Katharine Whalen

Last updated

Katharine Whalen is a musician, singer, and songwriter originally from Greenville, North Carolina. [1] She contributed vocals, banjo, and ukulele as a member of the Chapel Hill jazz band Squirrel Nut Zippers, a group that she founded in 1993 with then-husband Jimbo Mathus. [2] [3]

After the breakup of Squirrel Nut Zippers, Whalen released an album on Mammoth called Katharine Whalen's Jazz Squad. [4] She took part in revival Zippers revival tours during the years 2007–09. Since then she has been a member of the bands Swedish Wood Patrol and Certain Seas. [5]

Solo discography

Related Research Articles

The U.S. state of North Carolina is known particularly for its history of old-time music. Many recordings were made in the early 20th century by folk song collector Bascom Lamar Lunsford. Influential North Carolina country musicians like the North Carolina Ramblers and Al Hopkins helped solidify the sound of country music in the late 1920s, while influential bluegrass musicians such as Earl Scruggs and Doc Watson came from North Carolina. Arthur Smith had the first nationally syndicated television program which featured country music. He composed "Guitar Boogie", the all-time best selling guitar instrumental, and "Dueling Banjos", the all-time best selling banjo composition. Country artist Eric Church from the Hickory area, has had multiple No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200, including Chief in 2011. Both North and South Carolina are a hotbed for traditional country blues, especially the style known as the Piedmont blues. Elizabeth Cotten, from Chapel Hill, was active in the American folk music revival.

The swing revival, also called retro swing and neo-swing, was a renewed interest in swing music and Lindy Hop dance, beginning around 1989 and reaching a peak from the early/mid to late 1990s. The music was generally rooted in the big bands of the swing era of the 1930s and 1940s, but it was also greatly influenced by rockabilly, boogie-woogie, the jump blues of artists such as Louis Prima and Louis Jordan, and the theatrics of Cab Calloway. Many neo-swing bands practiced contemporary fusions of swing, jazz, and jump blues with rock, punk rock, ska, and ska punk music or had roots in punk, ska, ska punk, and alternative rock music.

Mammoth Records was an independent record label founded in 1989 by Jay Faires in the Carrboro area of Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The majority of the acts on Mammoth were executive-produced by Faires and the label's general manager, Steve Balcom. The label was the first independent to produce two platinum records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Squirrel Nut Zippers</span> American swing and jazz band formed 1993

Squirrel Nut Zippers is an American swing and jazz band formed in 1993 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, by James "Jimbo" Mathus, Tom Maxwell, Katharine Whalen, Chris Phillips (drums), Don Raleigh, and Ken Mosher.

Dillon Fence was an American rock band from Chapel Hill, North Carolina. They were initially active from the mid-1980s until 1995. The band released three full-length albums on Mammoth Records.

Cigar Store Indians are an American rockabilly band from Crabapple, Georgia, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Squirrel Nut Caramel</span> Caramel candy mixed with peanuts

Squirrel Nut Caramels and Squirrel Nut Zippers were chewy caramel candy mixed with peanuts.

<i>Music of Hair</i> 1996 studio album by Andrew Bird

Music of Hair is the debut studio album by the American singer-songwriter Andrew Bird, released in 1996. The tracks featured were written in Bird's early twenties, and the album was released when he was 23. The album features contributions from musicians Colin Bunn, Dave Dieckmann, Kat Eggleston, Al Ehrich, Kevin O'Donnell; and, James "Jimbo" Mathus, Katharine Whalen and Chris Phillips from Squirrel Nut Zippers.

<i>The Inevitable</i> (album) 1995 studio album by Squirrel Nut Zippers

The Inevitable is the first album by the Squirrel Nut Zippers, released in 1995.

<i>Hot</i> (Squirrel Nut Zippers album) 1996 studio album by Squirrel Nut Zippers

Hot is the second studio album by the Squirrel Nut Zippers, a retro swing band. Recorded as a follow-up to their acclaimed debut, The Inevitable, the group continued their use of big band sounds and tongue-in-cheek lyrics. Upon its release in June 1996, the album drew favorable reviews from most critics, who praised the humorous lyrical compositions and the record's cross-generational appeal. The album peaked within the top 30 of the Billboard 200, and was certified Platinum by the RIAA in December of the year following its release. It also spawned a single, "Hell", which peaked at No. 13 on the Alternative Airplay chart; and though it did not reach the Pop Top 50, it did manage to garner airplay on 24 pop radio stations.

<i>Sold Out</i> (Squirrel Nut Zippers album) 1997 EP by Squirrel Nut Zippers

Sold Out is limited edition EP by the swing revival band Squirrel Nut Zippers that was released in 1997. The album contains live songs and other obscure tracks.

<i>Perennial Favorites</i> 1998 studio album by Squirrel Nut Zippers

Perennial Favorites is an album by the swing revival band Squirrel Nut Zippers, released in 1998.

<i>Christmas Caravan</i> 1998 studio album by Squirrel Nut Zippers

Christmas Caravan is a Christmas album by the swing revival band Squirrel Nut Zippers that was released in 1998 by Mammoth Records. Produced by Mike Napolitano. Engineered by John Plymale.

<i>Bedlam Ballroom</i> 2000 studio album by Squirrel Nut Zippers

Bedlam Ballroom is a studio album by the swing revival band Squirrel Nut Zippers, released in 2000. It followed several major personnel changes. The album reflects a stylistic shift, with the band incorporating a broader ranges of styles, instrumentation, and production approaches. The band broke up after the release of the album, eventually reuniting in 2007.

<i>Roasted Right</i> 1994 EP by Squirrel Nut Zippers

Roasted Right is the debut recording by the swing revival band Squirrel Nut Zippers, first released as a 7" in 1994, and subsequently re-released with an additional track as an EP in 1997. Unlike later music by the Zippers, Roasted Right features a more blues-based sound without brass or woodwinds. The tracks "Anything But Love" and "Wash Jones" are early versions of songs later re-recorded for full-length albums.

Andrew Bird's Bowl of Fire was an American band fronted by musician Andrew Bird. After releasing his first solo album, Music of Hair, Bird appeared on three albums by Squirrel Nut Zippers before becoming the bandleader for Andrew Bird's Bowl of Fire.

Norwood J. Cheek, Jr., aka Norwood Cheek, is an American director, producer, and editor of film and television. He is known for his music videos and his work with Super 8 film.

Hobex is an American funk group from North Carolina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jimbo Mathus</span> American musician

James H. Mathis Jr., known as Jimbo Mathus, is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and member of the swing revival band Squirrel Nut Zippers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom Maxwell (singer)</span> American singer-songwriter (b. 1965)

Thomas Edward Maxwell is an American songwriter, singer, and musician. Most notably, Maxwell is the former lead singer of the swing revival band Squirrel Nut Zippers. He wrote the single "Hell" from the 1996 platinum-certified album Hot.

References

  1. Coston, Daniel (2013). North Carolina Musicians: Photographs and Conversations. McFarland p. 79. ISBN   978-0-7864-7461-5.
  2. Hussey, Allison (July 4, 2018). "Katharine Whalen's Decade-Long Break from Playing Squirrel Nut Zippers Songs Comes to an End". Indy Week . Retrieved October 10, 2020.
  3. Menconi, David (October 15, 2018). "Squirrel Nut Zippers: what happened, a Zippers opera". The News & Observer . Retrieved October 10, 2020.
  4. Bergstrom, John (August 10, 2011). "Katharine Whalen & Her Fascinators: Madly Love". PopMatters . Retrieved October 10, 2020.
  5. Harris, Vincent (October 24, 2019). "Now with two new bands, Katharine Whalen's days after Squirrel Nut Zippers are full". The Post and Courier . Retrieved October 10, 2020.