Back With A New Sound

Kathleen Gorey-McSorley returns to the stage after a lengthy hiatus.

Matt Carter

It’s been a few years since Kathleen Gorey-McSorley was a mainstay on the Maritime folk scene. Growing up amidst Fredericton’s small but proud Celtic music community, she quickly became an in-demand performer at events and gatherings throughout the province, the Maritimes and the Eastern United States releasing two albums and earning an East Coast Music Award nomination for Roots/Traditional Solo Recording of the Year.

Noticeably absent from East Coast stages over the past few years due to illness, Kathleen (or Kat, to her friends) will be easing herself back into performing and recording in the months ahead as she plans to begin working on a new album.

“Taking a break was a blessing in disguise,” said Gorey-McSorley, “because I learned a lot about myself and my inner strength, and it definitely gave me something to write music about.”

While her recorded output to date has focused largely on traditional and contemporary Irish music, she had slowly begun working songs and mandolin into her performances prior to her hiatus, two of several influences that will no doubt be present when she returns to the studio this winter.

“While I grew up with fiddle music and it will always be part of my roots, I see it as a first love and I now have a more mature relationship with songwriting,” she said. “I am currently working in the indie pop genre with some folk influences. I’ll be playing my gigs with Daniel Mathisen on guitar but we are always looking to expand and work with other musicians. I love collaborating.”

Her return to the local stage happens December 16 at Grimross Brewing Company.

“There was a period not even a year ago where I couldn’t be in the same room as my instruments because I thought my health had taken my dreams of playing and writing music away from me, but now with the support of my family and friends, I have learned that it’s okay to try again and that a break is okay every now and then.”