Music industry veteran and tech enthusiast, Kathleen Blackwell is a Texan-born Recording Artist, Songwriter, Fashion Designer, Tech-Entertainment Blog Writer, and Angel Investor with XYZ2Y Ventures based in Austin, TX — presently working with wickedly-cool startups in the TechTainment (entertainment + technology) space & performing at local joints. After spending nearly two decades in Los Angeles (yep, Hollywood), working in various facets of the music and entertainment industry (Sony BMG Music | Indie Artist), and on entrepreneurial endeavors to include taking her Saucy-Wear brand of designer aprons from concept to national retail — Williams-Sonoma, Sur La Table, and Neiman Marcus, to name a few — Blackwell recently relocated back to the hippest city in America — Austin, TX — “Live Music Capital of the World” and notorious for their “Keep Austin Weird” slogan.
ARTIST: Blackwell’s debut “To Be Human” CD was produced by Ronan Chris Murphy — King Crimson, Terry Bozzio (Zappa, Missing Persons), Steve Stevens (Billy Idol), Tony Levin (Peter Gabriel, John Lennon, Pink Floyd), Nels Cline (Wilco), Robert Fripp, as well as various projects featuring members of Tool, Ministry, Weezer, and Yes — and was nominated for ‘Album Of The Year’ in AAA (Adult Contemporary) for the Los Angeles Music Awards in 2009.
“Drawing influence from Tori Amos, the classically trained Blackwell makes quite an impression on the piano-based ‘I Don’t Know.’ Her edgier side is revealed on ‘Imago,’ but seduces listeners on the breathless, jazzy title-track, ‘To Be Human.’” — “Pop Making Sense” by David Byrne; Windy City Times
Working again with Producer Ronan Chris Murphy, Blackwell’s follow-up EP, “Knockout,” took a new sound direction — Hard-Rock Dance-Pop (for Girls Night Out) — and is an analog-recorded concept-album using only a Moog Little Fatty, a Fender Rhodes, Drums (aka Beats), a Hog Fiddle, plus Blackwell on some sizzling vocals, and was initially created as a co-branding piece towards marketing her sassy and vibrant, boutique fashion line for women 35+ called, Cougar Rock. Blackwell’s motto? “Live life to the fullest; no matter what your age.”
ENTREPRENEUR (CAREER & CONCEPTS): Founder & Editor HOLLYISCO • Freelance PR for Tech Startups in Silicon Beach | Austin • Previous Sales & Marketing Professional at Sony Classical & Sony BMG Music Entertainment (Los Angeles) • Founder/CEO Saucy-Wear designer aprons sold at Williams-Sonoma, Sur La Table, Neiman Marcus • Founder of multiple Music/Tech brands (including:) The Techie Awards | The Techie Minute| TechTainment | ROCKSTOCK │ Cougar Rock │ KathleenBlackwell.com | and on the burner: T-Minus Late; Let Them Tap — a book about how showing up late will radically improve the quality of your life. | University of Texas at Austin Alumni: Bachelor of Science | Bachelor of Journalism.