Meet Katie Blomarz-Kimball | Upright & Electric Bassist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Katie Blomarz-Kimball and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Katie, what do you want your legacy to be?
Legacy and success are different for everyone. For me, the most important legacy I can leave is kindness. The music industry can be incredibly tough, especially for women. Creating spaces for learning and music making that are accepting and show kindness has been something I have learned is so important to me. I will always choose kindness and kind people to work with over anything else.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I started playing music at a very young age. I pursued a career in music at The University of Illinois where I focused on jazz. After graduating, I made the move to Nashville. Since playing in Nashville, I have been able to work both on the road touring playing music and working in the scene in town.

I have had a really diverse career thus far. I have been involved in the jazz community in Nashville since I moved to town in 2015, but haven’t started working seriously in the scene until about 2023. I know have my own jazz quartet that I write and arrange all of the music for. I am hoping to record an album within the next year of my tunes. It has been an amazing experience building my book for my group. I was inspired to start my own project because I felt like there was a hole in a certain sub genre of jazz in town. I wanted to play specific tunes and no one was doing it. So I said why can’t it be me?

I started playing in a bluegrass/folk band for nearly 10 years shortly after I moved to town. I had the pleasure of being a part owner of the band and touring full time with them for 8 years, but chose to leave the group about 3 years ago. It was one of the hardest decisions I had to make, but I knew it was time to take my career into my own hands.

Being a female upright bassist, it is easy for folks to say things like “hey you’re pretty good for a girl!” I have spent my whole career trying to prove to people that I deserve a spot at the table. I have worked hard over the years to curate a sound that works in many different genres. Whether it is sensitive folk music, swinging jazz, or high energy bluegrass, I have taken all of my opportunities a molded a sound that I am truly proud of. I have just recently started to push the boundaries of encouraging folks to branch out from their normal call list and think about other folks they can give opportunities to. It is awesome to hone in on your craft, but if no one is calling you it’s hard to use it in practice. So many awesome musicians have gone out of their way to include me in their projects, and that has helped propel me in the right direction. It isn’t easy to disrupt the status quo, but it is a way to find musicians that you wouldn’t normally work with and can change the course of someone else’s career. That is something I will continue to remember through the entirety of my time playing music.

I have learned so many lessons along the way, but the biggest one I have learned is you can never be over prepared. People will continue to call you if you show up prepared and ready for anything. If a group sends you a setlist, do some research. See if they have more stuff that is commonly called at their shows. Learn it! Be flexible and respectful to what you are coming to the table with. It will be easier and better for you, and the folks you are working with will respect you a whole lot more for your hard work.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
For eats, I would have to point them to Fatbelly Pretzel Deli, Prince’s Hot Chicken, East Side Bahn Mi, Alebrije, Pelato, or The Pharmacy.

For drinks, you don’t want to miss Pearl Diver, Schulman’s, Golden Pony, Wilburn Street Tavern, Attaboy, or Urban Cowboy.

You should also do a little brewery tour and hit up Southern Grist, Bearded Iris, Tailgate, Fait la Force, Living Waters and Smith & Lentz.

There are a ton of great spots to check out in the city that are filled with history. The National Museum of African American Music, The Frist Art Museum, or The Country Music Hall of Fame.

But most importantly, the music venues: You must try to see music at The Ryman, The Grand Ole Opry, Rudy’s Jazz Room, The Nashville Jazz Worksop, Dee’s Country Cocktail Lounge, The 5 Spot, The Station Inn, Jane’s Hideaway, Lipstick Lounge, East Side Bowl, Robert’s Wester World, and so so many more.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My family as been a huge inspiration for me over the course of my career. Whether telling them I wanted to move to Nashville or traveling hours to hear me play, my parents have always encouraged me in whatever group I have played with. I have also had the pleasure of collaborating musically with my brother. Working with him as inspired me to continue to write music and be curious musically.

I have also developed a great musical collaboration with one of my closest friends, Abigail Flowers. Her and I have had the pleasure of being clinicians at a few universities over the years and have begun to develop quiet a bit of music together. I have written/arranged music with Abi in mind and couldn’t imagine performing them without her. She has become both and inspiration and a muse for me to write for and it is a very special bond to have with such a talented musician.

My husband, who is also a bass player, is one of my biggest cheerleaders. He has been there for some of the biggest moments of my career and has constantly helped me navigate this crazy career. He has given me some of the best advice on how to approach my career and is always there to hype me up when things are going well. You can’t replace that kind of love and commitment from a partner. It has given me so much confidence as a musician knowing he’s always there to support me.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kblomarzkimball/

Other: My bio:

“…one of the most inventive bass players going…” -No Depression, Katie Blomarz-Kimball has spent the last several years perfecting her craft. After graduating from college where she studied jazz, Katie moved her talents to Nashville to begin her professional career. Over the last 9 years in Nashville, Katie has played upright/electric bass and sung harmonies in an abundance of different genres. Ranging from folk to jazz to Western swing to Americana, she has been able to mold herself into a creative member in any project she has participated in. She has been seen performing on such stages as The Grand Ole Opry, Bonnaroo, Merlefest, AmericanaFest, Rocky Grass, Mountain Stage & WinterGrass just to name a few. She has also shared the stage with many world-renowned artists including Lauren Daigle, Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Jim Lauderdale, Tommy Emmanuel, James Nash (The Waybacks), Jack Pearson, Kandace Springs, Sister Sadie, The Barefoot Movement, Brother & the Hayes, Music City Queens and many more. When home from the road, Katie can be seen playing in a plethora of different jazz configurations, including the Ryan Middagh Jazz Orchestra, with vocalist Abigail Flowers and the Music City Big Band. She also leads her own quartet highlighting some of the music from the New Standards book put together by Terri Lyne Carrington, along with her own originals and arrangements. She can be seen now freelancing with a wide variety of artists, both touring and recording, around the country.

Image Credits
Laura Schneider (main artist photo and pictures 4-7)

Hannah Kik (picture 1)

Elisabeth Donaldson (picture 3)

Carly Butler (picture 2)