Biography

“See that blur in the background? That’s all the fun people dancing!”
Editors Pick Of The Month. Oxford American.

No one can dispute that Karling Abbeygate inspires the audience to have a grand old time. She is traditional yet VERY different. She gets the tongues wagging with her twirling, her alt-rockabilly dresses and her unpredictable often-hysterical stage banter. But yet… despite all the showmanship, her voice is magical. No one denies this. She is like a nightingale reaching into your soul and touching on the tender points but she’s also like a thunderstorm rocking the room and growling out sheer power and fire, slamming that bastard ex-boyfriend into the dirt!

If you want something that is not safe, is not predictable, yet is well within Rockabilly tradition, then you are looking for this creative award-winning creature Karling Abbeygate.

And it’s not like she doesn’t have peer reviews! Whether she’s song writing with Big Sandy, doing backgrounds with Kim Lenz, performing duets with James Intveld, or recording at 4 Star Studios (Patsy Cline’s early label) Karling is always up to something. She just completed a very successful tour of Europe. The fans were left chanting “We want more, we want more, we want more!” The Russian backing band were left wondering if they can get visas so they can play permanently with her. And R.J. the Dutch Rockabilly singer also featured on the tour, is currently perfecting his Karling Abbeygate Twirl as we speak.

The first album released on hip label Dionysus Records is very traditional honky tonk country--just like Patsy Cline, Tammy Wynette or June Carter--lots of heart wrenching ballads that surely show Karling’s unique and pitch perfect emotional impact. This debut effort earned her three Los Angeles Music Awards:
Rockabilly Artist Of the Year,
Rockabilly Album Of The Year,
Americana Vocalist Of The Year.


Yet her new CD that’s out this coming Spring is a complete departure. Think Lulu meets Wanda Jackson, who then has a conference call with David Bowie who’s lunching with The Polecats--they exchange notes and then--write a 14 song album! Let’s just say the pre-release has already won a coveted Hollywood Music In Media Award! This girl can do no wrong. It’s only been a short time since she catapulted onto the rockabilly scene. Her first show was opening for Wayne Hancock. Her all star band featuring Thomas Yearsley (The Paladins) on bass, (who by the way said it was the first time in years that he’d felt truly inspired enough to pull his bass out of its bag)--Joey Altruda on guitar (producer of Big Sandy, James Imtveld, Bozz, Glen Glen, and more) and Daniel Glass (Royal Crown Review) on drums. And NO, she doesn’t have a big money backer. These guys play with her because she’s THAT GOOD!

Karling will be touring Europe again in 2010 to promote the new album which is already controversial with its suggestive bondage-like cover art. But just listen to the songs! And then you’ll see what all the fuss is about. Amelda May proved that true talent will prevail, and Karling Abbeygate is next in-line. Grab a date now while it’s still affordable!

“Karling Abbeyate has taken the classic 50s sound and blended it with today’s sensibilities, and in the process created something quite new and utterly stunning.”
(The late) Frankie Lane