ABOUT KTHT
Hailing from Waterloo, Iowa, Katie and the Honky Tonks are a four-piece original honky tonk band owing its sound to 1960s Nashville. Their songs lean heavy on real stories, catchy hooks, and rhythms built for crowded dance floors. Fronted by Katie Sires on vocals and rhythm guitar, with Jesse Cotton on lead guitar, Johnny Love on bass, and Luke Sires on drums, they were named 2025 Iowa Music Awards Country Artist of the Year, and were considered for a Grammy after releasing their debut album, Ain’t No Shame. Proof that honky tonk is still here and very much alive.
Their debut album, Ain’t No Shame, OUT NOW builds on the success of their 2024 EP, Two-Steppin’ in the Shower, which solidified their place in the Midwest country music scene. The EP earned widespread recognition, with Iowa Public Radio saying, “The EP sounds more like Nashville 1964, not Nashville 2024.” Lonesome Highway, in a review of "Ain't No Shame' says, "Katie and the Honky Tonks join the ever-growing canon of women like Summer Dean, Emily Nenni, Sarah Gayle Meech and Kimmi Bitter, to name but a few, that are representing genuine honky tonk music."
The Honky Tonks are:
Johnny Love - bass/vocals
Jesse Cotton - guitar/vocals
Luke Jerry - drums
They have shared the stage with:
Dale Watson, Emily Nenni, William Elliott Whitmore, Braxton Keith, The Deslondes, Josh Turner, Eliza Thorn, Jon Pardi, Marshall Tucker Band, With Dead Hands Rising, Reaping Asmodeia,
Whitey Morgan, Jason Carter Band, Lee Brice, Brett Young, Eli Young Band, Joshua Ray Walker, George Ducas, Marques Morel
Festival Appearances:
Big Country Bash, Sugar Maple Fest, Alternating Currents, Wild Cat Country Fest, 80-35 Music Fest, Cedar Basin Music Fest, College Hill-Billy Country Fest, Yee-Hah Jamboree
Band Manager | Luke Sires | [email protected]
Their debut album, Ain’t No Shame, OUT NOW builds on the success of their 2024 EP, Two-Steppin’ in the Shower, which solidified their place in the Midwest country music scene. The EP earned widespread recognition, with Iowa Public Radio saying, “The EP sounds more like Nashville 1964, not Nashville 2024.” Lonesome Highway, in a review of "Ain't No Shame' says, "Katie and the Honky Tonks join the ever-growing canon of women like Summer Dean, Emily Nenni, Sarah Gayle Meech and Kimmi Bitter, to name but a few, that are representing genuine honky tonk music."
The Honky Tonks are:
Johnny Love - bass/vocals
Jesse Cotton - guitar/vocals
Luke Jerry - drums
They have shared the stage with:
Dale Watson, Emily Nenni, William Elliott Whitmore, Braxton Keith, The Deslondes, Josh Turner, Eliza Thorn, Jon Pardi, Marshall Tucker Band, With Dead Hands Rising, Reaping Asmodeia,
Whitey Morgan, Jason Carter Band, Lee Brice, Brett Young, Eli Young Band, Joshua Ray Walker, George Ducas, Marques Morel
Festival Appearances:
Big Country Bash, Sugar Maple Fest, Alternating Currents, Wild Cat Country Fest, 80-35 Music Fest, Cedar Basin Music Fest, College Hill-Billy Country Fest, Yee-Hah Jamboree
Band Manager | Luke Sires | [email protected]
Copyright 2026 Katie and the Honky Tonks