Kate Pierson

Kate Pierson

Catherine Elizabeth Pierson (born April 27, 1948) is an American singer, lyricist, and founding member of the B-52's. She plays guitar, bass and various keyboard instruments. In the B-52s, she has performed alongside Cindy Wilson, Fred Schneider, Ricky Wilson, and Keith Strickland. In the early years, as well as being a vocalist, Pierson was the main keyboard player and performed on a keyboard bass during live shows and on many of the band's recordings, taking on a role usually filled by a bass guitar player, which differentiated the band from their contemporaries. This, along with Pierson's distinctive wide-ranging singing voice, remains a trademark of the B-52's' unique sound. Pierson has also collaborated with many other artists including The Ramones, Iggy Pop and R.E.M. Pierson possesses a soprano vocal range. In February 2015, Pierson released her first solo album, Guitars and Microphones, featuring material co-written by Sia. She later released the non-album single "Better Not Sting the Bee", and on April 15, 2016, she released a cover of "Venus" as a single.