Cathy Richardson

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Cathy Richardson

| image = CathyRichardson.jpg

| birth_name = Catherine Richardson

| caption = Cathy Richardson in 2018

| origin =

| instrument = {{hlist|Vocals|guitar|keyboards}}

| genre = {{hlist|Psychedelic rock|folk rock|blues rock}}

| occupation = {{hlist|Singer|songwriter|actress|narrator}}

| years_active = 1990–present

| label =

| associated_acts = {{ubl|Cathy Richardson Band|Big Brother and the Holding Company|Jefferson Starship|Anne Harris}}

| website = {{URL|http://www.crband.com/}}

| current_members =

| past_members =

| notable_instruments =

}}

Catherine Richardson is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and narrator from the Chicago suburbs in Illinois. She is the lead singer for the band Jefferson Starship{{cite news|url=http://www.cleveland.com/popmusic/index.ssf/2008/10/revamped_jefferson_starship_se.html |title=Revamped Jefferson Starship sets course for Cleveland, with Paul Kantner at helm |last=Soeder |first=John |date=October 21, 2008 |work=The Plain Dealer |location=Cleveland, Ohio |access-date=March 23, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111204022358/http://www.cleveland.com/popmusic/index.ssf/2008/10/revamped_jefferson_starship_se.html |archive-date=December 4, 2011 |url-status=live }} Additional , December 3, 2011 and her own Cathy Richardson Band, and has performed the Janis Joplin parts for Joplin's former band Big Brother and the Holding Company.{{cite news | url = https://www.chicagotribune.com/2001/04/26/janis-joplins-stand-in-reaches-the-big-time/ | title = Janis Joplin's stand-in reaches the big time | first = Michael | last = Kilian | date = 2001-04-26 | location = Chicago | work = Chicago Tribune | edition = online | access-date = 2017-05-10 | archive-date = October 19, 2017 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20171019215629/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2001-04-26/features/0104260029_1_catherine-curtin-janis-joplin-village-gate | url-status = live }}

Biography

Richardson grew up in west suburban Burr Ridge, Illinois, and graduated from Hinsdale Central High School in Hinsdale, Illinois.{{Cite web |last=Manson |first=Ken |date=2011-02-14 |title=Cathy Richardson, Whose Range Embraces Janis Joplin and Grace Slick, has Ties All Over the Area |url=https://patch.com/illinois/elmhurst/cathy-richardson-whose-range-embraces-janis-joplin-an8b7b8c57ff |access-date=2020-08-30 |website=Patch |archive-date=August 26, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190826043719/https://patch.com/illinois/elmhurst/cathy-richardson-whose-range-embraces-janis-joplin-an8b7b8c57ff |url-status=live }} Before starting her music career, Richardson worked as an auto mechanic and as a cashier at her father's gas station. She started her music career full-time in 1990. She was introduced to Jim Peterik who mentored her and helped with her first two albums. She has also co-written songs with Peterik, and is a fairly frequent guest in his all-star World Stage concerts.

Richardson guest starred as herself on Noggin's puppet series Jack's Big Music Show, and provided the voice of Jack's off-screen mother. In the show's pilot episode, she provided the voice of Mary, one of the main characters.{{Cite web|url=http://tomorrowsverse.com/story/the-plan-was-to-become-a-rock-star-the-barn-speaks-with-local-gal-cathy-richardson-2186.html|title = The Plan Was to Become a Rock Star: The Barn Speaks with 'Local Gal' Cathy Richardson}}

The Cathy Richardson Band was voted Best Local Band in the Chicago Tribune readers poll of 1999 and best in WFLD's "Best & Worst of Chicago" viewer poll in November 2000.{{cite magazine | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=wA8EAAAAMBAJ&q=%22Best+Local+Band%22+%22Chicago+Tribune%22&pg=PA18 | title = Continental Drift | magazine = Billboard | first = Larry | last = Flick | page = 18 | date = 2002-01-26 | access-date = 2017-05-10 }}

She portrayed Janis Joplin in the 2001 original off-Broadway run of Love, Janis{{cite news | url = http://www.playbill.com/article/beth-hart-joins-love-janis-nov-29-dec-31-com-100093 | title = Beth Hart Joins Love, Janis Nov. 29-Dec. 31 | first = Robert | last = Simonson | authorlink1 = Robert Simonson | date = 2001-12-03 | access-date = 2017-05-10 | work = Playbill | edition = online | archive-date = June 16, 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180616153556/http://www.playbill.com/article/beth-hart-joins-love-janis-nov-29-dec-31-com-100093 | url-status = live }} and much of the touring performances. She also sang Janis' vocal parts for Big Brother and the Holding Company during many of their recent live shows.

In 2004, Richardson and art director Bill Dolan were nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Recording Package for the Cathy Richardson Band album The Road to Bliss.{{cite news | url = http://www.chicagotribune.com/sns-grammys-nominees-story.html | title = Complete list of 46th annual Grammy winners and nominees | agency = Associated Press | work = Chicago Tribune | edition = online | date = 2008-07-12 | access-date = 2017-05-10 | archive-date = February 4, 2017 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170204003508/http://www.chicagotribune.com/sns-grammys-nominees-story.html | url-status = live }}

File:Jefferson Starship Plays for Service Members During LA Fleet Week 2016 (Image 6 of 6).webp and Chris Smith of Jefferson Starship in 2016]]

In 2008, Richardson became the new vocalist for San Francisco band Jefferson Starship and appears on the 2008 release Jefferson's Tree of Liberty and as vocalist with Jefferson Starship on PBS's 2011 60s Pop, Rock & Soul television show, performing "White Rabbit" and "Somebody to Love".{{cite web | url = http://www.kpbs.org/news/2011/nov/29/my-music-60s-pop-rock-soul/ | title = '60s Pop, Rock & Soul (My Music): Airs Saturday, August 24, 2013 at 11:30 p.m. on KPBS TV | date = 2013-08-23 | publisher = KPBS Public Media | location = San Diego, California | at = photograph caption | quote = Above: San Francisco supergroup Jefferson Starship, originally known as Jefferson Airplane, offer their era-defining anthem "Somebody To Love" and "White Rabbit" in "60s Pop, Rock & Soul." Pictured left to right are Paul Kantner, Cathy Richardson, David Freiberg and Marty Balin. | access-date = 2017-05-10 | archive-date = June 11, 2013 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130611120324/http://www.kpbs.org/news/2011/nov/29/my-music-60s-pop-rock-soul/ | url-status = live }}

Discography

=Studio albums=

Moon, Not Banana (1993) Jessica Records
Fools on a Tandem (1995) Jessica Records
Snake Camp (1998) Bloody Nurse Records
Buzzzed (2001) Bloody Nurse Records
The Road to Bliss (2003) Cash Rich Records
Delusions of Grandeur (2006) Cash Rich Records

=Live album=

All Excess... Live @ The Park West (1996) Jessica Records

=Compilation albums featuring tracks by Cathy Richardson=

Songs of Janis Joplin: Blues Down Deep (1997) House of Blues Records (song "Try Just a Little Bit Harder")
Jim Peterik and World Stage (2000) Jim Peterik and Cathy Richardson (songs "Diamonds For Stones" and "From Here To Hereafter")
Sweet Emotion: Songs of Aerosmith (2001) (song "Last Child")
Here Come the Irish (2003) Written by John Scully and Jim Tullio, vocals by Cathy Richardson (Cathy is featured on the song "Here Come the Irish")
Judgement Day, Songs of Robert Johnson (2004) (song "Preachin' Blues (Up Jumped the Devil)")
Folksongs of Illinois, Vol. 4 (2011) (Cathy is featured on the Woody Guthrie song "Old Chy-Car-Go")
Jim Peterik and World Stage: Tigress - Women Who Rock the World (2021) (songs "Living for the Moment", "Full Moon Crazy", "The Best in Us", and "Sin to Believe a Lie")
Play On (2019) Ides of March and Cathy Richardson (song "Blue Storm Rising")