Life hasn’t always dealt her the best hand of cards. But from Katie Deal’s perspective, it isn’t about the cards we are given; it’s how we play them.
“There have been times I’ve gotten good ones and other times that joker has been thrown in,” Katie laughed.
Her music and stories tell where she’s been and where she is going. Her words connect audiences with her as if privately having a cup of coffee in some Bistro tucked away in rural Georgia.
Hardman Farm
At Hardman Farm on Saturday, June 1st, you can hear Katie Deal and the Country River Band starting at 5 p.m. She will perform her classic country favorites interwoven with stories of growing up in the North Georgia Mountains.
“I love that my dad (Nathan Deal) is coming. It’s hard for him since my Mama passed away because that was something they did together – coming to hear me sing,” Katie said soulfully. This performance will be unique in that Katie will present her newest production Real Deal Country.
As authentic as the country music she sings, Katie exudes real life. Not pretentious, she speaks from her heart about the things she loves and the people who have invested in her life.
Talent came early
She sang her first notes in church with her Mama (Sandra Deal) as her biggest fan. The drive that pushed her to keep going came from Sandra, “If you don’t use it, you lose it.” Those wise words from her mom echo in Katie’s head even today.
“Opportunities come and go. Sometimes we miss them,” Katie reflected. “When I was 8 years old, I had a chance to sing with Michele and Mark Dowdy (singer, songwriter).”
It was a huge moment for her at such a young age. She recorded in the studio with them and the day before the show, Katie got laryngitis and couldn’t perform. “It was one of the pivotal moments in life when I learned to understand how to push through despite the disappointment.”
Her first band was an alternative rock band called “Major Tom and the Senator’s Daughter.” They played in coffee shops on the weekends. “I cut my own hair, trying to look the part,” she recalled.
The journey
Katie attended the University of Georgia for a year as an English major, but all she really wanted to do was play music. After spending a summer in New York with her sister Mary Emily (actor, writer, and teacher), Katie decided she wasn’t coming home. It didn’t take long for her to receive a response from her mama informing her that she was coming home.
She graduated from Piedmont University in 2002 with a Bachelor of Arts in Theater, graduating cum laude.
“Mary Emily was one of my professors, and I loved working with her.”
While at Piedmont, Katie recognized that she was a performer through music, acting, and writing. This realization changed the trajectory of her life.
It was after moving to Memphis, TN, that Katie found her niche. Her acting skills, coupled with her musical talent, put her in unique positions to perform – and perform well.
Sold-out crowds
Today, Katie plays to sold-out audiences across the United States and Canada. In 2016, she received the Georgia Country Artist of the Year Award and is a member of the Atlanta Country Music Hall of Fame.
Katie has worked with top songwriters and artists: Bruce Burch (Reba McEntire), Amanda Colleen Williams (Garth Brooks), Brandon Bush (Train), Kristian Bush (Sugarland), and John Driskell Hopkins (Zac Brown Band).
John Conlee, Sammy Kershaw, Collin Raye, B.J. Thomas, and Country Family Reunion (Bill Anderson, Jeannie Seely, T.G. Sheppard) are only a few of the country music legends whose concerts she has opened. Katie has also performed with the late country icon Loretta Lynn, as well.
Katie Deal can be seen in two major motion films, Let’s Be Cops and Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk. She is a budding author and producer of several theatrical concerts, including The Women of Country Music, A Tribute to Patsy Cline, and Classic Nashville Roadshow with Jason Petty, just to name a few.
Real deal
The beauty of Katie Deal does not come with accolades, awards, or a sold-out audience. It comes with depth and honesty. She has seen her share of suffering. The openness that guides her words to give more of herself in her songs and stories offers to anyone listening hope. Katie Deal has grit, the kind one finds in a person who is not just a survivor but a victor.
Her first marriage ended amicably. “We remain friends today,” Katie expressed.
But, her second marriage came to an end simultaneously while losing her mama to cancer. The season of life altered Katie’s existence. She speaks openly about mental health and the importance of finding help to overcome when the obstacles of life seem overwhelming. “I was very close to my mom,” Katie said. “Coming out of an abusive relationship and losing her was probably the toughest time of my life.”
Brush fire
Angels surround Katie Deal in many ways. Only two months ago, Katie was burned in a brush fire in Florida. Her face, arms, and feet were damaged. She believes that somehow, her mama and angels protected her from that fire, which could’ve been so much worse.
Katie is not fully recovered but she is getting better each day. Within a little over a week of the fire, she was performing again. That is the resilience of Katie Deal.
“There is something beautiful about losing all that you care about,” Katie reflected. “There is a realization that you can’t be hurt as bad as you have been hurt ever again.”
Real Deal Country
At Hardman Farm, Katie will share stories of her life, the songs she has written, and the artists she admires. It will be a night you will not want to miss. Hardman Farm is a State Historic Site and is located at 143 Georgia 17 Sautee Nacoochee, GA. The gates will open at 5 p.m. Enjoy BBQ from Mutt & Jeff’s BBQ food truck and fresh squeezed lemonade and boiled peanuts from Old Fashioned Fun Food before the show. Explore Hardman Farm’s grounds and outbuildings and play old-fashioned games on the lawn. Local musicians Debbie Lee Whelchel and Lisa Deaton will perform at 6 p.m.
Lawn tickets are available for $25 each (plus taxes and fees). Tables for 6 are available for $250 (plus taxes & fees). Tables include seating for 6, an exclusive 4 p.m. tour of the Hardman Farm mansion before the show, and a charcuterie board waiting at your table. Tickets may be purchased online.
All proceeds from the event go to support future restoration projects and events at Hardman Farm.
For more information, visit Hardman Farm State Historic Site.
