Kate McCann is a folk singer, banjo player, and music educator based in St. John’s Newfoundland. Originally form the New England region of the U.S., she is currently pursing an MA in ethnomusicology at Memorial University of Newfoundland, a program uniquely spanning both the Folklore Department and the School of Music.
Initially trained in classical voice, she earned her BA in music and anthropology from Bennington College, completing a thesis on Irish ballad singing. She later worked as a chanteyman at the Mystic Seaport Museum, where she immersed herself in maritime music traditions, an experience that inspired her debut album Sea Songs (2023), supported by funding from the Maine Arts Commission. Its single “Bone Dry” was awarded “Song of the Year” by the Maine Songwriters’ Association.
Kate has taught music in museums, libraries, schools, and through private lessons, always emphasizing traditional music as a living, participatory practice. Active in folk communities through pub sings, old-time jams, and songwriting groups, she continues to explore sea music across cultures, ballad singing, and the folk traditions of Newfoundland.