Kate Pierson
Encyclopedia
Catherine Elizabeth "Kate" Pierson (born April 27, 1948) is an American
vocalist and one of the lead singers and founding members of The B-52's
. One of the multi-instrumentalists in the band, Pierson played guitar
, bass
and various keyboard instruments. In the B-52s, she has performed alongside Cindy Wilson
, Fred Schneider
, Ricky Wilson
and Keith Strickland
.
. She is the owner of Kate's Lazy Meadow in Mount Tremper, New York
, a rustic modern lodging in New York
's Catskill Mountains
near Woodstock
. She operates the business
with her partner, Monica Coleman. Pierson and Coleman have been together since 2003.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
vocalist and one of the lead singers and founding members of The B-52's
The B-52's
The B-52's are an American rock band, formed in Athens, Georgia in 1976. The original line-up consisted of Fred Schneider , Kate Pierson , Cindy Wilson , Ricky Wilson , and Keith Strickland . Following Ricky Wilson's death in 1985 Strickland switched to guitar...
. One of the multi-instrumentalists in the band, Pierson played guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
and various keyboard instruments. In the B-52s, she has performed alongside Cindy Wilson
Cindy Wilson
Cynthia Leigh Wilson is a vocalist and a founding member of new wave rock band The B-52s.- Career :...
, Fred Schneider
Fred Schneider
Frederick William "Fred" Schneider III is an American rock singer, best known as the frontman of the rock band The B-52's, of which he is a founding member. Schneider is well-known for his sprechgesang which he developed from reciting poetry over guitars.-Early life:Schneider was born in Newark,...
, Ricky Wilson
Ricky Wilson (American musician)
Ricky Helton Wilson was an American instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, and musician. He was best known as the original guitarist and founding member of New Wave rock band the B-52s...
and Keith Strickland
Keith Strickland
Julian Keith Strickland is an American multi-instrumentalist, composer, and one of the founding members of the The B-52s. Originally the band's drummer, Strickland switched to guitar after the death of guitarist Ricky Wilson in 1985...
.
Personal life
Pierson was born in Weehawken, New JerseyWeehawken, New Jersey
Weehawken is a township in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 12,554.-Geography:Weehawken is part of the New York metropolitan area...
. She is the owner of Kate's Lazy Meadow in Mount Tremper, New York
Mount Tremper, New York
Mount Tremper is a populated place in Ulster County, New York, USA. Mount Tremper is situated to the east of New York State Route 28 and to the north of New York State Route 212 within the Catskill Park. The community is located at...
, a rustic modern lodging in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
's Catskill Mountains
Catskill Mountains
The Catskill Mountains, an area in New York State northwest of New York City and southwest of Albany, are a mature dissected plateau, an uplifted region that was subsequently eroded into sharp relief. They are an eastward continuation, and the highest representation, of the Allegheny Plateau...
near Woodstock
Woodstock, New York
Woodstock is a town in Ulster County, New York, United States. The population was 5,884 at the 2010 census, down from 6,241 at the 2000 census.The Town of Woodstock is in the northern part of the county...
. She operates the business
Business
A business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalist economies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit...
with her partner, Monica Coleman. Pierson and Coleman have been together since 2003.
Collaborations
Pierson has collaborated with the following bands and singers:- The Ramones, in the early 1980s on the song, "Chop Suey", with Cindy Wilson and Debbie HarryDebbie HarryDeborah Ann "Debbie" Harry is an American singer-songwriter and actress, best known for being the lead singer of the punk rock and new wave band Blondie. She has also had success as a solo artist, and in the mid-1990s she performed and recorded as part of The Jazz Passengers...
, the title is available as bonus track on The Ramones' re-release CD "Pleasant Dreams". - Cindy, Kate and Keith were part of the group "Melon" and recorded 2 songs ("I Will Call You" and "Honeydew") for a Japanese TV show titled "Snakeman Show". The soundtrack LP from 1980 or CD from 1988 was only released in Japan.
- Fred Schneider, on his Fred Schneider & the Shake SocietyFred Schneider & the Shake SocietyFred Schneider and the Shake Society is an album by Fred Schneider. It was the first of two solo albums, and was re-released in 1991 as Fred Schneider ....
solo album from 1984 on songs "Monster", "Summer in Hell", "I'm Gonna Haunt You" and "Boonga (The New Jersey Caveman)". - Iggy PopIggy PopIggy Pop is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Though considered an innovator of punk rock, Pop's music has encompassed a number of styles over the years, including pop, metal, jazz and blues...
, on the 1990 Top-20 song "CandyCandy (Iggy Pop song)"Candy" is a song by Iggy Pop from his ninth solo album, Brick by Brick. The song is a duet with Kate Pierson of The B-52's, and was released as the album's second single in September 1990...
". - R.E.M.R.E.M.R.E.M. was an American rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1980 by singer Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills and drummer Bill Berry. One of the first popular alternative rock bands, R.E.M. gained early attention due to Buck's ringing, arpeggiated guitar style and Stipe's...
, on the songs "Shiny Happy PeopleShiny Happy People"Shiny Happy People" is a song by the band R.E.M.. The song appeared on their 1991 album Out of Time and was released as a single in the same year. The song features guest backing vocals by Kate Pierson of the B-52's, who also has a prominent role in the song's music video.It peaked at #10 on the...
", "Country FeedbackCountry Feedback"Country Feedback" is a song by R.E.M. from their 1991 album Out of Time.Michael Stipe has claimed that he did not even write the whole lyric down, that he "just had a piece of paper with a few words. I sang it and I walked out." The following day, the hastily-improvised take was deemed good enough...
" and "Me in Honey" from the 1991 album Out of TimeOut of Time (album)Out of Time is the seventh album by the American alternative rock band R.E.M., released on Warner Bros. Records in 1991. With Out of Time R.E.M.'s status grew from that of a cult band to a massive international act. The record topped the album sales charts in both the U.S...
, and "Fretless" from the 1991 soundtrack Until the End of the WorldUntil the End of the World (soundtrack)Until the End of the World is a soundtrack album to the film of the same name, released in 1991 on Warner Bros. Records. One song on the album—U2's "Until the End of the World", had been previously released on that band's 1991 album Achtung Baby—all of the other songs were original contributions,...
. - Matthew SweetMatthew SweetSidney Matthew Sweet is an American alternative rock/power pop musician. He was part of the burgeoning Athens, Georgia music scene in the early and mid-1980s before gaining commercial success during the early 1990s...
, on the 1993 album Earth. - With Cindy Wilson on their common cover of the McFadden & WhiteheadMcFadden & WhiteheadMcFadden and Whitehead were an American songwriting, production, and recording duo, best known for their signature tune "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now"...
's song "Ain't No Stoppin' Us NowAin't No Stoppin' Us Now"Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now" is a disco song performed by R&B duo McFadden & Whitehead from their debut album, McFadden & Whitehead. They wrote and produced this along with keyboard player Jerry Cohen. Released from their self-titled debut album in 1979, the song spent a week at number one on the R&B...
", recorded for the soundtrack The AssociateThe Associate (soundtrack)The Associate is the original motion picture soundtrack of the self-titled movie from 1996, starring Whoopi Goldberg, the winner of a Grammy, seven Emmy Awards, two Golden Globes, a Tony, as well as an Oscar....
in 1996 - The soundtrack for The Rugrats MovieThe Rugrats MovieThe Rugrats Movie is a 1998 American animated film, produced by Klasky Csupo and Nickelodeon Movies. The film was distributed by Paramount Pictures and first released in theaters in the United States on November 20, 1998....
, released in 1998 contains the track "The World Is Something New To Me" and features, Kate, Fred and Cindy along with other artists. - "We Are Family", a single released to collect money for the victims of the September 11 attacks features Kate and Fred in the chorus and on the DVD documentation.
- Jay Ungar & Molly Mason have Kate singing on their 2003 album Relax Your Mind, on the track "Bad Attitude"
- 2003 was a busy year for Kate, she also spoke the "Vamp" on the double CD / book release of Jack Kerouac's Doctor Sax And The Great World Snake
- Junior SeniorJunior SeniorJunior Senior was a pop musical duo from Denmark. The duo consisted of Jesper "Junior" Mortensen and Jeppe "Senior" Laursen ....
, on the song "Take My Time" from the 2005 album Hey Hey My My Yo YoHey Hey My My Yo YoHey Hey My My Yo Yo is the second and final album by Danish pop group Junior Senior, released in Japan and parts of Europe in 2005. It was released in Australia on April 9, 2007. The single "Itch U Can't Skratch" also charted in the UK...
(with Cindy Wilson) - Peter JöbackPeter JöbackPeter Arne Jöback is a Swedish singer and musical artist, and is regarded as being one of Sweden's best male vocalists .- 1997–2000 :...
, duet on the song "Sing" from the 2009 album East Side Stories - David ByrneDavid ByrneDavid Byrne may refer to:*David Byrne , musician and former Talking Heads frontman**David Byrne , his eponymous album*David Byrne , Irish footballer*David Byrne , English footballer...
and Fatboy SlimFatboy SlimNorman Quentin Cook better known by his former stage name Fatboy Slim, is a British DJ, electronic dance music musician, and record producer. He is a pioneer of the big beat genre that achieved mainstream popularity in the 1990s...
, on the song "The Whole Man" from the 2010 album Here Lies LoveHere Lies LoveHere Lies Love is a concept album and rock musical made in collaboration between David Byrne and Fatboy Slim, about the life of the former First Lady of the Philippines Imelda Marcos along with the woman who raised her—Estrella Cumpas—and follows Marcos until she and her family were forced to leave...
. - She was also a member of the Japanese group NiNaNiNaare a six-piece group formed in 1999 containing Kate Pierson , bassist Mick Karn , vocalist Yuki Isoya , Takemi Shima and Masahide Sakuma are a six-piece group formed in 1999 containing Kate Pierson (of The B-52s), bassist Mick Karn (of Japan), vocalist Yuki Isoya (of Judy and Mary), Takemi Shima...
with Yuki IsoyaYuki Isoyais a Japanese musician who performs under the name Yuki . She debuted in the music industry in 1991 as the lead vocalist for the rock band Judy and Mary, and as a solo artist in 2002...
. - Appeared in BlondieBlondie (band)Blondie is an American rock band, founded by singer Deborah Harry and guitarist Chris Stein. The band was a pioneer in the early American New Wave and punk scenes of the mid-1970s...
's music video for "Mother".
Film and television
- The Rugrats MovieThe Rugrats MovieThe Rugrats Movie is a 1998 American animated film, produced by Klasky Csupo and Nickelodeon Movies. The film was distributed by Paramount Pictures and first released in theaters in the United States on November 20, 1998....
(1998, voice only) - The FlintstonesThe Flintstones (film)The Flintstones is a 1994 American live-action comedy film based on the Hanna-Barbera cartoon television series of the same name about a Stone-Age man, his family and his best friend. The film was directed by Brian Levant, written by Tom S. Parker, Jim Jennewein and Steven E...
(1994, as "The BC-52's") - A Matter of Degrees (1990)
- Athens, GA: Inside/Out (1987)
- One Trick Pony (1980)
- Pierson portrayed a club owner in the Flight of the ConchordsFlight of the Conchords (TV series)Flight of the Conchords is an American television comedy series that debuted on HBO on June 17, 2007. The show follows the adventures of Flight of the Conchords, a two-man band from New Zealand, as its members seek fame and success in New York City. The show stars the real-life duo, Jemaine Clement...
episode "What Goes on TourWhat Goes on Tour"What Goes on Tour" is the ninth episode of the HBO comedy series Flight of the Conchords. This episode first aired in the United States on Sunday, August 12, 2007.-Plot synopsis:...
". - The Adventures of Pete and Pete (1993, "What We Did on Our Summer Vacation")
- Pierson is credited alongside Fred Schneider in the NickelodeonNickelodeon (TV channel)Nickelodeon, often simply called Nick and originally named Pinwheel, is an American children's channel owned by MTV Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom International. The channel is primarily aimed at children ages 7–17, with the exception of their weekday morning program block aimed at preschoolers...
cartoon Rocko's Modern LifeRocko's Modern LifeRocko's Modern Life is an animated series created by Joe Murray. The show aired for four seasons between 1993 and 1996 on Nickelodeon. Rocko's Modern Life is based around the surreal, parodic adventures of an anthropomorphic wallaby named Rocko, and his life in the city of O-Town...
for the theme song vocals. - Pierson, with The B-52's, appeared on an episode of the CBS soap opera Guiding LightGuiding LightGuiding Light is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest running drama in television and radio history, running from 1937 until 2009...
in 1982. - Pierson, with The B-52's, performed a parody of the song "Love ShackLove Shack"Love Shack" is a single by rock band The B-52's. Originally released in 1989 from their album Cosmic Thing, the single was the band's biggest hit song and first million-copy seller...
" titled "Glove Slap" in an episode of The SimpsonsThe SimpsonsThe Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
(1999, "E-I-E-I-(Annoyed Grunt)E-I-E-I-(Annoyed Grunt)"E-I-E-I-" is the fifth episode of the eleventh season of the American animated sitcom The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on November 7, 1999. In the episode, inspired by a Zorro movie, Homer begins slapping people with a glove and challenging them to duels...
").