Kate is a Cooldog favorite, and we're delighted to have her back again!

Kate Klim was five years old when her family inherited a piano, 9 years old when she received her first lesson, and 11 years old when an unsuccessful audition for the film "Life with Mikey" caused her to rethink her career as a movie star. This was fortunate, because the singer/songwriter the Boston Herald has called a "best best for folk-pop stardom" then turned to music.

With roots in Palatine, Illinois and Downingtown, Pennsylvania, Kate was raised on a steady diet of Carole King , Paul Simon, Billy Joel and John Lennon. Later on, her influences grew to include Patty Griffin, Jonatha Brooke, Chris Trapper and Garrison Starr.

Kate's musical success in her hometown led her to Berklee College of Music in Boston. It was here that Kate worked on her skills as a writer and performer, and became involved with the music community that had produced icons like Bob Dylan years before, and Tracy Chapman and Patty Griffin in the recent past. Within a few years of her debut as a singer/songwriter, she was opening for artists like Shawn Colvin, Lucy Kaplansky, Richard Shindell and Ollabelle.

In addition, Kate has been recognized by some of the country's premier songwriting contests. She won the 2010 Kerrville New Folk competition, and was a finalist in the 2005 and 2006 Mountain Stage Newsong Contests, 2006 Mid-Atlantic Song Contest, 2007 Kerrville Newfolk Competition, and 2007 Solarfest Competition.

Many of the songs that received recognition ended up comprising her first release, and first fully-produced venture, "Up and Down and Up Again." The project was created with the help of reknowned producer Crit Harmon (Martin Sexton, Susan Werner, Lori McKenna), and features some of the country's most talented musicians. Collectively, they've worked with Paul McCartney, Elton John, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Jonatha Brooke, Suzanne Vega, Paula Cole and the Boston Symphony. The album was dubbed a "gem" by Performing Songwriter Magazine, and its release prompted Kate to assume the role of full-time musician, leading her to her current home of Nashville, TN.

Her newest release, "Kamikaze Love" contains her strongest songs yet, including the two than won her the New Folk competition. Produced by friend, band mate and promising new producer Brian Packer, the album is a sign that Kate is no longer trying to conform to the folk community, but rather embracing the indie-pop songwriter she has always been. The product is an honest collection of songs that Kate considers her best work yet.