recent news and concert calendar

Katy Guillen & The Girls are proud to have come in fourth place in the international blues challenge!

March and April bring many opportunities to catch Katy's raging guitar, including KG&G at this year's star-studded Middle of the Map Fest, The B'Dinas at Czar, and Claire & the Crowded Stage at Knuckleheads.

Keep up with the concert calendar to know when to catch Katy live!

Music has been an important part of my life from an early age. I began piano lessons at age seven, and formal guitar training at age 12. I started to delve into the blues -- Albert King, Robert Johnson, Buddy Guy, Susan Tedeschi, Bonnie Raitt, Jimi Hendrix, Jonny Lang, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Santana, and John Lee Hooker, to name a few. I would hole up in my room, throw on a CD, and play through with the whole album; mimicking licks, chords, and inventing my own parts. When I was 14 years old my dad took me to my first blues jam. I quickly became a regular at old blues staples like The Grand Emporium and B.B.'s Lawnside BBQ. These years proved to be one of the best learning experiences I've ever had.

Blues was and is a prominent influence for me, but certainly not the only one. I began studying flamenco when I was 17. I studied with Beau Bledsoe for three years, and accompanied dancers at his school of flamenco, Manos Rojas, for two years. After having immersed myself into two seemingly vastly different styles of music, I realized that what drew me to both styles initially was the raw passion, the movement and emotions that both can evoke from a listener and a player simultaneously.

Today I enjoy performing in many diverse styles--blues, flamenco, rock & roll, folk--in a growing number of bands and projects that allow me to continue the musical education I began twenty years ago, as well as entertain and affect audiences in Kansas City and beyond.

"In the case of Katy Guillen and the Girls, their recently-released EP ...and then there were three offers a trio of songs that showcases a trio of ladies who have firmly grasped the nuances of rock, blues, soul, and groove--and by "firmly grasped," I mean they make it clear from the outset that they know their stuff."

- Michael Byars, The Deli Magazine - Kansas City

"She excelled at every aspect of playing flamenco, which can be a really demanding style to master," Bledsoe said. "There is an inherent sexism in the guitar world, especially flamenco guitar world. She would surpass all of the male students. So, I'd try to leverage that by telling the guys, 'Katy can do it.'"

- Timothy Finn, The Kansas City Star

"Katy plays her guitar as if it is an extension of her body -- there is no separation between her and the music. The music flows through her and pours out in soul filled riffs and heart wrenching melodies. It is a truly inspiring experience to watch her play."

- Ashley Jones, The Independent Platte

"Whether by choice or by chance, the lineup thus far had built up to a swelling climax that could have potentially come crashing down if someone closed the night and was not prepared to hand the crowd their asses on a plate of rock (don't let that imagery slip past you). Lucky for the audience, Katy Guillen (of The B'Dinas) took the stage and dished out a three-course meal of ass (already regretting that metaphor)"

- Greg Stitts, Riot on the PLaza

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header photos by meredith mcgrade
kg&g photo by brandon forrest