Kathryn Marie "Kathi" McDonald (September 25, 1948 – October 3, 2012)[1][2] was an American blues and rock singer and songwriter.

[3] She sang as an Ikette with Ike & Tina Turner and eventually replaced Janis Joplin as the front woman of Big Brother and Holding Company.

[4] McDonald became a background vocalist for various artists, including Leon Russell, Joe Cocker, The Rolling Stones, Freddie King, and Long John Baldry.

From 1963 to 1968, McDonald was a vocalist in several bands that played Bellingham, Anacortes, Mount Vernon, Oak Harbor and other Pacific Northwest venues.

McDonald was 17 years old when "Babe, It's Me" peaked at #1 on Bellingham's Top 40 radio station KPUG in early April 1966.

Shortly thereafter, with McDonald as soloist, the Unusuals released their second single "Summer is Over" and, while it received airplay on local radio, it was a lesser hit in the Pacific Northwest.

While living in Seattle, McDonald developed strong San Francisco music connections and promoter Chet Helms invited her to audition for Big Brother and the Holding Company in 1966.

[7] McDonald held some resentment for losing the job to Joplin, who people often compared her voice to, she stated: "I used to hate doing Janis songs...It really was annoying for a lot of years, but I finally made my peace with it.

[9] McDonald also contributed backing vocals to four tracks that appear on The Rolling Stones album Exile on Main Street (1972), including the hit single "Tumbling Dice".

[2] During this period, she sang with various artists, including Freddie King, Joe Cocker, Rita Coolidge, and Delaney & Bonnie.

The album featured musicians such as Nils Lofgren, John Cipollina and Neal Schon on guitar, Aynsley Dunbar on drums, Boots Hughston on horns.

Included in this collection is the #1 regional hit "Babe, It's Me" (vocals by McDonald and Vitt) and "Summer is Over" (Kathi lead vocalist).