All Over Albany

My Exit: Katie Hammon

One of the things we enjoy about WEXT's My Exit is the chance to discover something new. It's like having a friend share a piece of music they're really excited about. It's also fun to discover how eclectic the DJs' collections can be.

Tonight, Katie Hammon's show promises to do both. From Albert Hammond Jr. to the Dixie Cups, Katie promises a fun and eclectic hour or music...

Who?

Katie Hammon here from the band Bear Grass. You might also know of me as a co-founder and director of the Albany Music Coalition, or maybe you know me from Restoration Festival, Slender Shoulders, or as that female voice in the recent music by Matthew Carefully.

Basically I love music, just like all of you. A little background. My real name is Kathrin, I am from Fox Island, Washington. I went to the Tacoma School of The Arts in Tacoma, Washington and got really into songwriting and running events early in life. My passion for music led me to the College of St. Rose for my extended education in music industry. And here I am now, a resident of New York State and making music, just what I always dreamed of.

How would you describe your taste in music?

I began my music career singing in choirs and in local theatre, not knowing what music I really liked and enjoyed. In high school I found out about indie music -- Death Cab For Cutie, The Shins, and then more independent works. I never went back and I still love, love, love folk rock. The most loved and influential songwriter in my life is Laura Veirs. A local Northwest musician playing on some of the Decemberists albums, she has influenced my music, my passion for songwriting and love of lyrics.

A few songs from Katie's My Exit:

"Galaxies" & "July Flame" -- Laura Veirs
I love the almost childish lyrics and journey you are taken on every time you hear a Laura Veirs song. She seems to take you on a wild ride through places you have never seen and describes every detail.

"Camilo (The Magician)" -- Said The Whale
I love music that takes you somewhere and describes an experience that may or not be real. This band from Vancouver, BC made a big impression on me while working for The Vancouver Folk Music Festival a couple summers ago. Performing with members from other Canadian bands as the Malahat Review, their new fame and energy showed me just how badly I love the impression of music on its listeners.

"Chapel of Love" -- The Dixie Cups
This song is one of my favorites of all time. It was played at every wedding I attended as a child and has stuck with me. I love that it is simple, it has great harmonies and the structure is just like those I learned from the very beginning. A perfect song start to finish.

"Olso in the Summertime" -- Of Montreal
Of Montreal makes a statement. I was fortunate enough to see this band perform at Bumbershoot at the Seattle Center during high school. They had the craziest stage performance with costume changes between every song and often during the middle. They had a million people on stage and such chaos that made their show and music so exciting and fun to watch. Music is not always about the lyrics which I have to remember as a songwriter, it's also about the performance.

"Cartoon Music For Superheroes" -- Albert Hammond, Jr.
I love the production of this song. It has so many moving parts and just seems to overtake you. I love music that you don't have to think about, it just sweeps you away and takes you on a wild ride. It also gently places you back down.

Katie Hammon and Bear Grass will play at the Tight Knit Market's Friday Flea event in Monument Square at the July 26 Troy Night Out.

You can hear Katie's My Exit show Monday night at 11 pm on 97.7, Saturday at 8 am, or at exit977.org.

Here's how to schedule your own My Exit show on WEXT.