CrBand.com
Title
Cathy Richardson Band
Description
Chicago singer/songwriter Cathy Richardson’s powerful, versatile voice glides effortlessly from gorgeous to gritty and back again. She received national acclaim for her stunning portrayal of Janis Joplin in the original cast of the hit Off-Broadway musical Love, Janis. Dig a little deeper and you'll discover Richardson's impressive catalog of cleverly crafted tunes, flavored with bits of gospel, jazz, blues and American rock slam. Cathy's well known in Chicagoland where she's sold over 30,000 CDs and wowed audiences for years with her engagingly entertaining live show and smokin' band, voted Best Local Band in polls by the Chicago Tribune and Fox News Chicago. Now, she’s expanding her ever growing fanbase on the road in support of her sixth release, The Road to Bliss (Cash Rich, 2003). The 11-song set features 4 tunes co-written with pal Kristen Hall (Sugarland), including a duet with Emily Saliers (Indigo Girls).
Hometown support for the new CD has been huge, with two cuts added into rotation at Chicago radio giants WXRT. Next, her ingeniously inspired album artwork, a collaboration with commercial artist (and CRBand.com webmaster) Bill Dolan, garnered a 2004 GRAMMY Nomination- two accomplishments that seem unheard of for a do-it-yourself indie artist. Then again, Cathy embodies the new movement of the DIY artist: singer, songwriter, musician, producer, art director, and label president- her hands on approach has worked well, resulting in accolades from Time Out New York's Holiday Gift Guide, two DIY Awards for Producer of the Year and Album Artwork of the Year, and an OUT Music Award Nomination for Outstanding Producer. The Road to Bliss has also had a successful run at college radio, being added to over 100 stations across the US and Canada.
The band is a favorite with local TV stations, recently invited to perform on ABC 7's New Year's Eve Broadcast, WGN Morning News, Fox Morning News and UPN: Live at the Taste in July '04.
