Watson to perform at Harvest House Gala

Kate Watson recalls moving more than a dozen times during her young life. She attended three different high schools before graduating from Angleton High School, which is an hour south of Houston, but country music’s newest rising star and “American Idol” alum is returning to Beaumont, where she was born, to perform at the fifth annual Harvest House Gala on Tuesday, Jan. 25, at the MCM Eleganté from 5:30-8 p.m.

“I am so excited and honored,” said Watson. “I lived in Orange, Bridge City, Beaumont, Newton and Kirbyville, so I have family and friends all over. “I can’t wait to comeback and show all of them what I have been doing.”

Harvest House is a Christ-based community nonprofit organization in Beaumont that was founded to respond to the heart-breaking epidemic of child sex trafficking. They were was established to provide education and long-term care as a place of refuge and safety for victims of sex trafficking.

“This is our largest fundraiser,” said Hannah Moore, executive administrative assistant of Harvest House. “It funds our Advocacy and Communications departments for the entire year.”

Construction has also recently started on a new intake home in which the Harvest House will use to help young girls receive care.

Tickets for the gala are $125 and can be purchased online at harvesthousebmt.com. The semi-formal gala will include a cake auction and silent auction, which includes a custom golf bag, fishing gear, self-care items for the ladies, gift cards, door prizes, a guest speaker and a musical performance by Watson.

“My parents were in a band,” said Watson. “My mom played drums, keyboards, while my dad played guitar, wrote the music and we traveled all across Texas playing at different churches. It was really cool to see how much music changed people’s lives. I also thought my parents were rock stars, so I wanted to be like them.”

Watson recalled while in fifth grade, she began to help her dad, Jesse, from Newton, lead worship at church. “I was really shy then, nothing like I am the person today,” she said. “I was the kid in the corner that looked like a chubby can of biscuits ready to burst with a big head.”

Music became a reality a few years later when she won a talent contest in Georgia and decided to tell her parents that music was her choice.

“I was 15 years old and I sat my parents down,” she recalled. “I told them, ‘I am not going to college and I wanted to pursue music.’ They supported me 100%.”

Watson then linked up with famed vocal coach Tom McKinney, who has worked with the likes of Beyoncé, Demi Lovato and Scott Hoying of Pentatonix.

Her talent then took her to Season 19 of  “American Idol,” where she “wowed” the judges, including Lionel Ritchie, by singing one of his hit songs, “Hello,” which earned her a golden ticket to Hollywood. Though she didn’t win, she was able to turn the negative into a massive positive.

“When I got home, I was crushed,” said Watson. “There is so much talent on that show who have been singing for a while and I was just starting. I sat on the couch for days processing it all, but I built myself back up as an artist. My dad and I started writing more songs, working on performances and working on the small details.”

One of the songs written has become a hit for Watson, “Red Lipstick on a Cowboy Hat,” which tells the story of Watson, who was bullied at a younger age.

“I told my dad my story and he helped me put it together,” she said. “I was told, ‘I would never make it,’ and ‘Would never be good enough.’ By growing up, I figured out who I was. So I put on red lip stick and a cowboy hat and was going to conquer the world, but it wouldn’t be by revenge. It would be by forgiving all those who did bully me. That’s the mark I want to make on this world. I want to give hope.”

Those who attend the Harvest House Gala will have a chance to hear her powerhouse vocals and sweet as pecan pie personality in person.

“I am going to showcase everything I love,” she said. “I want to do originals, some cover songs and maybe one of the songs will connect with a person. If so, that will open up an opportunity for them to listen to my original music.”

Watson says she has several goals to accomplish including making fellow country music star Parker McCollum proud. While performing at the Lone Star Cowboy Church in Montgomery, Texas, she caught the ears of McCollum, who immediately responded, “She has the total package – the voice, the look, and the way she connects with people,” he said. “I am looking forward to great things from her.”

“He believed in me,” said Watson, “so I definitely want to make him proud.”

Watson will soon be writing and recording more new music.

“I want to sing my music all over the world,” she said. “I want to show everyone all the hard work I have been doing.”

For information about the Harvest House Gala, view harvesthousebmt.com or call (409) 790-0798. The MCM Eleganté is located at 1355 Executive Blvd. in Beaumont.

Chad Cooper is the Entertainment Editor. Contact cooper@theexaminer.com