The Great Kat is the stage name of Katherine Thomas, an English-born, New York-raised, musician best known for her thrash metal interpretations of well-known pieces of classical music. Most feature her using the electric guitar, but some have her on violin. Thomas is a classically trained violinist, graduating from the Juilliard School and touring for a time playing conventional classical music before crossing over to metal. Guitar One magazine listed her as one of the "Fastest Shredders of All Time". Her classical background, technical skills and self-promotion are sometimes compared to Yngwie Malmsteen. In an interview in metallian.com she claimed to be the reincarnation of Beethoven. Kat's public persona, as portrayed in her publicity photos and videos, is mainly that of a dominatrix, albeit in a somewhat over-the-top, tongue-in-cheek manner. [More at Wikipedia]

June 6th, 1966 in Swindon (Age 57)