In her second CD, Kathy Johnson opens with her catchy original, "Way Out West." What follows is a wonderful collection of old cowboy songs and traditional songs of the West, like "Home on the Range," "Sweet Betsy from Pike," "Shenandoah," and "The Cowboy's Lament" (Streets of Laredo), and more. Also included are Dale Evans' classic, "Happy Trails," and Carol Elliott's clever "Lonesome on the Range." "Way Out West" was recorded at Studio 23 in Nashville with a great group of friends and seasoned players, who add just the right flavor to Kathy's warm vocals and acoustic guitar. Here are some excerpts of reviews of the CD: "A charming collection of both traditional and original cowboy songs. I like everything about this from start to finish. . . How can you not dig an album that features heartfelt performances of classic songs like "Happy Trails," "Home on the Range," "Red River Valley," and "The Cowboy's Lament (Streets of Laredo)"?. . .The most pleasing thing about this record is the blending of Johnson's warm voice with the subtle arrangements of fiddle and guitar. . . highly enjoyable." - In Review, Nashville, TN "A Winning Release! ... terrific collection ...Her lovely voice has a haunting quality that cuts to the essence ... Kathy's 'Shenandoah' is also the most heartfelt version of that song I have ever heard." - WJCU-FM, Cleveland "Catching the spirit of the Old West ... authentic-sounding ... always engaging." - Cleveland Free Times "Wonderfully captures the cowboy way ... some howlin' fine tunes." - WRUW-FM, Cleveland Praise for other Kathy Johnson CDs and live performances: "Covering a wide gamut of subjects as well as styles, Kathy moves seamlessly from serious to hilarious." - Kent State University Folk Festival, Kent, Ohio "Kathy Johnson sings with a voice that evokes the openness of the American Midwest. She chooses her material from traditional cowboy gems to country, to 50's rockabilly, with a particularly good sense of what fits her voice." - Scott Utley, WGMC-FM Radio, Rochester, NY "This strong material is a big reason why her work so enjoyable. On all three of her albums, Kathy demonstrates terrific abilities of writing and choosing good material. All of her albums are very listenable. She has great respect for the material, and it shows in the presentation. There are never any gimmicks. No matter what Kathy sings, it's always honest. You can understand all the lyrics, and the emotion she infuses into each of the songs is appropriate and real. It's really easy to believe in her and trust her as an artist." - Fred Dolan, WJCU-FM Cleveland, OH - In a review of Kathy's third CD, "Home for the Holidays." Kathy Johnson is a one-of-a-kind singer-songwriter whose performances have delighted audiences of all ages. She sings an eclectic mix of acoustic music, including her own originals, folk music, cowboy songs, vintage country, old rock and roll, and standards from the 1920's, 30's, and 40's. Her programs combine interesting material, witty commentary and a fun, straightforward style. This engaging redhead's voice is clear, warm and unique. An experienced performer, Kathy has sung at festivals and clubs in the Eastern U.S. and Canada. A frequent visitor to Nashville, she has appeared at the Bluebird Café, Douglas Corner, and other clubs. She is on the Artist Roster of the Millennium Stage at The Kennedy Center and the Ohio Arts Council's Performing Arts on Tour program. She has been chosen as a semi-finalist in the NewSong Academy Songwriting Contest. She has also showcased at the Folk Alliance Region Midwest Conference and Ohio Arts Presenters Network Conferences. She was an alternate for the 2001 International Folk Alliance Conference Official Showcase in Vancouver, B.C. , and her song, "Way Out West" was the honored first track on the compilation Folk Train 2001 CD, featuring 24 musicians from the U.S., Canada, and England.