Katie Jo & The Mijos

In a genre filled with big beards and burly men, Katie Jo brings a spunky frontwoman dominance and booming voice to the stage that matches performers twice her size--and immediately draws in crowds of all sizes. Back by a revved-up six-piece band of professional country musicians, her uptempo live shows offer high-energy country and introspective songwriting that'll grab your ear, heart and dancing boots.

Led by songwriter and guitarist Katie Jo Oberthaler, Katie Jo & The Mijos play classic country music fit for the modern era—and often fit for folks who say they don't like country music at all! With toe-tapping tunes fit for a roadhouse hoedown and lyrics as tender as the partner you'd dance with, Katie Jo's live shows are a blend of high-energy country and introspective songwriting that'll grab your ear, heart and dancing boots.

In a genre filled with big beards and burly men, Katie Jo brings a spunky frontwoman dominance and booming voice to the stage that matches performers twice her size--and immediately draws in crowds of all sizes. Back by a revved-up six-piece band of professional country musicians, her uptempo live shows are often not often expected of the diminutive band leader and have attracted the attention of audiences ranging from city events, private parties, corporate and non-profit functions to festival and bar crowds.

Based in Long Beach and touring across California, Katie Jo's original music has been roadtested with both hardline country fans and casual listeners. Since 2016, she has cut her teeth playing honkytonk holdouts around Southern California and carved out strong support with non-country music fans by organizing shows in untraditional venues like boxing gyms and barbershops. As word about her live shows started to get out, and she has had the pleasure of appearing at popular festivals such as The Long Beach Folk Revival Festival, Echo Park Rising, The Grand Ole Echo, and more and sharing the stage with notable artists such as Billy Joe Shaver, Jamie Wyatt, Lucero and more.

For full band performances, Katie Jo & The Mijos come roarin' in with telecaster lead guitar, pedal steel, acoustic guitar, bass, drums, vocals, and harmonies. Fiddle, mandolin, accordion, keyboard, and banjo can also be added on for a bigger full band configuration!

Additional Configurations:

4-piece -- Acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass, drums, vocals
Acoustic Trio -- Acoustic guitar, electric guitar, pedal steel, vocals,
Acoustic Duo -- Acoustic guitar + pedal steel, acoustic guitar + pedal steel, or acoustic guitar + fiddle, vocals
Acoustic Solo Act -- Acoustic guitar + vocals

A self-contained P.A. is available upon request!

INFLUENCES

Classic Artists: Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Hank Williams, Dwight Yoakam, Patty Loveless, Suzy Bogguss, Flying Burrito Brothers, Johnny Cash, Ernest Tubb, Del Reeves, Ricky Skaggs, Rhonda Vincent, Waylon Jennings, Merle Haggard, David Alan Coe, Buck Owens, Kitty Wells.

Modern Artists: Miranda Lambert, Eric Church, Margo Price, Charley Crockett, Nikki Lane, Miranda Lambert, Kacey Musgraves, The Turnpike Troubadours, Pistol Annies, Reckless Kelly

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING

"Moves between rowdy, bluegrass rippers to warmhearted ballads with a classic country feel."
- OC Weekly review

“The mix of uptempo, honky-tonk numbers and introspective ballads are based on personal narratives and give off a friendly, good-time vibe.”
— Long Beach Post review

"Katie's passion for music and the band is so inspiring to us! Seeing Katie Jo & The Mijos master their craft on stage was such a special privilege! They're a must see." - Corduroy Soul review

"Passionate and quality lyricism and musicianship! Great fun!" - Brad Clough, event attendee

Backline:

For live music venues:
- The band will supply drums, cymbals, one acoustic guitar, one eletric guitar, one pedal steel, bass, two guitar amps, one DI, one dynamic vocal microphone.
- The venue will supply: drum hardware, drum throne, carpet, one tube bass amp, one guitar amp, two DIs, two mics and mic stands. If the venue is unable to provide any of the equipment above, we can coordinate other arrangements.

For non-venue locations:

Staging:
A stage is ideal, but we require at least a 15 x 15 area for performance when playing as a six-piece ensemble.

Sound:
At a minimum, we require a two-speaker PA and 8-channel mixer to perform. We can provide a PA for an additional $150 fee.

Lighting:
For locations or times without natural lighting, we require sufficient lighting for six-piece ensemble.