Living room Dance, Shelter in Place, COVID-19 blues

I have been dancing in my living room to my unfinished album every day since March 16th. The album is a project that I have been working on since September. I had hoped to have it released this March. Sadly with all the closures due to COVID-19, the project is on hold in the studio in Milwaukee awaiting the chance to finalize it by mixing and mastering so I can send it to the manufacturer, and have the final digital copy available to download.

I decided a fun way to share my record without worrying about a rough mix getting out into the world was to film me dancing to it in my living room. Why not just release it with the rough mixes that I already have? Well there are little things that I need to do, certain instruments or vocals aren’t at the correct volume, and little digital touch ups still need to be done. With digital recordings, the rough mix is basically the same digital fingerprint as a final mix- it doesn’t discern between a guitar being louder, a voice being stronger, or a solo being shorter. It is imperative that whenever I get the album out there, that it is the final and correct mix, approved by me the artist, writer and producer.

Cathy GrierApril 2, 2020Comment

Girl with a Dream...Cathy's Bike Song

When I was two years old, my mother asked me to find my brother so, instead of looking for him, I took my tricycle and rode it into town to my father’s office. We lived in Governor, NY and, as a civil engineer, he was building the bridge across the St. Lawrence river. Imagine my father’s surprise to find me in his office. The story goes, he called my mother and said guess who is sitting on my lap?

Was it my first act of defiance? I’m not sure. But I know that I knew what I wanted to do when I did it. So that’s why this image, Girl With a Dream, Inspired me to write this song.

Cathy GrierMarch 10, 2020Comment

Happy Holidays news

image by Bruce Rose Door Community Auditorium. Fish Creek, WI

Greetings from Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin…

After an amazingly full performance schedule this summer, culminating with the super fun concert at Door Community Auditorium (DCA), I am now concentrating on finishing up a full production album featuring many guest stars (more on that in a future newsletter). The album entitled I'm All Burn should be released sometime this winter. The DCA concert was a goal of mine to achieve since moving to Door County. It's a lovely performance hall, and I brought in amazing musicians to be part of my Troublemakers band. I was able to produce a show of original songs in a concert setting. The first set was mostly acoustic with me performing in duets until the last song, when I brought everyone out before

Cathy GrierDecember 16, 2019Comment

Trailer Documentary Film score I wrote

I am thrilled to share that “My First And Last Film,” a Documentary Film that I composed and performed the score for , is now making it’s way through film festivals. The film Director and crew are fromMilwaukee. The film will be screened at the Milwaukee Film Festival Oct 18th, 23rd and 29th.

Here is the trailer and my music. Hope you get a chance to see the film.

filmCathy GrierOctober 8, 2019my first and last film, Milwaukee Film festivalComment

Summer of fun in Wisconsin

Thank you for a great Summer season of performances in Wisconsin. And so much fun performing with my amazing Troublemakers band, and others who joined me this summer: Tony Menzer, and Paul Exworthy, bass; Jamey Clark, and Rob Gay, Tony Wagner and Zach Vogel, drums; Jim Ohlschmidt, guitar; Johnny O, Bryan Koenig, and Jim Schwarz, harmonica; Erik Bertaud and John Salerno, sax/flute; Genevieve Heyward, and Gervis Myles, backing vocals; Steve Hamilton, Aaron Fischer and Mark Thiede, engineers; Teflon, PR; Ty Helbach, photographer; Jadacey and Cassey for help at Summerfest; and the amazing Ruby James for the fun Monday night's at Glidden Lodge.

And many thanks to all the places

Cathy GrierSeptember 9, 2019Performance, concert, troublemakers, blogComment

September Concert at Door Community Auditorium

I am very excited to have my own show at Door Community Auditorium in Fish Creek, WI

Since I arrived in Door County in 2016, it’s going to be like none other you have seen of me performing. DCA is a seated concert venue. My band The Troublemakers are a fantastic group of all-star musicians who love and live the blues. Special guests, stories from my 40 year career. and just a lot of Troublemaking fun. Hope you get your tickets asap.

More information and tickets can be purchased here

Some info on Troublemaker’s Band:

Tony Menzer (Bass) has been on the music scene for over 55 years. Unemployable in the real world, he turned to a life of Music and art. He has been fortunate enough to spend time on stage with the likes of Clyde Stubblefield (20 years), W.C. Clark (10 years), Victor de Lorenzo, Bill Lordan, Hubert Sumlin and Jackson Browne to name a few. His background in the blues world includes….

Cathy GrierAugust 24, 2019Comment

Summer 2019

Hello and Happy Summer,

I am enjoying an amazing start to summer with a great lineup of gigs throughout Wisconsin, but mostly in Door County, WI (called the Cape Cod of the mid-west).

Surrounded by water it is a lovely place to be.

Cathy GrierJuly 2, 2019Comment

2019 Calendar

Cathy GrierMay 14, 2019Comment