Katie Skene

Katie Skene is a Roots & Americana singer/songwriter/guitarist whose music blends the twang of southern rock and blues with the cosmic sounds of California. Originally from Tallahassee, FL and currently based in Ventura, CA, Katie's music embodies the melding of her Southern roots with a decade spent on the West Coast.

Through the prism of Katie's evocative vocals, personal songwriting and masterful guitar work, her music blends electric swamp blues with jam-band psychedelia. Katie has shared the stage with many legendary artists and musicians, including Bob Weir & Phil Lesh (Grateful Dead), Chris Robinson (The Black Crowes), George Porter Jr. (The Meters), Warren Haynes (The Allman Brothers Band), Vince Herman (Leftover Salmon), Col. Bruce Hampton and more. Katie attended the University of Southern California on a scholarship and received a B.M. in Popular Music Vocal Performance with an emphasis in songwriting. Since graduating in 2015, Katie has worked primarily on the West Coast, performing in the Jam-Band & Americana scene and collaborating with many legendary artists and musicians. She has toured throughout the country and has opened for and co-headlined with bands including Zach Gill (ALO), Eddie 9V, Diggin' Dirt, Hot Buttered Rum, The Coffis Brothers, Mapache, Dan Horne Band, and more, and has performed at festivals including Bender Jamboree, June Lake Jam Fest, Lucidity Festival, Suwannee Roots Revival, Surfrider Concert for the Coast, Word of South, Summer's End Half Moon Bay, and more. Her second EP, Toward The Tide, was released in May 2023, with a full length LP Symmetry of Wildflowers to be released in Winter 2025. Katie's other projects include jam-band supergroup California Kind (with John Molo, Pete Sears, Barry Sless & Rob Barraco) and a collaboration with instrumental funk-world music band, TV Broken 3rd Eye Open.

Katie tells us that her journey towards a musical career started at a young age

"As a little girl, I was deeply connected to music. I loved clapping my hands, climbing onto the fireplace, singing, and dancing—it always sparked pure joy. As I grew older and turned music into my profession, my relationship with it evolved, but that deep sense of joy has never faded. The Allman Brothers called this feeling “Hittin’ the Note”—a moment when music, musicians, and the audience become one, and the soul is moved to experience joy through sound.

For me, singing is my greatest release, especially in a resonant space where vibrations are reflected and amplified. Interestingly, "resonant," a term used to describe sound, also refers to experiences that leave a powerful and lasting impact. These connections between emotions, memories, and physical vibrations are profound, and tapping into them can be transformative.

At its core, music is the organization of sound and vibrations. Songwriting elevates this further by weaving in imagery, words, the human voice, and layers of meaning. As Nick Cave once said, “Art exists so the unsayable can be said without having to actually say it.” What makes a song universal? How does a particular phrase, line, or chorus resonate so deeply with us? While music often defies explanation—and the best songs are born outside of formulas—it’s possible to study the elements that shape a song: melody, chords, harmony, lyrics, structure, rhyme schemes, rhythm, and more. By exploring these aspects, we can filter them through our own creative lenses, opening our minds, hearts, and souls to the healing power of sound and vibration.

For me, the fulfillment of completing a song is unparalleled. I’m excited to share and exchange experiences, insights, and tools in a safe, welcoming, and inspiring creative environment—one surrounded by the breathtaking beauty of the desert landscape."

Join Katie as she guides you through your own musical creativity at the Desert Strings Retreat. Link to the retreat page is accessed here.