Kate Blain has been part of the upstate New York music scene for 25 years. Diving head-first into her music career with a debut gig at the famed Caffe Lena in Saratoga Springs, she quickly became a regular on the area coffeehouse circuit, releasing the solo album "The Good Life" and then the trio project "Detour" with singer-songwriters Phil Henry and Gary Moon. A new album is in process, to be released in 2026. Kate performed from 2023-25 in the traveling musical "The Remarkable, Irresistible Erie," written for the bicentennial of the Erie Canal; and, during 2025, in "Jackie Alper: Her Story," a musical about the activist/musician "Mostly Folk" radio show host.

Kate has brought her brand of acoustic folk to 150 venues in New York and New England and appeared on area radio and TV stations. In New York's Capital Region, she's known as a long-time host of open mics at Caffe Lena in Saratoga, at Old Songs in Voorheesville and at the annual Old Songs Festival in Altamont, and now at the Eighth Step at Proctor's Theatre in Schenectady as well. Caffe Lena calls her "the quintessential folk singer" whose shows are "engaging for newcomers and regular fans alike."

Click to listen to some of Kate's music: 

Live show at Caffe Lena, 2020: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlufiLHRZgg (Start at 34 minutes in)

Selections from albums:  Soft Place to Fall    I've Been You    The Good Life

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"Kate Blain is blessed with the gift of being a songbird. This girl can sing!"  - Gerry Nason, WBTN-1370 AM, Bennington, VT

"If you haven't heard Kate Blain play around the Capital District, you must not get out very much, because she is a busy lady!" - Michael Lumb, WAMC 90.3-FM (Public Radio), Albany, NY

"We asked Kate Blain to play her first gig here in 2001 after hearing her at our weekly Open Mic. It turned out to be her first professional gig, which quickly turned into a busy schedule of concerts across upstate New York, an excellent CD, 'The Good Life,' and appearances on area TV and radio stations. She has the qualities that spell success for a modern folk musician -- a beautiful soprano voice, interesting stories, poignant ballads, engaging wit, and good guitar skills. Her shows are immediately engaging for newcomers and regular fans alike." 
- Sarah Craig, Caffe Lena, Saratoga Springs, NY

"Kate is the quintessential folksinger: sweet, sensitive and sincere. Her fingerpicking and delicate soprano have won her an enthusiastic following." - Sarah Craig, Caffe Lena, Saratoga Springs, NY

"No voice can quiet a noisy room faster than Kate Blain's."  - 91.1 WSPN-FM, Saratoga Springs, NY

"Kate is just plain beautiful to listen to -- a Judy Collins and Linda Ronstadt rolled into one. Last time she wowed us all and then shared the mic with a smiling child for a duet. We are so grateful she keeps coming back." - Saratoga Farmers' Market, Saratoga Springs, NY

"Nobody sings a sweeter Christmas tune....Always a pleasure to hear the beautiful voice and guitar stylings of Kate Blain....a real market favorite!” - Cambridge Valley Farmers' Market, Cambridge, NY

"We're sent a lot of CDs from musicians who want to play at Perfect Blend....From the start of listening to yours throughout each of the songs, I thought they were so witty and enjoyable. And yes, I was a huge fan of Joan Baez and Joni Mitchell way back."  - Roberta Bastow, Perfect Blend Cafe, Delmar, NY

"Kate recently performed for us at our Christmas party. Her voice and guitar playing were the perfect accompaniment to the evening's activities. She fit right in and has a wonderful sense of humor and interacted so well with all of us. We'd love to have her play for us again. Our party-goers had only nice things to say about her singing and playing....A good time was had by all." 
- John O. White, executive VP, Schenectady Insuring Agency

"Kate Blain and Gary Moon [are] two left-handed singer-guitarists with a bucketful of wit and soulful songs between them." - Cathy DeDe, Chronicle newspaper, Glens Falls, NY

"Kate's show last year was raved about for weeks, and we are delighted to have her back."  - Conkling Hall, Rensselaerville, NY

"Kate is the embodiment of what a folksinger should be -- rich voice, gentle acoustic guitar finger-style, and warm songwriting that comes from a tradition of great 'folkies' such as John Gorka, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Bill Staines, and others."  - Phil Henry, NY Falcon Ridge Folk Festival, Kerrville Folk Festival and VT Solarfest performer

"Her voice [is] gentle, feminine and sweet. Don't be deceived, though -- there is also a steely core to her voice and her songs."  - Michael Jerling, Shanachie recording artist

"Another outstanding performance!"  - Borders Books & Music, Albany, NY   

"A sweet singing and picking style. Her songs have a sparkling simplicity and sincerity reminiscent of early Joan Baez." -  Bob Warren, upstate NY singer/songwriter     

"Kate, you sing like an angel." -  Bob Wolf, WPYX 106.5-FM, "Waking Up With the Wolf" show (Albany, NY)     

 

MUSICIANS KATE HAS SHARED THE STAGE WITH:
Kate McDonnell...Wood's Tea Company...Tim Harrison...Susan Trump...Greg Greenway... Meg Hutchinson...Roy Hurd...Bill Smith...Frank Orsini...Don Woodcock...Atwater & Donnelly...Dan Berggren...Peggy Lynn...Joe Jencks...Terry Farmer...Will Foley...Gary Moon...Phil Henry...Tim Wechgelaer...Mike McCloskey...Lani Richards...John Malone... Maurizio Russomanno...Mike Grutka...Chris Wilhelm...Rob Guerin...and many more!