Career
Though her career was relatively short, she had a significant impact on the folk music scene, and many musicians continue to cover her songs. Her best-known compositions include "Here in California," "Love Still Remains," "Across the Great Divide," "Unfinished Life," and "Give Yourself to Love."
Born in San Francisco, she started her music career in the band Wildwood Flower before recording ten records as a solo artist. An important mentor, friend and touring companion was Utah Phillips.
She died in 1986, at age 44, after a long battle with leukemia.
Her remains are buried at a small church cemetery in Goodyears Bar, California. Kate Wolf"s music is celebrated each year toward the end of June at the Kate Wolf Memorial Music Festival, held at Black Oak Ranch in Laytonville, California.
Several thousand guests attend this outdoor festival, which is regularly headlined by popular folk musicians such as Nina Gerber and Greg Brown. The festival traditionally closes with Wolf"s song, "Give Yourself to Love."
Scottish-born Australian singer-songwriter Eric Bogle wrote "Katie and the Dreamtime Land," one of his most popular songs, as a tribute to Wolf.
Greg Brown wrote and performed "Kate"s Guitar," which is available on his 2004 album, In the Hills of California, recorded live at the Kate Wolf Memorial Music Festival.
"Gaelic Americana" singer Kyle Carey covered Kate"s song "Across the Great Divide" which is on her 2014 album North Star. In 1998, a tribute album entitled, Treasures Left Behind: Remembering Kate Wolf, was released by Red House Records. The album contains Kate Wolf songs performed by various artists, and the booklet contains tributes and remembrances about her.
Track listing
"Give Yourself to Love" (Kathy Mattea)
"These Times We"re Living In" (Dave Alvin)
"Sweet Love" (John Gorka)
"Here in California" (Lucinda Williams)
"Like a River" (Peter Rowan & The Rowan Brothers)
"Carolina Pines" (Cris Williamson & Tret Fure)
"See Here, She Said" (U Utah Phillips)
"In China, or a Woman"s Heart" (Rosalie Sorrels)
"Tequila and Maine" (Greg Brown & Ferron)
"Back Roads" (Nina Gerber)
"Cornflower Blue" (Eric Bogle)
"Love Still Remains" (Emmylou Harris)
"Thinking About You" (Terry Garthwaite).