Mark O'Connor – Luegra

Kate Lee O’Connor and Your Help

This week’s blog is a little different. Instead of me ranting about something that irritates me, or lauding about something that makes me happy, I want to tell you about someone dear to me who is going through a rough time, as well as asking for your help with her.

Kate Lee O’Connor is one of the most talented young ladies that I know. An fine fiddler, wonderful vocalist, and a personality that outshines her extreme beauty. She is married to Forrest O’Connor, mandolinist and son of legendary fiddler Mark O’Connor. The three of them, along with Mark’s wife Maggie, have performed together for the past few years as the Grammy-winning O’Connor Band. Forrest and Kate Lee have also recorded and toured as a duo.

I got to be acquainted with Kate Lee a few years back after a performance of the duo during an AmericanaFest showcase in Nashville. It led to me doing an article on her for Fiddler in the Summer 2020 issue. She is one of the few artists that I have interviewed that have thanked me personally for her coverage, and has posted her appreciation on her Facebook page. Since then, we have stayed in touch through emails.

During the beginning of the COVID pandemic two years ago, her doctor at the time had her taken off of a medication that she has needed since she was a child. The result was Kate Lee suffering from a severe case of SSRI Discontinuation Syndrome. Despite trials of other medications, they failed to curb her bouts of heavy anxiety, depression, and thoughts of suicide. She had attempted the act this past September, which caused her to be in a coma for one day and required a number of surgeries.

Medical bills have been piling up for the couple. As so many are aware, musicians, especially in the bluegrass fold, are not wealthy enough to have substantial medical coverage. Forrest has set up a GoFundMe page to seek assistance in covering the bills. I implore you to visit the page, read more about Kate Lee’s situation, and make a donation if you can.

Kate Lee O’Connor is a talent that only comes along once every few years, so it is crucial that we in the music world help when we can. Please keep her and the O’Connor family in your prayers, and provide assistance in any way that you can.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/fft48-kate-lee-oconnor-recovery-fund

Chew on it and comment.

YouTube Finds: Otis Gibbs, Mark O’Connor, Sam Bush

First off, I will be making a big announcement (at least to me) in next week’s blog, as I haven’t completed my actions yet. The announcement will be shocking to some, expected by others, but it is something that I feel that I need to do in my heart.

Now, let’s get to some quick business. I briefly mentioned it in my last blog, but I implore you to check out the Otis Gibbs channel on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYX2MTovE0vYjD8touqRH7Q)! I have been fortunate enough to hang out with Otis on occasion at previous AmericanaFests in Nashville. While a few of the videos are of his songs and performances, the truly enjoyable ones are of his interviews with people in the music industry. These people are not stars or business moguls. These are the roadies, back-up musicians, and technicians that have amazing stories about working with the big-time performers. They are filmed in a way that is less like a documentary and more like a barroom conversation. A great one is of bassist/producer Mark Fain talking about working with Tom Petty. Just about every one of the videos is a treasure, so you won’t be disappointed.

Another great YouTube channel is one by Marc O’Connor (https://www.youtube.com/user/markoconnor). Do I really need to tell you who Mark is? Besides being a phenomenon on the fiddle, he can put anyone to shame on mandolin and guitar as well. In fact, many of his recent videos showcase his guitar skills recorded for his Markology II album. There are also fiddle duets with his wife Maggie, some instructional tidbits based on his successful O’Connor Teaching Method, and some amazing live performances throughout the years. He also has some videos of classical violinists performing some of his compositions. Of course, you could never go wrong seeing Mark jamming with Tony Rice, Sam Bush, Bela Fleck, Jerry Douglas and Mark Schatz.

Speaking of Sam Bush, he’s been loading up his YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxoxShg3clxxwKg9nKQeHNw) with a lot of great videos of him jamming in his living room with guests like Ronnie McCoury, Tim O’Brien, Bryan Sutton and Jeff Hanna. Plus, there are a few vids of him discussing his admiration of Jethro Burns while holding Burns’ mandolin. Sam is one of those guys that you wish was your next-door neighbor. Over the fence, you would be talking music, baseball, and the weather. Sam is a treasure, to be sure.

Chew on it and comment.