Born in the same city as Buddy Holly (Lubbock, Texas), it was here where Cathy's love of Mexican and Tejano music was born. As a youngster, her family moved to Detroit, MI (then surrounding suburbs). It was at this time when Motown, R&B, and Funk worked their musical magic into her soul. She discovered musical theater in high school. Later, Cathy married, had two children, and moved to Minnesota, where she delved more deeply into Folk, Country, and Americana music.
Cathy considers herself a Musical Mutt. There were/are so many musical influences in her life. Her earlier influences were Eydie Gorme and Trio Los Panchos, Lola Beltran, Jose Alfredo Jimenez, Natalie Cole, Doris Day, Julie Andrews, Rita Coolidge, Whitney Houston, Roberta Flack, Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan, Carol King and Joni Mitchell, just to name a few. Her more recent influences include Tish Hinijosa, Natalia Lafourcade, Shawn Colvin, Liz Longley, Joan Osborne, Lindi Ortega, Eva Cassidy, and these are just a few of her favorites! Cathy's unique and only vocal training began as a young teenager, where she could be found daily with her head between two 8-track tape speakers, singing along to her #1 treasured singer of all time, Linda Ronstadt.
Today, Cathy can be found singing with two groups she helped to create. The first is a guitar and vocal duo with her husband, called Cathy 'n Abel. The second is their band called Latin Billies, where Cathy is the lead singer. It is here, within these two avenues, Cathy is able to perform her eclectic mix of music in both Spanish and English. It is here where the mixture of past and present influences take place and she is able to present them to audiences of all ages and cultures, and at different venues around the Twin Cities.
Cathy's singing never fails to thrill and enthrall. Her voice and tone pour out like clean, crystalline water. She can roar like a waterfall or flow effortlessly along. It's been said that when Cathy sings "She so perfectly places lyrics into words...just beautiful", "Such a sweet voice. It sucks you in. Lovely." Her vocals invite complimentary comparisons to Linda Ronstadt, Joan Baez, Eva Cassidy, and (early) Joni Mitchell. Cathy loves to perform for big audiences and treasures the love and support given to her. However, her cherished time for singing is in the evening, around a campfire on the beach, with her family and friends.
