Kathi McDonald

Kathryn Marie "Kathi" McDonald (September 25, 1948 – October 3, 2012) was an American blues and rock singer and songwriter. As a teenager she sang with different bands around the Pacific Northwest before she was discovered by Ike Turner. She sang as an Ikette with Ike & Tina Turner and eventually replaced Janis Joplin as the front woman of Big Brother and Holding Company. McDonald became a background vocalist for various artists, including Leon Russell, Joe Cocker, The Rolling Stones, Freddie King, and Long John Baldry. She also recorded as a solo artist and fronted her own band Kathi McDonald & Friends.

Early life McDonald was born in Anacortes, Washington, on September 25, 1948. The single, released on the Panorama label, was the first release by The Unusuals (formerly The Bellingham Accents) and it featured vocals by McDonald and Laurie Vitt who wrote the song and was a founding member of the band. Shortly thereafter, with McDonald as soloist, the Unusuals released their second single "Summer is Over" and, while it received airplay on local radio, it was a lesser hit in the Pacific Northwest. Kathi & The Unusuals toured with Dewey Martin (pseudonym Sir Raleigh and previously Sir Raleigh and the Cupons).

Big Brother and the Holding Company

While living in Seattle, McDonald developed strong San Francisco music connections and promoter Chet Helms invited her to audition for Big Brother and the Holding Company in 1966. He also invited a then-unknown Janis Joplin from Austin, Texas. Joplin arrived in San Francisco before McDonald and was hired to front the band. McDonald held some resentment for losing the job to Joplin, who people often compared her voice to, she stated:

"I used to hate doing Janis songs...It really was annoying for a lot of years, but I finally made my peace with it. I read some books about her and I realized what a pathetic life she had, with all kinds of screwups. It was terrible. The poor thing. Anything that could have gone wrong, did go wrong. I thought it was just one big freakin' party, but it wasn't. She had a lot of heartbreak." She then recorded with Big Brother and the Holding Company after Joplin split with the band. McDonald also contributed backing vocals to four tracks that appear on The Rolling Stones album Exile on Main Street (1972), including the hit single "Tumbling Dice". The album was released in 1974 and reached #156 on the Billboard 200. Rufus was McDonald's opening act when she performed at The Whisky in May 1974.

In 1976, McDonald met blues singer Long John Baldry and they collaborated until his death in 2005. She toured with him and they enjoyed success in Australia where their duet "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" reached #2 in 1980.

McDonald eventually fronted her own band and continued to perform regionally. In February 2009, she performed at the opening gala for the San Francisco Museum of Performance & Design along with Sam Andrew, welcoming in a new exhibition dedicated to the art and music of San Francisco of the 1965–1975 era.

Death McDonald struggled with alcoholism and drug abuse. She died at the age of 64 in Seattle, Washington, on October 3, 2012. She was survived by her daughter.

Discography

Albums

1974: Insane Asylum (Capitol Records) – reached #156 on the Billboard 200 1986: Long John Baldry with Kathi McDonald – "Ain't That Peculiar" (Music Line MLS 004)

Backing vocal credits

1970: Ike & Tina Turner and The Ikettes – Come Together (uncredited) 1970: Big Brother And The Holding Company – Be a Brother 1971: Freddie King – Getting Ready 1971: Leon Russell – Leon Russell And The Shelter People 1971: Nigel Olsson – Nigel Olsson's Drum Orchestra And Chorus 1971: Don Nix – Living By The Days 1971: Big Brother And The Holding Company – How Hard It Is 1971: Delaney & Bonnie – To Bonnie from Delaney (uncredited) 1971: Rita Coolidge – Rita Coolidge (uncredited) 1972: Tony Kelly – Bring Me Back 1972: Terry Dolan – Terry Dolan 1972: The Rolling Stones – Exile On Main St. 1972: Grin – All Out 1973: Betty Davis – Betty Davis 1974: "Rock 'N' Roll Preacher" and "Galilee" on Chuck Girard by Chuck Girard 1976: "Stranger In A Strange Land" on Best Of Leon by Leon Russell 1976: "Razooli" on Diga by Diga Rhythm Band 1978: Quicksilver Messenger Service – Solid Silver 1979: Nils Lofgren & Grin – Nils Lofgren & Grin 1979: Long John Baldry – Baldry's Out! 1983: "Ready To Make Up" and "Don't Give Me The Once Over" on Girls Night Out by Toronto 1986: Quicksilver – Peace By Piece 1987: Long John Baldry – Long John Baldry & Friends 1988: Long John Baldry – A Touch Of The Blues 1991: Long John Baldry – It Still Ain't Easy 1995: Novato Frank Band – Rock 'N' Roll Heaven 1995: John Lee Sanders – World Blue 1996: Long John Baldry – Right To Sing The Blues 1997: Big Brother And The Holding Company – Can't Go Home Again 2001: Long John Baldry – Remembering Leadbelly 2009: Long John Baldry – Live – Iowa State University 2012: Colin Kadey – A Brief Glimpse of Paradise