Bio
Growing up in London
Katie was born in London in 1976 into a very musical family as her father, Paul Theasby, was the fiddle player with Dingle Spike, a London based Irish band.
Her mother, Gloria Pahad, who was involved with the African National Congress, was a great influence on her singing and taste in music. Katie was singing in the South African Xhosa language from an early age.
Katie feels very lucky to have grown up both in the London/Irish music scene as well as visiting Kilfenora, Co. Clare, several times a year where she was joining sessions on a regular basis.
Moving to County Clare
A self taught singer and flute/whistle player, Katie started her performing career in London, where she played with Ron Kavana’s band Alias for a couple of years around pubs, clubs and festivals, including an appearance at the Glastonbury Festival at the age of 14.
Kilfenora became Katie’s permanent home in 1995 and she has been playing in sessions and festivals around County Clare and further afield since then. During that time, she was lucky to have played with incredible musicians such as Tommy Peoples, Kitty Linnane, Paddy Mullins, Sean Tyrrell, JJ Conway and many others.
Finding Her Voice
Diversity & Equality have always been values close to Katie’s heart since she was a child. She has been part of the Celebration Of Traveller Music nights both in Dublin and Listowel, which are organised by a group of people from both the Traveller and settled community, to celebrate the diversity of Irish music and the contribution Travellers have made and still make to this day.
In recent years, Katie has performed with artists such as Finbar Furey, Paddy Keenan, Stocktons Wing, and Kinky Friedman among others.
She released a video of the song “I Remember You Singing This Song, Ma” in 2017, which received great praise. The song was written by Finbar Furey who suggested that she should record it.
She performed at the Doolin Folk Festival the following year, with Mike Hanrahan and Ger O’Donnell accompanying her.
I Remember You Singing
2019 saw the release of Katie Theasby’s debut album, “I Remember you Singing”. The album was produced by Peter Eades, who also accompanies Katie throughout the album.
Finbar Furey, who wrote the title track of the album “I Remember you Singing, Ma” and also “The Only Way I Knew”, also features in a duet with Katie on one of the songs, “The Terror Time”
Katie is also very proud to have uilleann piper Tommy Keane providing beautiful accompaniment on the track “Lullaby”.
