like Bessie Smith, Sam Cooke, Nina Simone, Tina Turner, Denise LaSalle, Ray Charles, Koko Taylor, Mavis Staples, Tracy Chapman, Janis Joplin and the list goes on. She grew up singing in local programs, church events, and family gatherings with her sister and cousins. At age 23 Kat landed a gig singing jazz and blues standards in a small lounge in Sunny Isles Beach, Florida with the accompaniment of only a piano player. Fast forward to today, and she has since performed with extraordinary musicians throughout the United States, Southeast Asia, the U.A.E., the Dutch Antilles and Europe.
In 2018 and 2019 Kat was featured in the Johan Derksen Keeps the Blues Alive tour, which stole the hearts of theatre-goers in sold out shows throughout The Netherlands and Belgium. She has also appeared on two of the highest rated prime time television shows on Dutch TV ( Voetbal Inside and PAUW) where she mesmerized millions of viewers and helped to introduce the Blues to hoards of new fans!
With her first two works (an EP called “Seoul Music” and an original album called “Lily Rose”), Kat penned each song with subtle hints of her love of the blues. Her follow-up album, aptly named after her movement “Blues Revival”, however, is a loud and proud declaration of that love! “Blues Revival” is a clever mash-up of gospel-Blues, Blues-rock, Blues- soul, funky Blues, contemporary and traditional Blues, with BLUES being the operative word! Her third album (“In the Boys’ Club”) is an homage to the Blues women who came before her, a shout out to those who walk beside her, and most importantly, it is an encouragement for those women in Blues who will come after.
In January of 2020 Mike Zito and Guy Hale welcomed Kat Riggins to their Gulf Coast Records family! Kat’s debut album on the record label earned the artist her first Blues Music Award nomination. In addition to the BMA nod for Contemporary Blues Album, the “Cry Out” project won Kat two Independent Blues Awards (Contemporary Blues Album and Contemporary Blues Band) and it continues to receive rave reviews! Kat was honored to score her 2ND BMA nomination the following year for Blues Soul Artist Female! Kat’s second release on the label, “Progeny”, debut at lucky #13 on the Billboard Blues charts to critical acclaim! This powerful record got Kat her first Blues Blast Awards nomination, and garnered 2 BMA nominations from The Blues Foundation ( for Soul Blues Album of the Year and Soul Blues Female). “Progeny” was also considered for a GRAMMY nomination by The Recording Academy and continues to be well received worldwide. It is said to be the singer- songwriter’s best to date, by critics and fans alike.
With these and albums to come, Kat Riggins’s Blues Revival Movement endeavors to be a part of this musical revolution that aims to awaken the masses and introduce them to the sincerity behind Blues music!
BAND MEMBERS:
Kat Riggins – Lead Vocalist (Band Leader)
Tim Mulberry – Drums (MD)
Erik Guess – Guitar
Curtis Harris – Bass
Shae Mulberry – Background Vocals
Mark Barner – Background Vocals
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