Award winning singer-songwriter, Kate McDonnell is our guest on this episode of Art of the Song. She plays her guitar upside down and backward and sings with her whole being. She has performed solo at the Newport Folk Festival, on Mountain Stage, on WXPN’s World Café, and at the Kennedy Center.

Kate took a break in 2006 to earn her master’s degree at Smith College in child therapy and worked as a school therapist for children in special education programs. We’re glad the muse never stopped haunting this artist. Kate is back with her fifth CD, Ballad of a Bad Girl. We spoke with her about songwriting, working with writing partner Anne Lindley and this fresh batch of soulful, fierce, and engaging new songs.

Also in the second half of the show, we’ll hear from Don Richmond with an essay entitled The Ecstasy Of Amazement for the Creativity Corner.