Episode 26

full
Published on:

12th Jun 2024

A Chat with Cat Ridgeway

Unexpected Connections and Musical Journeys with Cat Ridgeway

In this engaging episode of Curious Goldfish, host Jason English interviews Cat Ridgeway, a talented singer-songwriter from Orlando, Florida. Cat recounts fascinating coincidences and stories from her career, and discusses some of her influences and experiences. Listeners will get a deep dive into Cat's musical journey, from her early days at open mics to her unique connection with the Grateful Dead's former publicist. Cat also discusses her adventures performing in Colorado, her upcoming album, and her ventures into coffee roasting. This episode highlights Cat's authentic and joyful approach to life and music, providing a refreshing contrast to the current trend of sad songs. Tune in for an inspiring and entertaining conversation filled with insights, laughter, and a celebration of creativity.

00:00 Introduction and Coincidences

02:49 Welcome to Curious Goldfish

04:17 Celebrating Cat Ridgeway

06:16 Cat's Live Performances and Fanbase

07:26 Festival Experiences and Dream Lineup

13:21 Colorado Adventures and Musical Growth

19:24 Unexpected Connections and Opportunities

27:16 Coffee Roasting Passion

34:03 Supporting Small Coffee Businesses

34:39 The Art of Brewing Coffee

36:28 First Cupping Event

36:42 Musical Beginnings and Recording

40:16 Connection with the Grateful Dead

45:10 Challenges and Triumphs in the Music Industry

49:19 Lincoln Center Performance and Touring

51:50 Songwriting Inspirations and New Record

01:06:02 Navigating Relationships and Personal Growth

01:09:11 Curiosity About the Future of Music

01:17:53 Conclusion and Farewell

Transcript
Cat Ridgeway:

But yeah, just that I'm, I don't know, stuff like that.

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I feel like happens to me.

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Often though like we're just the weirdest

coincidences happen and it's it's to a

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point now where I have to really believe

like the law Of attraction is very real

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Being somewhat grounded and stuff.

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It's still pretty nuts to watch the

stuff unfold like every time I'm like

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it never gets old to me and I never take

it for granted cuz it's like I'll meet

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I'll meet Gasparilla people in Colorado

and I'm just like dude, what the hell?

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That's so cool It's yeah, and so

I just kind of stay in a state of

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like what what what happens next

like, you know, like cliffhanger

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Jason English (Host): Welcome to

curious goldfish, a podcast community

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where music and curiosity come together

through interesting conversations

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with the music makers of our world.

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I'm your host, Jason English.

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You can find curious goldfish and all the

major podcast and social media platforms.

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And of course, we have all of

our content on our website.

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Curious goldfish.

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com.

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You might think this episode of the

podcast has pivoted to a tribute of

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some of the classic songs from the

:

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the cranberries released in 1992.

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This song represents my favorite memories

of my college years in the Midwest,

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but this isn't an episode about that.

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And it's not an episode

about the cranberries.

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Instead, it's a celebration of 20

something singer, songwriter, Cat Ridgway.

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Performing a staple from her live shows,

a thunderous cover of a classic that

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builds on itself throughout the duration

of the song until the penultimate climax,

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where she layers loop upon loop of

her own vocals to a resounding finish.

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If you had your eyes closed, you'd make

yourself believe you were listening to

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a choir of angels, but it's just her

and a live looping machine that would

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cause Ed Sheeran to do a double take.

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Listen for yourself,

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but there's more to Cat

Ridgeway than covers.

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She's achieved modest success on radio and

Americana charts with the song giving you

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up and has collaborated with artists like

Shawn Mullins, where they co-wrote and

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co performed a song called Give Me Love.

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To spend time with Cat is to smile,

laugh, and have a renewed sense of

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joy about life and the state of music.

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A refreshing change of pace

that contradicts a time when

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sad girl songs are all the rage.

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If you have a chance to see

her perform live, her vocals

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will punch you in your gut.

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But you will head home infused by

an infectious happiness after she

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manages to sing your sorrows away.

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She's finalizing a new album

set to release later this year.

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We talk about that, her dream festival

lineup, her time in Colorado this past

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winter, and everything in between.

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And there's a crazy Grateful Dead

connection that was instrumental

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to her career as a musician.

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Here's Cat Ridgeway from Orlando, Florida.

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Let's dive in.

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Hey Cat Ridgeway.

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Cat Ridgeway: Oh, hey.

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Jason English (Host): Thanks

for, thanks for joining the show.

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Cat Ridgeway: Thanks for having me.

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Jason English (Host): So I know you're,

you're from Orlando and I know you have

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a huge following in Orlando, but if you

were to start a fan club, I think your

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first chapter might be Roswell, Georgia.

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Cat Ridgeway: I've, I

believe that wholeheartedly.

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Y'all have been so great to us.

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It's a kind of insane.

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Jason English (Host): insane.

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A lot of us have come, come to know

you through the 30 a festival done,

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you know, down to 30 in Florida.

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But yeah, and yesterday you're

here at the Roswell music festival.

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And that was intentional.

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The people that put on the show,

love you and wanted to include you.

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So yeah, you have a big following here.

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Cat Ridgeway: That's so cool.

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Yeah, I really appreciate that.

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Like y'all have no idea.

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It's so cool to meet people.

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And have dots connect

from different places too.

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Like it's, it's been, that's one of the

most fun parts of having a music career.

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Actually, when you're not on stage,

it's just people you meet and then

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all these weird coincidences align

and it happens so frequently.

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It's so weird.

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Yeah.

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Jason English (Host): That's yeah, I think

that's amazing part about music, you know?

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Yeah.

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Cat Ridgeway: The great

connector for sure.

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Jason English (Host): Yeah.

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No, that's great.

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Uh, so the Roswell music festival

yesterday, do you do a lot

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of festivals in the summer?

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Cat Ridgeway: Yeah we've done a lot

through the years festivals in the summer?

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Actually, I think it was two years

ago, we got up to Philadelphia

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for the first time and played

Philly Folk Fest on my birthday.

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So that was cool.

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Um, yeah, so that was in August.

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It was hot.

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Um

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But yeah, we've definitely started playing

more festivals in the past couple years.

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And that's something I wanted to get

into because festivals are just fun.

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They're like, everyone's in a great mood.

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It's usually like a quick set.

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It's like wham, bam, boom, done.

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And then you get to just hang out and

hear a bunch of other people play.

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Because, I don't know, as a gigging

musician, like someone who does this as

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a job, so much of the time, you don't

have the chance to see other people play

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or go see your friends play and stuff.

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So if you end up on a bill with people

that you love or know, it's so much fun.

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Um, so yeah, it's cool.

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Jason English (Host): All right,

well, great job Yesterday.

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Uh, the, the weather, the weather

was great for, for the most part.

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So speaking of festivals,

I guess if you had to

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up a line.

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there, it doesn't have to be rhyme

or reason to it, but like, if you

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had to put a lineup together, what,

what would those bands look like?

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Who would, who would open

and what's, what's the order?

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Cat Ridgeway: Oh man, well first we need

to pick who the bands are going to be but

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to be.

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off the bat,

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the order.

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in the past couple been

an act called Dijon.

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Have you heard of Dijon?

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So, they Have you heard of

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the supporting acts

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So they were one of the supporting

acts for Bon Iver's last tour.

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And this dude is like, if Bon Iver

had a baby with Frank Ocean mixed with

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some other something, I don't know.

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There's a very nice je he has, but

it's like, it's very, um, artsy.

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There's like definitely R& B elements.

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But it's, it's very indie

in, in the tonality of it.

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I love that guy.

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I think he's so cool.

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And the show was just so sick.

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Like I haven't believed a vocalist

as much as Dijon in a long time.

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Um, I also am a huge fan of Pine

Grove and big thief that kind of

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like, uh, alternative folk thing

that's really hitting right now.

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I'm into it.

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I'm, I'm out.

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I'm all about it.

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I love Adrienne Linker's writing.

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I think she's one of the

most prolific people.

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Um, and just insane lyricist.

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Um, who else?

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is so

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Hmm.

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is

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This is so hard.

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This is really hard.

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Um, another act I'm thinking

about is Sylvan Esso.

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They've been, oh no, you

know, Tall Tall Trees.

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Okay, I'm not just saying this to,

to say this, but Tall Tall Trees is

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actually my co producer on my new record.

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But the reason we started working

together was because I saw him

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play live and I was like, this man,

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bands

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after watching him play like two songs.

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Um, he plays banjo.

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It's like psychedelic banjo.

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And then he, he loops all of this

stuff and like plays the, plays

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the, uh, banjo with a fiddle bow.

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He's smacking it with a mallet.

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I mean, he's, he's using every

sound you can get out of that thing.

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And it is just, he's freaking magic.

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So I would totally put tall,

tall trees on, on this list.

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Um, so yeah, I think, I think we

kind of ended up in like a little bit

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of like a, an indie rock folk bill

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Jason English (Host): Yeah, where's this,

where's this festival at, by the way?

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Like, Eastern Tim It's

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Cat Ridgeway: thing or something.

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I don't know.

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I've never been there, but it feels right.

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Jason English (Host): never been there.

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It's kind of random.

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Cat Ridgeway: Yeah, I know.

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Jason English (Host): know, right?

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Cat Ridgeway: it just

feels like the place.

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Jason English (Host): never been there.

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Cat Ridgeway: I know.

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Well, my, my fanmates and I have this

running joke where like if someone says

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something we'll be like, um, I don't know.

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Uh,

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like,

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like Ceramic Vase,

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A Art rock

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like New York City or something.

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Yeah, yeah, you just like, or

like, if you're in the middle of

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a conversation, and someone says

something, like we'll just stop.

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and repeat the thing and try

to figure out what the band

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would be and where they're from.

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And it's just, I don't know, it's

just been this thing for years.

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Jason English (Host):

That's a great road trip

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Cat Ridgeway: It's the best.

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And like, but we do it all the time.

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Like, it doesn't matter if

we're on the road or not.

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But anyway, that's what

that just made me think

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Jason English (Host): But

anyway, that's the best.

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Yeah.

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Cat Ridgeway: Yeah.

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Jason English (Host): Alright.

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Cat Ridgeway: But anyway, Lake Michigan

feels like a place that we would have

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just been like, yeah, you know, like

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Jason English (Host): Are you

in the middle of the lake?

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Are you next to the

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Cat Ridgeway: we're in the lake, yeah.

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In the lake, no electronics allowed,

you know, or maybe they are.

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That's Dijon for you.

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Jason English (Host): Yeah.

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So the Lake Michigan Indie, indie

Alternative, is that what you said?

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Cat Ridgeway: Yeah.

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It's like, like a folky

and the alternative stuff.

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Yeah.

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Jason English (Host): Perfect.

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Okay.

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Cat Ridgeway: there you go.

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Jason English (Host): Awesome.

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Cat Ridgeway: what would you name it?

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What would you name this festival?

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Do you know those bands?

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Jason English (Host): I know.

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I'm excited to.

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Yeah.

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I'm

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Cat Ridgeway: my god, you're welcome.

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Those are good ones.

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Yeah.

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Oh man, man, it's early for me

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early

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eyes are just watering.

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I'm like, we weren't ready.

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We're so excited about this festival

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Jason English (Host): just

watering, we weren't ready, we're

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so excited about this festival,

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Cat Ridgeway: Yeah.

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How did

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so beautiful.

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a Florida girl think about it?

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It was

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Jason English (Host): The Rocky Mountains.

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Yeah.

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Cat Ridgeway: was, I

love, I love the cold.

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Jason English (Host): Oh, really?

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Cat Ridgeway: feel like no one was

expecting me to say that, but I truly do.

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I, I'm actually.

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I'm so burnt out from the heat

down in Florida, pun intended.

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I can't do it no mo.

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It's too much.

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Um, and like outdoor gigs in

Florida in the summertime.

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No, just no.

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Like why are we doing anything

outside in Florida after like April?

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Let me know.

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Um, but I, I had a family friend who has

played out in the Valley for decades.

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See my band play actually a couple of

years ago when we were at Matilda's.

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Jason English (Host): ago when

here, here in North Atlanta, yeah.

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And

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Cat Ridgeway: Mm hmm.

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And, so he was like,

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would

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Yo, you would kill in Colorado.

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And I was like, cool.

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I have no idea what the music market is

like out there, but if you say so, I'm

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all about finding out if you're right.

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And he's like, Would you want

to go do a season out there?

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Cause I'll, I'll make some calls.

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And I was like, sure.

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So one thing leads to another, but it

ended up just not working out that year.

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Cause it was just, the

season was too close.

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They already had people kind of

slated for the roster that year.

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I had stuff on the band calendar.

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I couldn't get out of, it was

just, it just wasn't meant to be.

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So.

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We play Matilda's again and

family friend comes back and he's

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like, you know, I still think

Colorado would be great for you.

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And I'm like, you know what?

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Let's do it.

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And we shook hands and I was

like, let's make this happen.

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He's like, all right, if you're serious,

clear your schedule from Thanksgiving

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on through the rest of the year.

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Like just don't book anything, which

asking a, like a working musician

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to do that is a huge Hail Mary.

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But I was like, you know, I believe.

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Ted Lasso

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months.

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And

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I was like, I really do feel in my

bones that this is going to happen.

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I don't know how or why, but sure.

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And dude, it took up until about

three weeks before I left for

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everything to fall into place.

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But it did.

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And I was sweating.

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Um, but it ended up working out and

I had two residencies out there.

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So I was playing at one

really historic bar.

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It was one of the first bed and

breakfasts ever built in Vail.

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And the owner One of the

owners is still alive.

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Her name is Shika.

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She's an 87 year old Austrian woman.

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And, um, yeah,

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Jason English (Host): That's awesome,

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Cat Ridgeway: working there was nuts, but

she is, she's credited for being one of

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the founders of the entire town of Vail.

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And, um, so to play there is pretty

nuts, especially to be the new kid on

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the block and walk into that place.

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It was pretty wild.

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Um, So then, um, from there

I also ended up playing over

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at the Hyatt in Beaver Creek.

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And so I mean, like I was at the

base of like three or four ski runs.

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Like I was at a lift just outside

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Jason English (Host): How many warm

chocolate chip cookies did you eat?

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I

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Cat Ridgeway: Honestly,

I'm gluten intolerant.

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So I only had like two,

but I did, I still did it.

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Jason English (Host): I still did it.

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Oh, yeah.

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Oh, yeah.

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We actually

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Cat Ridgeway: Oh, yeah.

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Oh, yeah.

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We actually got, like, they

tried to enlist us, uh, to, me

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and my roommate, to, to be, um,

holiday help is what they call it.

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And you dress up like a chef

and hand out the cookies.

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And I was like, I wish I had the

free time to come hand out cookies

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and just be like this bearer of joy.

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But, um, I, I was playing

like five plus days a week.

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It was, I was hustling.

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It was insane.

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I don't think I've ever worked that

hard for a period of time in my life.

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Jason English (Host): Yeah.

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And then during the winter time,

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Cat Ridgeway: Yeah.

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And I was, I was adjusting to the

altitude and the lack of humidity.

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Um, and, and at Pepe's, I mean, The

gig is a four hour a night minimum.

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And I was playing upwards

of four hours every night.

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Like, so there were days in a row where

I was singing five, six hours at a time.

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Uh, and I, I had to completely

reconstruct how I sing to, to get

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through those gigs, but it made me a

better vocalist, honestly, like 10,

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000 hours happened in one season.

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Um, but yeah, it was, it was a rare,

very, very interesting experience.

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I learned how to deal with a lot of

drunk people for the first time too.

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Um, and I also had no idea, but

most of the visitors who come

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through Vail are from Mexico.

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And so, right.

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And I was like, it kind of makes

sense when you think about the

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proximity, but at the same time,

it's just never even crossed my mind.

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And so I get there and.

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I made friends with a lot of

the staff that worked at this

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place and they're from all over.

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South America.

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And, um, so I got to practice

my Spanish a little bit and they

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gave me a handful of songs and I

learned like five songs in Spanish.

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And man, me and the

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Jason English (Host): And man, me

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Cat Ridgeway: had a party every night.

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It was so, it was legit.

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It was so much fun.

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And it gave me, So much more of

an appreciation for the culture.

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I've always thought Latin culture as a

whole is just beautiful, but then like

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to see how they connect to music and

how they're dancing and just singing

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with their full chest to a song they

know, uh, it's, it was just so fun.

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I love them.

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And I had so much tequila

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way more than I normally would.

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Yeah,

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Jason English (Host): well if you

were doing your gigs in Breckenridge,

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everybody would be from Texas.

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Like,

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Cat Ridgeway: do.

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You know, it's funny, like in Vail,

um, people call the people who

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go to Brecken Ridge Brecken Bros.

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Because it's a lot snowboard heavier

out there, uh, which I snowboard.

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So I was like, ah, get me out.

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I want to go to Breck.

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I it's been a long time

since I've been out there.

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Um, I think my family took a trip there

like one time when we were little,

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but the altitude again, it just slaps

you when you're from sea level, it's

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account for like three or four days

to get adjusted before you try to

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do something physical, seriously.

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Jason English (Host): awesome.

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Yeah.

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Cat Ridgeway: Yeah.

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Jason English (Host): that, I'm sure

that was a new audience for you.

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Did you, did any cool

connections come out of that?

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Cat Ridgeway: Yeah.

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Uh, It was really wild, some of the stuff.

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One time I was out, um, playing where

I'm at the ski lift and a lady came

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off of the mountain and comes over

to me and she goes, is your name cat?

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And I said, yeah.

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And she goes, dude, I don't know how.

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But I know your music and she pulls

her phone up and she had like four

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of my songs saved to her phone.

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And she's like, I can't

believe you're playing here.

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And I was like, I can't

believe you know who I am.

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Like, what is this?

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And she was like, dude, this is so cool.

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And so she's just sitting there with her

skis hanging out for like the next hour.

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And, uh, that was, that was just wild.

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But as far as like industry

connections go, this one was,

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this one takes the cake for me.

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So there's a really cool music festival

that happens every year in Tampa, Florida.

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And it's called Gasparilla.

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I've wanted to play it for years,

but I just straight up did not know

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:

the people behind it and I had asked

around, but we just, I don't know, just

395

:

different circles of people, you know?

396

:

So I'm playing at this same place.

397

:

And I mentioned on stage

that I'm from Florida.

398

:

And so I get off stage and this

couple comes up and they're like, Hey,

399

:

did you say you were from Florida?

400

:

Are you from Tampa?

401

:

And I was like, no, I'm from Orlando.

402

:

They're like, Oh, cool.

403

:

And so we kind of just

talk Florida for a sec.

404

:

And then they go there

wherever they were headed to.

405

:

I'm packing up all my gear.

406

:

I have all my stuff on a luggage cart.

407

:

Cause I'm playing at the hotel, you know,

and I'm wheeling all my stuff to the car.

408

:

It took me way longer than it should

have to load up that day, because I

409

:

kept getting held up with some stuff.

410

:

So I'm like, wow, I'm

really behind schedule.

411

:

I had nowhere to be, so it wasn't

a problem, but I was just, you

412

:

know, my timeline was extended.

413

:

So I'm putting all my stuff in my car,

and this couple walks up behind me again.

414

:

And I'm like, hello!

415

:

And they're like, hey!

416

:

Um, So wait, you said, you

said you weren't from Tampa.

417

:

I was like, correct.

418

:

And they're like, that's so crazy.

419

:

Have you ever played Gasparilla though?

420

:

And I was like, no.

421

:

And I was like, I really,

I really want to though.

422

:

And they were like, Oh really?

423

:

And I'm like, yeah, why?

424

:

And they're like, That's

actually really funny.

425

:

We're like best friends with

the owner of the festival.

426

:

And I was like, what?

427

:

And I was like, I cannot

make this stuff up, man.

428

:

And I'm like, are you serious?

429

:

And so they're like, yeah, give

us your, your number and stuff.

430

:

So I do.

431

:

And they're like, we'll connect you.

432

:

And I mean, I've, I've met

people before who say they're

433

:

going to connect you and stuff.

434

:

And it usually kind of fizzles out

435

:

out.

436

:

Or,

437

:

excuse me, they put you in touch and the

person never gets back in touch with you,

438

:

you know, whatever, you know how it goes.

439

:

And so I'm not expecting anything.

440

:

And.

441

:

They put us in a group chat that night.

442

:

Dude answers me.

443

:

I end up in Tampa like

first week I'm back home.

444

:

Um, As like a little side

festival that they do.

445

:

And now we're like in contact

doing a bunch more stuff together.

446

:

So, I mean, there has been

no mention of Gasparilla yet.

447

:

But um,

448

:

me some time.

449

:

just thought

450

:

But, um, but I just thought it

was just wild that I had mentioned

451

:

that I really wanted to play that

before I went out to Colorado.

452

:

Jason English (Host): Um,

453

:

Cat Ridgeway: And that was like

one of the main things I was

454

:

trying to work on in Florida.

455

:

And then poof, it's just there.

456

:

And it's yeah, in Colorado, like

I had to go all the way out here

457

:

Jason English (Host): in

458

:

Cat Ridgeway: in my own state wild.

459

:

But yeah, just that I'm, I

don't know, stuff like that.

460

:

I feel like happens to me.

461

:

Often though like we're just the weirdest

coincidences happen and it's it's to a

462

:

point now where I have to really believe

like the law Of attraction is very real

463

:

Jason English (Host): No,

well, it's, it's your intention

464

:

Cat Ridgeway: Yeah

465

:

Jason English (Host): and like,

for someone like you that I'm, you

466

:

know, I don't really know you, but

I've seen you perform quite a bit.

467

:

Like you're so authentic and genuine

and, and just like a lovely person

468

:

Cat Ridgeway: shucks

469

:

Jason English (Host): things, things will

happen, like good things will happen.

470

:

Right.

471

:

I believe that.

472

:

Cat Ridgeway: Yeah, I thank you

I really appreciate that um, but

473

:

yeah, it's I mean even even with

474

:

Jason English (Host): uh,

475

:

Cat Ridgeway: Being

somewhat grounded and stuff.

476

:

It's still pretty nuts to watch the

stuff unfold like every time I'm like

477

:

it never gets old to me and I never take

it for granted cuz it's like I'll meet

478

:

I'll meet Gasparilla people in Colorado

and I'm just like dude, what the hell?

479

:

That's so cool It's yeah, and so

I just kind of stay in a state of

480

:

like what what what happens next

like, you know, like cliffhanger

481

:

Jason English (Host): be, be open to it.

482

:

Like, you know, you know,

cause you never know.

483

:

Cat Ridgeway: Yeah,

it's, man, it's so true.

484

:

Um, and that's, I mean, that's

the story of my whole career,

485

:

Jason English (Host): Yeah.

486

:

Cat Ridgeway: you know?

487

:

Um, but yeah, uh, that was, that

was probably the craziest connection

488

:

that happened in Colorado.

489

:

Um, the other one was actually

the, the lady I was living with.

490

:

was the head of TEDxVail.

491

:

Jason English (Host): bail.

492

:

Oh, nice.

493

:

Yeah.

494

:

Yeah.

495

:

Cat Ridgeway: and I got to be

involved with some of the TED stuff

496

:

that was happening out in Vail.

497

:

So that was really cool too cause

I grew up watching TED talks

498

:

Jason English (Host): Yeah.

499

:

Cat Ridgeway: um, that was actually

before in a past life, uh, before I

500

:

was doing music full time when I was

in college, I was actually studying

501

:

biotechnology for a couple of years.

502

:

Jason English (Host): Okay.

503

:

Cat Ridgeway: Um, and, and, I got

into the field because of a TED talk.

504

:

Uh, I knew I wanted to go into

STEM before I left it for the arts.

505

:

Um, but yeah, it was just so weird to be

connected to something that had altered my

506

:

life in such a big way at that point too.

507

:

So that was cool.

508

:

Um,

509

:

Jason English (Host): speaking of, so

that's, you just reminded me of something.

510

:

So I, I'm in technology, it's my day job.

511

:

Yeah.

512

:

Uh, my old boss, my, one of my mentors,

uh, who I owe pretty much everything

513

:

to, uh, his name's Eric Berridge.

514

:

He gave a TED Talk.

515

:

Gosh, six, six years

ago, and it was all about

516

:

technology needs the arts

517

:

Cat Ridgeway: Oh, that's cool

518

:

Jason English (Host): and the humanities.

519

:

And, uh, he, I think, I think I'm

getting this right, but he went

520

:

to Cal Berkeley as an undergrad,

and I think he studied Shakespeare

521

:

Cat Ridgeway: Cool,

522

:

Jason English (Host):

he's, he's incredible.

523

:

Like he's had this incredible

career, founder of this company,

524

:

uh, and ended up selling it to IBM.

525

:

He's still, he's still in the industry.

526

:

Just, you know, just a great guy, but

like the, the Ted talk is actually really

527

:

cool because he, he ties, I think he ties

the STEM stuff together with the art.

528

:

So I'll, I'll send you that link.

529

:

Yeah.

530

:

I'll send you the link.

531

:

Cat Ridgeway: That's so cool.

532

:

Yeah.

533

:

I've always loved seeing the marriage.

534

:

Of those two things, because I

don't know, growing up in school,

535

:

being an artsy person, but also

science was my strongest subject.

536

:

Like, I love science.

537

:

Yeah, and I know, it's like, no one

ever expects that from me, but I'm

538

:

like, you know, man, I really love it.

539

:

It's, uh, it was one of my favorite

things, and, um, like, even when

540

:

I got to college, I was, like,

tutoring chemistry and stuff.

541

:

Like, I love how things

work and seeing how.

542

:

Stuff is all connected, you

know, and, um, I've always felt.

543

:

Jason English (Host): in school.

544

:

Cat Ridgeway: Anyway, it felt

like you were kind of team

545

:

left brain or team right brain.

546

:

And I was always interested in finding

the ways to see where they come together.

547

:

And my brother actually, I think

has pretty successfully done it.

548

:

He's an electrical engineer now.

549

:

So he sometimes he'll tinker with

music gear and stuff like that.

550

:

So, um, That's cool to watch, but

he's, he's ended up going actually

551

:

more into like teaching these days,

but, um, yeah, it's, that's always

552

:

been something I've been intrigued by.

553

:

So that's, that's really neat.

554

:

What's

555

:

Jason English (Host): And tell me more

about the, um, so what's interesting

556

:

talking to like a lot of artists.

557

:

Like not a lot, but a few artists this

year after starting this, many of you,

558

:

many of whom, you know, I'm always

fascinated by kind of the hustle, you

559

:

know, and like the gigging and, and

everybody's now it's like, you're,

560

:

you're a, you're a T T shirt merchant,

you know, to make money or whatever.

561

:

And so some people doing kind of random

stuff, you're, you might be doing the most

562

:

random thing, which is coffee roasting.

563

:

So does that, I guess that might tie

into your biology interest and yeah.

564

:

Yeah.

565

:

Um,

566

:

Cat Ridgeway: Um, so when lockdown

happened, I missed going to coffee shops

567

:

because I've always really loved coffee.

568

:

Um, but I really missed

the coffee culture.

569

:

And I was like, well.

570

:

All the stuff I make at

home is just not that good.

571

:

Let me just get better at it, I guess.

572

:

Cause I got all the time in

the world on my hands now.

573

:

And I had actually gotten

my brother a book about

574

:

homebrewing and he never read it.

575

:

So I took it back

576

:

Jason English (Host): and I was

577

:

Cat Ridgeway: and I was like,

I'm going to read this thing.

578

:

So I read it cover to cover.

579

:

And when you really start getting into the

mechanics of coffee and, and the brewing,

580

:

uh, process, the different variables that

change the outcome, it's very scientific.

581

:

You have a bunch of different things.

582

:

So there's agitation, uh, time, heat,

um, the grind size, which is surface

583

:

area, um, the roast level, just the, the

584

:

Jason English (Host): how

585

:

Cat Ridgeway: all work together.

586

:

Pressure too, which I guess was

technically agitation, but you know, it's

587

:

like, um, when you start to dissect all

the things and you only adjust one thing

588

:

at a time and see how it changes stuff.

589

:

I mean, it's, it, you're literally

just drinking an experiment every day.

590

:

And it's, I don't know.

591

:

I just got, I totally went down

the rabbit hole like completely.

592

:

And so once I got.

593

:

A lot better at brewing.

594

:

I was like, well, what if I back up a

step and start getting into roasting?

595

:

So, um, a lot of roasters will start

with a popcorn popper actually,

596

:

and just go like stove top with it.

597

:

Um, do not recommend doing this in

your house by the way, cause there's,

598

:

uh, like a little papery, you know

how like peanuts have like that

599

:

papery lining that you have to kind of

600

:

Jason English (Host): Oh yeah, yeah.

601

:

Cat Ridgeway: off.

602

:

So coffee beans are the same way.

603

:

And it's called the chaff.

604

:

And when you start to roast

it, it can actually catch on

605

:

fire and get really smoky.

606

:

So don't do this inside your house.

607

:

Uh, if you're trying it for

the first time, especially.

608

:

So I took like a little camping

stovetop burner, brought it outside,

609

:

brought the, um, popcorn popper.

610

:

I started getting into roasting

and I was like, dude, this is fun.

611

:

This would be so cool to do as merch

because everyone sells t shirts.

612

:

Um, And I was like, I wonder how I

can figure out how to scale this.

613

:

And as things started opening up post

COVID, I started getting way more

614

:

involved in the coffee culture in Orlando,

which honestly, after traveling more

615

:

around the country, Orlando is popping

when it comes to the coffee culture.

616

:

I had no idea how good I had it until I

left no shade to Colorado, just saying.

617

:

Um, but

618

:

Jason English (Host): in Colorado, it's

619

:

Cat Ridgeway: some cool

spots in Colorado too.

620

:

It's just, there's a lot less of them.

621

:

Um, But I ended up meeting a really

awesome roaster, uh, who goes by Kappa.

622

:

His name's Landon.

623

:

And I was like, dude, I've been

thinking about trying to scale this

624

:

up to like a production level where

I can have inventory for a tour.

625

:

And he was like, I have an

industrial roaster, like let's talk.

626

:

So he actually does the roasting

on my behalf now, but we'll meet

627

:

up and talk different topics.

628

:

Types of coffee and varietals and

roast levels and profiles and stuff.

629

:

And like, so right now we have

a seasonal roast for spring.

630

:

That's like a lot fruitier.

631

:

And then we have like our flagship

roast, which is just a Guatemalan.

632

:

Um, and it's awesome.

633

:

Like it's, that one's a little more like.

634

:

a normal coffee.

635

:

Like I would say it's like, think of

like your favorite diner coffee, but

636

:

it's the hotter older brother, you

know, it's like, there's a little

637

:

Jason English (Host): Well,

it's, well, it's Guatemalan.

638

:

Yeah.

639

:

Cat Ridgeway: It's, I mean, you

can't be, you can't be mad at it.

640

:

Um, but yeah.

641

:

So anyway, that's, I, I

honestly can tell you though.

642

:

It was one of the best decisions

I've ever made on a whim.

643

:

It kind of was just a passion project

and I wanted to see how it would go

644

:

and I was fully prepared for it to

645

:

Jason English (Host): Right.

646

:

Cat Ridgeway: totally

647

:

Jason English (Host): What's

the name of the brand?

648

:

J I T T E

649

:

Cat Ridgeway: Yeah.

650

:

Yeah.

651

:

Um, but honestly, I can tell you at

shows and when we've been on tour, we

652

:

sell more coffee than anything else

653

:

Jason English (Host): That's

654

:

Cat Ridgeway: It's so

weird and it's so fun.

655

:

I love talking about it with people

because it's like, it's, it was like

656

:

totally my hyper fixation and, uh,

I know way too much about it now.

657

:

Um,

658

:

Jason English (Host): of your ADHD?

659

:

It totally

660

:

Cat Ridgeway: totally is.

661

:

Yeah, absolutely.

662

:

And actually, you know, what else I found

out is, um, a lot of the time people

663

:

with ADHD, when they drink coffee, they

don't get the jittery feeling from it.

664

:

Cause it hits you in the same

place as like stimulants do.

665

:

And so a lot of the time.

666

:

I'll drink coffee and

actually get sleepy afterward.

667

:

Um, or like, just kind

of like Zen relaxed.

668

:

Um, and that's how I'm able to

drink so much more than my brother.

669

:

Jason English (Host): brother.

670

:

My gosh,

671

:

Cat Ridgeway: it's like, it's so

672

:

Jason English (Host): that's

673

:

Cat Ridgeway: Yeah.

674

:

Um, I've never tried stimulants though.

675

:

So I can't like give you

an accurate comparison.

676

:

All I can tell you is that it

like, it does quiet me down

677

:

sometimes, which is not good.

678

:

Totally not what you

would expect it to do.

679

:

Right.

680

:

Um, but yeah,

681

:

Jason English (Host): that's so

682

:

Cat Ridgeway: yeah.

683

:

It's again, fun little science thing.

684

:

Jason English (Host): Yeah.

685

:

Both sides of your brain active.

686

:

Yeah, that's good.

687

:

Well, so obviously

688

:

Cat Ridgeway: Yeah.

689

:

Yeah, yeah.

690

:

Jason English (Host):

of my favorite shows.

691

:

Another show that I love that I need

to watch more of, although it kind

692

:

of stresses me out, even though it's

hilarious is curb your enthusiasm.

693

:

Cat Ridgeway: I have never

actually watched that.

694

:

Jason English (Host): Okay.

695

:

Well, I mean, it's.

696

:

It just ended, I think, but I just came

back from a trip overseas for work and,

697

:

you know, you can watch stuff, you know,

behind the, you know, uh, at the seat.

698

:

And, uh, I watched a few episodes and

it was funny cause he, one of the, one

699

:

of the plot lines and one of the later

seasons is he has this, he, he starts this

700

:

right, Larry David, the main character

starts this rivalry with this guy that

701

:

runs a coffee shop called Mocha Joe.

702

:

And he's like, Mocha Joe, I'm, you know,

I'm going to put you out of business

703

:

because he got, he got into some fight.

704

:

He's always fighting with somebody.

705

:

Um, but the whole premise was how

can he put Mocha Joe out of business?

706

:

Well, he, he leases a place right next

door, but Mocha Joe's like, Larry, you're

707

:

not going to put me out of business.

708

:

Cause it's all about the beans.

709

:

He's like, you can't, he's

like, I've got the best beans.

710

:

Is that true?

711

:

Like in terms of coffee, like,

is it, is it all about the beans?

712

:

Cause you mentioned, you

mentioned a bunch of other

713

:

Cat Ridgeway: of, of a

lot of different things.

714

:

So yes,

715

:

Jason English (Host): storm

of a lot of different things.

716

:

Cat Ridgeway: you do need to

have good beans and they need

717

:

to be roasted well, not burnt.

718

:

Jason English (Host): to be

719

:

Cat Ridgeway: I'm not going to

name names, but we all know the

720

:

big chain that burns the beans.

721

:

Jason English (Host):

names, but we all know who

722

:

Cat Ridgeway: a little bit,

you know, a little bit.

723

:

Jason English (Host): Once you

724

:

Cat Ridgeway: you start to like

actually support small businesses,

725

:

you will notice the difference.

726

:

I promise.

727

:

And you're going to spend

about the same amount of money.

728

:

Honestly, give it, give it to real people.

729

:

Um, just my

730

:

Jason English (Host): jitter.

731

:

What's your website?

732

:

Jitter?

733

:

Cat Ridgeway: Oh, actually

it's just on my website.

734

:

It's a cat Ridgeway.

735

:

com.

736

:

And, um, yeah, it's in the merch tab,

but, um, Yeah, as far as like getting

737

:

a good cup of coffee, yes, you have to

have good beans, it has to be roasted

738

:

well, and then brewing it, um, because

I can't tell you how many times I've

739

:

had a coffee that was like brilliant

at a place, and then I've bought a bag,

740

:

and then it takes me, you know, Four or

five cups to get it to the same place.

741

:

And that whole process is called dialing

742

:

Jason English (Host): in.

743

:

Cat Ridgeway: Cause every single roast

of bean that you're going to deal with

744

:

is going to have a different nuance

and you're going to have to like adjust

745

:

certain variables to get it to be optimal.

746

:

So like the older a bean is or the

darker it's roasted, the coarser you

747

:

want to grind because it extracts faster.

748

:

And so like, if you've had the same

bean for, You know, a couple months

749

:

sitting on your counter, eventually

you're going to have to start

750

:

adjusting the grind size to account

for the time it's, it's been around.

751

:

Right.

752

:

And so like, if you have baristas or

staff that aren't aware of how to like

753

:

flow with the bean, it won't be as good.

754

:

Um, and like, I don't know, I've

definitely had coffee at like.

755

:

Very swanky coffee shops where like

the the barista definitely didn't

756

:

know what was going on and you can

taste it like, you know, you can tell

757

:

um, but then there are some places

where it's freaking awesome and that's

758

:

where I honestly feel like the brew

methods like the most important thing

759

:

because even if you have like a not

as optimal roast, I feel like there

760

:

are things you can kind of counteract

that with when it comes to coffee.

761

:

The different ways you can brew.

762

:

Jason English (Host): yeah, honestly.

763

:

Cat Ridgeway: yeah, honestly.

764

:

Yeah.

765

:

I mean, I'd like, like I said, like,

I know way too much about this now.

766

:

Jason English (Host): Um, I'm

767

:

Cat Ridgeway: Um, I'm actually

going to be hosting my very first

768

:

cupping in a couple of weeks,

which is going to be really cool.

769

:

It's like the coffee equivalent of a wine

770

:

Jason English (Host): Yeah.

771

:

Cat Ridgeway: And, um, that's

going to be really fun.

772

:

I'm excited for that.

773

:

Jason English (Host): That's

774

:

Cat Ridgeway: Yeah.

775

:

Jason English (Host): All right.

776

:

Well, before you got into coffee,

obviously you've, I think growing up

777

:

playing music, learning music and stuff,

but you have in, in, in speaking of

778

:

kind of cool connections, you have a

connection to like the Grateful Dead.

779

:

Cat Ridgeway: Yeah.

780

:

Yeah, tell

781

:

Jason English (Host): Yeah.

782

:

Tell us about

783

:

Cat Ridgeway: This, dude, I'm

telling you, this is, this

784

:

Jason English (Host): Another example.

785

:

Cat Ridgeway: this is another one of

those weird full circle connection things.

786

:

But, um, when I was probably 13

or so, this was when I, okay, let

787

:

me back up even a little more.

788

:

So when I'm in

789

:

Jason English (Host): I

790

:

Cat Ridgeway: seventh grade, I want to

say, which would have made me like 12 or

791

:

Jason English (Host): 15.

792

:

Um,

793

:

Cat Ridgeway: I, Showed my parents

one of the first songs I ever

794

:

wrote and I remember my dad being

like, wow, that doesn't suck.

795

:

You know?

796

:

And I was like, cool.

797

:

You know, I thought, I thought

it was pretty cool too.

798

:

And, um,

799

:

Jason English (Host): um, yeah,

800

:

Cat Ridgeway: yeah, it

was called parachute.

801

:

And, um, so I showed that to my parents

and they were like, this is really cool.

802

:

And I happened to live about, I don't

know, 10 minutes from a recording studio.

803

:

It was GRP Studios and

the guy that owned it.

804

:

Jason English (Host): owns it.

805

:

They

806

:

Cat Ridgeway: still owns it,

they've just moved, but it's

807

:

called Greg Reich Productions.

808

:

And Greg, um, he's worked with all sorts

of people, Deep Purple, Little Feet.

809

:

And he was actually one of the

studios where, uh, Britney Spears

810

:

and some of the early 2000s pop

boom got recorded in Orlando.

811

:

So he's, he's done a bunch of stuff.

812

:

And so my dad was like, you

guys should come see the studio.

813

:

So he just got us in there

because my brother was also

814

:

really into music at this point.

815

:

And, um, so he lined stuff up with Greg.

816

:

We went and toured the studio,

got a look at all the gear.

817

:

Neither of us knew what the heck anything

did, but we were just like, cool.

818

:

And, um, so a little bit after

that, Greg opens up this open

819

:

mic series called the music cafe.

820

:

And it was every single Tuesday.

821

:

And I went and played that open mic

every week, religiously for probably A

822

:

couple of years and I tried to have a

new song written every single week and

823

:

I kept up with that for so long and it's

like now I'm like, how did I do that?

824

:

Um, but I was just, I was in it

and eventually my dad and Greg got

825

:

to talking and they're like, you

know, you should maybe like record

826

:

a song and so I end up recording

my very first song at like 14 with.

827

:

Greg.

828

:

So I guess I played the music, uh,

at the music cafe for like a year.

829

:

Um, and then, and then

we ended up recording.

830

:

Um, and so that was just nuts.

831

:

And, um, so one thing leads to

another, and then Greg is like,

832

:

Hey, is this what you want to do?

833

:

And I'm like, yeah.

834

:

And he's like, okay, well, I'm going to

help you start building your resume now.

835

:

So by the time.

836

:

You're able to start gigging more

consistently or like by the time you

837

:

get out of school You actually have

a reason for people to want to book

838

:

you and I'm like at the time I did

not realize how big of a solid he was

839

:

Jason English (Host):

big of a solid he was.

840

:

It was massive.

841

:

Cat Ridgeway: and so I was like, okay, you

know and so he had this series where they

842

:

were filming Like living legends coming

in doing live sessions And so, I'm 14,

843

:

15, opening for Bill Payne of Little Feet,

Marty Ballin from Jefferson Airplane, uh,

844

:

just like all of these dudes, and, um, I

845

:

Jason English (Host): in

846

:

Cat Ridgeway: in love with all of it,

but at the, uh, At the Bill Payne show,

847

:

there was another person on tour with

him named Dennis McNally, who was touring

848

:

behind a book that he had written.

849

:

And so he gets to talking to my

dad back in the control room.

850

:

I don't know where I was.

851

:

I was off doing something.

852

:

And so dad starts talking to

Dennis and Dennis is like, Hey,

853

:

you know, I'm actually the former

publicist for the Grateful Dead

854

:

and my dad's like, Hey, Cool.

855

:

You know, his book that he was

touring was all about his experiences

856

:

working with them and how he did

the work that he did with them.

857

:

And so they start talking and then

Dennis is like, look, I know Cat's

858

:

really young right now, but whenever

you feel like the time is right

859

:

and she's ready, give me a call.

860

:

And he gives my dad his card.

861

:

I didn't know any of that

happened until I was like 23.

862

:

And my dad's like, or 24, I guess.

863

:

And my dad's like, Hey, um,

cause we, I had just gotten the

864

:

master's back for nice to meet you.

865

:

And

866

:

Jason English (Host): My

867

:

Cat Ridgeway: my dad gives it a listen and

he goes, okay, I have something to tell

868

:

Jason English (Host): And I'm like, what?

869

:

Cat Ridgeway: what?

870

:

And he's like, hang on.

871

:

And he's digging through his desk like

a mad scientist and he finds this card

872

:

and he's like, do you know what this is?

873

:

And I was like, no.

874

:

And he's like, this is

Dennis McNally's card.

875

:

I kept it for 10 years.

876

:

And I was like, what?

877

:

And he tells me the whole conversation

I didn't even know happened.

878

:

And so he's like, let's call him.

879

:

I'm like, okay, so we call him and

we're not even expecting him to

880

:

remember us or anything, you know?

881

:

And my dad's like, Hey Dennis, you know.

882

:

I'm glad this is still your number, uh,

you know, I don't know if you remember,

883

:

but my daughter opened when you were on

tour with Bill Payne, blah, blah, blah.

884

:

And he's like, Oh yeah,

I'm glad you called.

885

:

And he, and he, boom, I

mean, he knew everything.

886

:

Everything.

887

:

He remembered everything sharp as a tack.

888

:

And, um, he was like, you

know, I gotta be honest.

889

:

I'm not really that involved

in the industry anymore.

890

:

These days, blah, blah, blah.

891

:

And my dad's like, that's cool.

892

:

Can I still just send you the record

just so you can take a listen to it?

893

:

He's like, sure.

894

:

So he listens to it and then the

next day or no, not even the next

895

:

day, he calls us back that day and

he just goes, okay, all right, fine.

896

:

And he's like, I'll help

you work this record.

897

:

And honestly, if.

898

:

If you traced everything that

has happened in my career back

899

:

to one person, it's, it's Dennis.

900

:

And yeah, he's, he's like the

godfather of, of everything we've done.

901

:

And I love him so much.

902

:

And he's, he's just the coolest too.

903

:

Like we were on tour, um, I

think this was last summer.

904

:

We're in the van and he called cause

he had tuned into a radio interview or

905

:

something that we had done as a band.

906

:

And I was like, Hey, Dennis.

907

:

Jason English (Host): like, hey

908

:

Cat Ridgeway: If you have time,

like, can you tell, can you tell us a

909

:

Jason English (Host): can you tell

910

:

Cat Ridgeway: And he's like, yeah.

911

:

So we're all driving in the van and he

tells us this, this crazy story about

912

:

how the Grateful Dead had their own plane

and their own pilot, and it's actually.

913

:

against like FAA regulations for

them to fly below a certain altitude

914

:

in Colorado, like in the rocks.

915

:

But the pilot kind of did it

anyway, because it was just like

916

:

an unbelievably pretty sunset.

917

:

And he's like, and I'm just on this plane,

and Jerry's over Somewhere babbling on

918

:

about all the movies that were filmed.

919

:

Um, because it was like, oh, where was it?

920

:

I want to say it was like

sedona like old hollywood.

921

:

Basically.

922

:

It was like one of the old where

tons of old films were set.

923

:

Yeah.

924

:

And, um, so Jerry's like babbling off in

the corner about all the, all the movies

925

:

and no one's really listening to him.

926

:

And, um, one of the other, uh, members

of the band like had a, a, Really young

927

:

son and they sat him in the pilot seat

and he was flying the plane for a minute

928

:

Jason English (Host): know, I'm

like, and then I'm like, haha,

929

:

Cat Ridgeway: else like he was just

like pretty much just telling us what

930

:

everybody in the band was doing and he was

like and it's Just one of those memories

931

:

that's burned in my brain because it

was just everyone being so 100 percent

932

:

themselves in that moment It was just

beautiful and then and then you look

933

:

out and you're in the middle of these

rocks And and the sunset is like the same

934

:

shade of Orange and red as these rocks.

935

:

And it's, I was just like, that's insane.

936

:

But the way he told the story,

man, it was just so, I feel like

937

:

I have that memory now, you know?

938

:

Um, but yeah, he's just

the freaking coolest.

939

:

I, I

940

:

Jason English (Host): freaking coolest.

941

:

I, I adore him.

942

:

I hear a lot about, especially

like in technology, you know, women

943

:

are trying to have opportunity.

944

:

Right.

945

:

And, and I think it's improving.

946

:

Right.

947

:

But you know, technology has

been male dominated forever.

948

:

I'm sure music's been male dominated

forever, but the fact that they were so

949

:

proactive and, You know, Greg giving you,

you know, the shot and then, and then

950

:

Dennis, you know, being so impactful,

that's really cool for like a young

951

:

Cat Ridgeway: Yeah, no kidding.

952

:

I, you know, and I've thought a lot about

this because I've, I definitely have

953

:

had my own experiences of, of facing

prejudice and sexism in the industry,

954

:

but honestly, I feel like the amount

and Severity of those instances has been

955

:

so much less than other folks that I've

talked to and I don't really know why

956

:

Jason English (Host): Um, Um,

957

:

Cat Ridgeway: But I am very grateful

for that and I've I've been very very

958

:

lucky to be surrounded by a lot of really

great men And I'll bring it back to

959

:

Jason English (Host): Mike, uh,

960

:

Cat Ridgeway: Tall, tall trees.

961

:

My co producer on this last

record is such a champion of,

962

:

Jason English (Host): of,

963

:

Cat Ridgeway: of women in the industry.

964

:

And, and he doesn't do it to be,

you know, like I'm a feminist.

965

:

Like he's like, those words have never

come out of his mouth and I don't

966

:

think they ever would, you know, but

like, he's one of the first people I

967

:

hear say, have you listened to this?

968

:

Like, oh, she's such a badass.

969

:

And like, when we're in the

studio, he's teaching me how to

970

:

do things as we're going along.

971

:

And I won't lie, like, in the studio

before, I've been in different

972

:

situations, whether I was playing as

a session player or whatever, where,

973

:

uh, people I was working with in the

studio, they were like, Oh, well,

974

:

like, yeah, Cat, you play guitar, but

like, let's get a real guitar player

975

:

and to come track this or something,

you know, like, like little, like the

976

:

microaggression kind of stuff like that.

977

:

And I'm like, I mean, I

play guitar for a living.

978

:

I think I'm kind of a real guitar player.

979

:

Like I definitely am less of a lead

player than a rhythm player, but like,

980

:

I can get the job done, you know, give

me a couple of passes and we're good.

981

:

So.

982

:

Um, but anytime I would find myself

kind of falling into the patterns that

983

:

other people had built for me where

when we were in the studio, you know,

984

:

I'd be like, Oh, Mike, cause he's an

insane guitarist, banjo player, like

985

:

everything, anything with strings.

986

:

He's a magician.

987

:

Um, and I was just like, yeah, like,

do you, do you want to track that?

988

:

I'm sure you're going to come

up with something way cooler.

989

:

And he goes, no, this is your record.

990

:

You're going to play on your

991

:

Jason English (Host): going to

992

:

Cat Ridgeway: And I was like,

993

:

Jason English (Host): Oh, sweet.

994

:

And I was

995

:

Cat Ridgeway: But then it was like,

he, he was very, like, he had such a

996

:

guiding hand and all of those moments

too, where he'd be like, Hey, like,

997

:

when you play this lead line, like,

try like bending into the note instead

998

:

of just like hitting it or whatever.

999

:

And so it was like, You know, I just, I

felt like I was, I was being, uh, held

:

00:47:58,522 --> 00:48:00,912

in very good hands, uh, the whole time.

:

00:48:00,922 --> 00:48:05,772

But again, it's just, I actually had this

conversation with a couple of my bandmates

:

00:48:05,772 --> 00:48:08,992

and some of my friends, like, as I was

working with Mike, I was like, I don't, I

:

00:48:08,992 --> 00:48:14,832

don't know if I've ever had this type of

energy from a guy in the studio before.

:

00:48:14,902 --> 00:48:18,072

Like, this is, this is

like very, very special.

:

00:48:18,122 --> 00:48:23,152

I've never had someone, uh, Empower

me that much and and be such a

:

00:48:23,152 --> 00:48:27,632

cheerleader during the process

in like the least cheesy way.

:

00:48:27,652 --> 00:48:34,102

It was, it's like, he's like water, like,

you know, like just very calm and steady.

:

00:48:34,172 --> 00:48:38,432

And like the way water erodes

a mountain is how he took down

:

00:48:38,577 --> 00:48:38,997

Jason English (Host): That's good

:

00:48:39,702 --> 00:48:43,602

Cat Ridgeway: preconceived, um,

patterns from, from other people.

:

00:48:43,612 --> 00:48:49,122

You know, it was, it was really a,

a, a really beautiful partnership

:

00:48:49,222 --> 00:48:50,742

to work with him on this record.

:

00:48:51,082 --> 00:48:53,142

Um, and I'm really excited

for people to hear it.

:

00:48:53,142 --> 00:48:54,452

Cause it does feel the most.

:

00:48:54,837 --> 00:48:59,647

Like myself of anything I've ever recorded

and it's because he pushed me to let it

:

00:48:59,667 --> 00:49:05,847

be, you know, um, So yes, um, I have been

very lucky with with the men that have

:

00:49:05,915 --> 00:49:07,568

Jason English (Host): have been in my

:

00:49:07,627 --> 00:49:11,427

Cat Ridgeway: i'm Totally, I totally

acknowledge that they they're awesome.

:

00:49:11,577 --> 00:49:18,177

Thanks guys Yeah,

:

00:49:19,477 --> 00:49:21,797

Jason English (Host): you you, was

it New York City that you did the

:

00:49:21,797 --> 00:49:26,387

Lincoln Center performance and that

was about women in uh Americana.

:

00:49:26,427 --> 00:49:26,967

Is that right?

:

00:49:26,977 --> 00:49:27,247

Yeah.

:

00:49:27,247 --> 00:49:28,257

How how did that happen?

:

00:49:28,517 --> 00:49:28,777

That

:

00:49:28,792 --> 00:49:29,772

Cat Ridgeway: was pretty nuts.

:

00:49:29,842 --> 00:49:37,202

Um, that was actually so through

a very crazy again, like these,

:

00:49:37,242 --> 00:49:38,912

these dots, man, they connect.

:

00:49:39,352 --> 00:49:43,332

Um, I had been on the lookout for

a booking agent for a long time

:

00:49:43,412 --> 00:49:46,622

and I had been given the name.

:

00:49:47,052 --> 00:49:47,382

Jason English (Host): agent.

:

00:49:48,067 --> 00:49:49,097

Cat Ridgeway: agent, her name's Joy.

:

00:49:49,147 --> 00:49:52,877

I had been given her name from

multiple people and we just

:

00:49:52,877 --> 00:49:55,297

never quite made full contact.

:

00:49:55,807 --> 00:50:01,767

And, um, When we started working

on this record, I have a new team

:

00:50:01,767 --> 00:50:07,557

that's on board as part of the, the

promotion and, um, back end of, of

:

00:50:07,557 --> 00:50:10,797

making the, like the, the business

side basically of the, of the record.

:

00:50:11,277 --> 00:50:15,097

And they were like, Hey, we have a,

an agent that we have in mind for you.

:

00:50:15,097 --> 00:50:16,237

And it was joy.

:

00:50:16,277 --> 00:50:17,907

And I was like, are you kidding me?

:

00:50:17,907 --> 00:50:21,617

Like of all the people in the industry

for you to connect me to it's her.

:

00:50:21,997 --> 00:50:25,277

And, um, actually we just, uh,

hit one year of working together,

:

00:50:25,277 --> 00:50:26,797

like yesterday or the day before.

:

00:50:27,662 --> 00:50:28,082

Excuse me.

:

00:50:28,082 --> 00:50:33,712

And so like the first show she

gets for me is the Lincoln Center.

:

00:50:33,772 --> 00:50:35,812

And I'm like, are you kidding me?

:

00:50:35,812 --> 00:50:37,242

Like what?

:

00:50:37,602 --> 00:50:41,532

And, um, yeah, so she, she has a great

working relationship with the room.

:

00:50:41,592 --> 00:50:45,292

And, um, so she was like, yeah,

I got these two other artists.

:

00:50:45,292 --> 00:50:48,852

I think you would be really cool on a

bill with, and you want to go to New York.

:

00:50:48,852 --> 00:50:51,382

And I was like, I don't, yeah,

I always want to go to New York.

:

00:50:51,382 --> 00:50:56,742

And so, um, in the middle of the season,

I, I popped over from Colorado and.

:

00:50:56,762 --> 00:51:03,032

It probably ended up being about a week

long tour with um, Lauren Calve and

:

00:51:03,102 --> 00:51:05,642

Caterina it was, it was a lot of fun, man.

:

00:51:05,652 --> 00:51:06,562

It was really cool.

:

00:51:06,937 --> 00:51:10,817

And, uh, yeah, hit some really neat rooms.

:

00:51:10,827 --> 00:51:13,247

I played the pie shop

for the first time in DC.

:

00:51:13,247 --> 00:51:18,517

And honestly, like I was not expecting

the kind of response that we got in DC,

:

00:51:18,517 --> 00:51:21,447

but there was a whole group of friends.

:

00:51:21,457 --> 00:51:26,297

One person had seen me play a random

house show, uh, a couple of years

:

00:51:26,307 --> 00:51:30,452

ago, like a so far sound show, and

then brought an entire, like, team

:

00:51:30,742 --> 00:51:32,552

that goes rock climbing together.

:

00:51:32,582 --> 00:51:35,072

And then we all like hung

out downstairs and stuff.

:

00:51:35,072 --> 00:51:37,762

And it was just like, it's

like, I love that shit, man.

:

00:51:37,782 --> 00:51:38,572

It's the best.

:

00:51:38,582 --> 00:51:39,522

It is the best.

:

00:51:39,962 --> 00:51:43,212

Um, and anyway, yeah, that's like

one of the, one of the other memories

:

00:51:43,212 --> 00:51:44,562

that really sticks out from that run.

:

00:51:44,562 --> 00:51:49,982

But yeah, Lincoln center, DC and,

um, yeah, it was a really cool run.

:

00:51:50,062 --> 00:51:50,452

Jason English (Host): run.

:

00:51:50,452 --> 00:51:52,962

Well, I want to talk about

your songwriting, but in that

:

00:51:52,962 --> 00:51:57,487

performance, uh, in You didn't do

it yesterday, which is fine, but

:

00:51:57,847 --> 00:51:59,577

most, most of the time, that's right.

:

00:52:00,117 --> 00:52:03,537

Most of the time you're able to

sneak in a cover of the cranberries.

:

00:52:03,542 --> 00:52:03,972

Cat Ridgeway: Oh yeah.

:

00:52:04,577 --> 00:52:08,887

Jason English (Host): Like, and we,

my friends and I, uh, Rob Roswell,

:

00:52:08,887 --> 00:52:12,157

Rob from Roswell, who, you know,

he always calls it the looper.

:

00:52:12,667 --> 00:52:14,027

He's like, is she going

to play the looper?

:

00:52:14,917 --> 00:52:15,817

And it's crazy.

:

00:52:15,997 --> 00:52:21,327

Cause it's, you know, it's, it's crazy,

but like how, how, how much practice

:

00:52:22,637 --> 00:52:26,227

Did that take to kind of get that down

because you basically, what is it?

:

00:52:26,227 --> 00:52:31,587

Five, is it four or five at the end where

you, you know, you record like live and

:

00:52:31,897 --> 00:52:35,137

loop it back and it's, I don't know what

you call it cause I'm not a musician, but

:

00:52:35,137 --> 00:52:39,997

it's, you're, you basically harmonize with

yourself four or five different layers.

:

00:52:40,603 --> 00:52:45,847

Cat Ridgeway: or five different layers?

:

00:52:47,957 --> 00:52:47,977

Jason English (Host): Um,

:

00:52:48,847 --> 00:52:50,377

Cat Ridgeway: I'm going

to be so real with you.

:

00:52:50,387 --> 00:52:55,327

There was just one day my brother and I

were playing, yeah, like my brother and I

:

00:52:55,327 --> 00:52:58,217

were playing a show down in our hometown.

:

00:52:58,247 --> 00:53:00,647

Um, there's a really cool

venue called Wekiva Island.

:

00:53:00,747 --> 00:53:08,007

And, um, someone asked for dreams and I

just midway through the song remembered

:

00:53:08,007 --> 00:53:10,927

like, Oh yeah, doesn't this end with that?

:

00:53:10,927 --> 00:53:12,337

Like, ah, stuff, you know?

:

00:53:12,697 --> 00:53:16,017

And, um, I couldn't really

remember how it went, but I was

:

00:53:16,027 --> 00:53:17,317

like, I'm going to try it anyway.

:

00:53:18,457 --> 00:53:19,637

We're among friends here.

:

00:53:19,637 --> 00:53:20,897

Like no one cares that much.

:

00:53:20,907 --> 00:53:22,257

It's, it's a cover gig, you know?

:

00:53:22,257 --> 00:53:24,007

I mean, like I respect cover gigs.

:

00:53:24,007 --> 00:53:25,127

Don't hear, don't get me wrong.

:

00:53:25,147 --> 00:53:28,527

But I was like, I'm going to take a

little risk here, just see how it goes.

:

00:53:28,947 --> 00:53:33,107

And, um, that night, I think it

was only like two or three layers.

:

00:53:33,127 --> 00:53:37,242

It wasn't anything like that extravagant,

but I was like, Oh, that was cool.

:

00:53:37,572 --> 00:53:40,942

And, and people dug it

and I was like, huh.

:

00:53:41,142 --> 00:53:45,942

So then I just started like doing it

at gigs, but I never like rehearsed it.

:

00:53:45,992 --> 00:53:49,762

It was more of just kind of a, let me

see what the, what happens this time?

:

00:53:49,762 --> 00:53:53,602

Because the thing about looping that

I love so much is it's, it's like a.

:

00:53:54,577 --> 00:53:57,887

An audio mandala, you know,

it's never the same twice.

:

00:53:57,917 --> 00:54:00,397

Even if you do the same parts,

it's never quite the same.

:

00:54:00,817 --> 00:54:05,457

And so there's a spontaneity about

it that I like to try to keep, which

:

00:54:05,457 --> 00:54:09,337

is part of the reason I don't really

rehearse stuff like that as much.

:

00:54:09,682 --> 00:54:10,152

Jason English (Host): Um,

:

00:54:10,992 --> 00:54:14,302

Cat Ridgeway: And then once, once

I did it a good handful of times

:

00:54:14,302 --> 00:54:17,612

live, I did kind of settle into

like an arrangement, but again, it,

:

00:54:17,622 --> 00:54:19,452

it does, it changes all the time.

:

00:54:19,462 --> 00:54:23,302

Like the, the bass harmonies

are the same, but then I I'll

:

00:54:23,602 --> 00:54:25,332

go off on top of it and stuff.

:

00:54:25,332 --> 00:54:29,022

And, um, I've done it

different lengths and stuff.

:

00:54:29,022 --> 00:54:32,132

And you know, it's, like I said, it

just, it changes a little bit here and

:

00:54:32,132 --> 00:54:37,597

there, but for the most part, um, I have

it pretty down now, but yeah, that's

:

00:54:37,597 --> 00:54:39,037

one of my favorite things to cover now.

:

00:54:39,037 --> 00:54:39,577

It's super

:

00:54:39,626 --> 00:54:39,873

Jason English (Host): fun.

:

00:54:39,873 --> 00:54:41,352

It always gets a really good

:

00:54:41,417 --> 00:54:42,007

Cat Ridgeway: Thanks.

:

00:54:42,037 --> 00:54:42,397

Yeah.

:

00:54:42,397 --> 00:54:43,597

I mean, it's just fun.

:

00:54:43,597 --> 00:54:44,827

I mean, well, I mean, come on.

:

00:54:44,827 --> 00:54:48,887

The cranberries, uh,

um, it's Dolores, right?

:

00:54:49,027 --> 00:54:50,397

That was, that was her name.

:

00:54:50,547 --> 00:54:51,047

Jason English (Host): I don't know.

:

00:54:51,047 --> 00:54:51,597

Am I sure?

:

00:54:51,727 --> 00:54:53,247

Cat Ridgeway: never remember

how to say her name.

:

00:54:53,247 --> 00:54:55,707

Like Dolores Riordan, Riordan.

:

00:54:55,707 --> 00:55:00,807

I don't know what she, I mean,

she's one of the greatest.

:

00:55:01,412 --> 00:55:03,222

Alternative vocalists of all time.

:

00:55:03,222 --> 00:55:08,082

And I mean, just to be a, a tiny little

blip of that, of the history of that

:

00:55:08,082 --> 00:55:14,102

song and keeping it alive is, is, uh, an

honor, honestly, that song is fantastic.

:

00:55:14,262 --> 00:55:14,622

Jason English (Host): it's great.

:

00:55:14,672 --> 00:55:16,162

I mean, and your voice is

:

00:55:16,442 --> 00:55:17,112

Cat Ridgeway: thank you.

:

00:55:17,242 --> 00:55:18,912

Jason English (Host): the

chart too, so yeah, yeah.

:

00:55:18,942 --> 00:55:19,622

Um, all right.

:

00:55:19,622 --> 00:55:23,272

So real quick, you're

still relatively young.

:

00:55:23,282 --> 00:55:26,372

You're not 14 anymore, but you're,

you're on the younger side, I guess.

:

00:55:26,372 --> 00:55:28,482

What, what inspires you

when you write songs?

:

00:55:29,042 --> 00:55:32,222

Is it, is it more on the

heartbreak grief side of things?

:

00:55:32,282 --> 00:55:35,192

Cause I, which I don't imagine

cause you're so happy all the time,

:

00:55:35,197 --> 00:55:35,887

Cat Ridgeway: you know, it's

:

00:55:35,952 --> 00:55:36,932

Jason English (Host): is it, is it love?

:

00:55:36,932 --> 00:55:37,722

Is it, what is it?

:

00:55:37,847 --> 00:55:39,757

Cat Ridgeway: for more recently.

:

00:55:39,847 --> 00:55:41,352

Um, Okay.

:

00:55:41,352 --> 00:55:47,382

So like in the past, yes, it was like

a lot of very happy stuff in, um, like

:

00:55:47,382 --> 00:55:51,972

one of, probably one of them, the better

known songs of mine when we've played

:

00:55:51,972 --> 00:55:56,722

at shows and stuff, uh, for people who

follow me are, uh, is the song Aspen,

:

00:55:56,728 --> 00:55:56,967

Jason English (Host): know,

:

00:55:57,132 --> 00:56:00,392

Cat Ridgeway: um, which is just like

about being a rambling traveler and stuff.

:

00:56:00,392 --> 00:56:02,092

So like it's very, it's

very sunny, you know?

:

00:56:02,092 --> 00:56:06,082

And so when we went to work on this new

record though, I was like, you know, man,

:

00:56:06,092 --> 00:56:08,492

I, I just really feel like I have not.

:

00:56:08,738 --> 00:56:09,400

Jason English (Host): said

:

00:56:10,057 --> 00:56:11,997

Cat Ridgeway: stuff with enough substance.

:

00:56:12,337 --> 00:56:18,797

Um, cause so much of the music I love

moves me because it's real, you know?

:

00:56:18,797 --> 00:56:24,787

And I feel like, I mean, happy songs

are fantastic and kind of my artist

:

00:56:24,787 --> 00:56:28,367

motto for the longest time was just

to be a means of escapism for people.

:

00:56:28,367 --> 00:56:33,918

But then I kind of realized like, is

it, is it for them or is it for me?

:

00:56:33,918 --> 00:56:37,962

And that was, uh, that was

a trip and I kind of 180'd.

:

00:56:38,652 --> 00:56:45,312

Everything I was thinking about

songwriting and, um, I had honestly,

:

00:56:45,332 --> 00:56:50,322

probably like the, the string of a string

of three years that were like the worst

:

00:56:50,342 --> 00:56:57,782

of my life debt, like from:

or I guess it was like two years from 2021

:

00:56:57,782 --> 00:56:59,442

Jason English (Host):

Oh, she's why is that?

:

00:56:59,632 --> 00:57:03,232

Cat Ridgeway: um, One bad breakup.

:

00:57:03,262 --> 00:57:08,202

Then it was like, uh, I got COVID

three times and mono in between.

:

00:57:08,422 --> 00:57:10,312

I got mono at like 26.

:

00:57:10,362 --> 00:57:13,402

I'm like, how does that when

during social distancing?

:

00:57:13,442 --> 00:57:14,592

I don't know how that happened.

:

00:57:14,622 --> 00:57:17,372

Um, but apparently there was

like a weird uptick of mono

:

00:57:17,422 --> 00:57:19,932

Jason English (Host): Yeah, I've heard

of, I've actually heard that around here.

:

00:57:20,052 --> 00:57:20,312

Yeah.

:

00:57:20,492 --> 00:57:24,712

Cat Ridgeway: Um, and I, they

say, uh, that, uh, at least the

:

00:57:24,712 --> 00:57:26,292

doctors I talked to, which were

:

00:57:26,552 --> 00:57:27,722

Jason English (Host): were many, um,

:

00:57:27,737 --> 00:57:29,847

Cat Ridgeway: they were like, it could

have actually been from contaminated

:

00:57:29,847 --> 00:57:33,897

silverware when you first started

eating out again, um, because everyone's

:

00:57:33,897 --> 00:57:37,277

immune systems were just so shot

after, uh, quarantine and stuff.

:

00:57:37,277 --> 00:57:40,767

So I, I still am not sure how that

happened because I wasn't seeing anybody.

:

00:57:41,177 --> 00:57:46,147

Um, but between, um, All

four of those, uh, viruses.

:

00:57:46,177 --> 00:57:49,737

I was, I was in and out of the

hospital and I was having really

:

00:57:49,737 --> 00:57:53,497

crazy pain in my side that the

doctors could not figure out.

:

00:57:53,537 --> 00:57:56,147

And every test luckily was coming back

:

00:57:56,280 --> 00:57:56,610

Jason English (Host): was

:

00:57:56,847 --> 00:57:57,387

Cat Ridgeway: fine.

:

00:57:57,407 --> 00:58:01,707

I was in like, at one point I was in

the ER, like, Doubled over in pain.

:

00:58:01,707 --> 00:58:05,507

And my doctor's like, you know, I know

you don't feel good, but, uh, you're

:

00:58:05,507 --> 00:58:07,807

actually super freaking healthy.

:

00:58:07,837 --> 00:58:10,937

And I was like, thank you

so much, but please fix me.

:

00:58:10,937 --> 00:58:13,777

Like, you know, it was

like debilitating pain.

:

00:58:14,137 --> 00:58:18,957

And, um, and then the anxiety that came

along with just like being in that much

:

00:58:18,957 --> 00:58:22,497

pain and not knowing what was wrong was

just, I mean, I was, it was just more

:

00:58:22,497 --> 00:58:24,407

than my brain could, could deal with.

:

00:58:24,417 --> 00:58:28,407

Cause I mean, I was, I almost passed

out on stage a couple of times.

:

00:58:28,417 --> 00:58:29,307

It was that bad.

:

00:58:29,387 --> 00:58:35,527

And, um, So, eventually, as a last

resort, I ended up getting a colonoscopy

:

00:58:35,527 --> 00:58:38,307

because they did a bunch of scans

but never anything internal, and

:

00:58:38,307 --> 00:58:40,137

then they actually found pre cancer,

:

00:58:40,162 --> 00:58:40,682

Jason English (Host): Oh, she's

:

00:58:40,697 --> 00:58:43,037

Cat Ridgeway: like, oh my god, and

that was what like really sent me

:

00:58:43,037 --> 00:58:44,547

over the edge, and then I was just

:

00:58:44,792 --> 00:58:45,381

Jason English (Host): then I

:

00:58:45,407 --> 00:58:49,757

Cat Ridgeway: yeah, so then I was

like, I think I actually have PTSD

:

00:58:49,757 --> 00:58:52,027

after all of this, and I actually did.

:

00:58:52,217 --> 00:58:52,727

Um, like

:

00:58:52,782 --> 00:58:53,092

Jason English (Host): write up?

:

00:58:53,142 --> 00:58:55,042

Did you write some songs based on like,

:

00:58:55,247 --> 00:58:55,687

Cat Ridgeway: I did.

:

00:58:55,747 --> 00:58:56,177

Yeah.

:

00:58:56,177 --> 00:59:00,077

And I mean, honestly, like once I

started, like, I, I was like, I think

:

00:59:00,077 --> 00:59:03,297

I need to go to therapy, like after all

of this, cause I was just, I just like,

:

00:59:03,297 --> 00:59:06,967

couldn't get out of the cycle of being

freaked out about everything all the time

:

00:59:06,967 --> 00:59:08,677

because I kept thinking I was like dying.

:

00:59:09,197 --> 00:59:13,557

Um, and so, um, in the midst of

that, you know, you start working

:

00:59:13,557 --> 00:59:16,637

through all the things you've

ever been through in your life.

:

00:59:16,987 --> 00:59:21,847

And so this record honestly is a, is a

lot of, of that dive, uh, that I took.

:

00:59:22,187 --> 00:59:24,697

Uh, and so, I mean, it's the whole record.

:

00:59:24,697 --> 00:59:26,607

It's not like a super

doom and gloom record.

:

00:59:26,607 --> 00:59:27,367

Like, don't get me wrong.

:

00:59:27,367 --> 00:59:30,477

There are definitely some happy songs

and stuff on there and, and things

:

00:59:30,477 --> 00:59:35,627

that are more contemplative, not quite

sad, but like, it's definitely, um,

:

00:59:36,467 --> 00:59:38,302

a more thoughtful lyric, you know,

:

00:59:38,329 --> 00:59:39,305

Jason English (Host): compilation

:

00:59:39,762 --> 00:59:41,522

Cat Ridgeway: than anything

I've ever released.

:

00:59:41,592 --> 00:59:44,552

I actually think it's the strongest

lyricism I've ever written.

:

00:59:44,582 --> 00:59:46,242

I'm very, very proud of it.

:

00:59:46,242 --> 00:59:54,152

Um, um, you know, I don't think, I don't

think it's actually quite a breakup song.

:

00:59:54,152 --> 00:59:58,262

There, there's a song called cursive

though, which is just me just, uh,

:

00:59:58,392 --> 01:00:03,402

lamenting the entire time about how bad I

am at expressing myself in relationships.

:

01:00:03,402 --> 01:00:08,182

Cause it's like, like the lyric is

like, um, sometimes when I talk, I just

:

01:00:08,182 --> 01:00:11,757

can't stop, um, And, uh, what else?

:

01:00:12,297 --> 01:00:14,457

All this cursive talk I'm caught up in.

:

01:00:14,877 --> 01:00:17,297

Can't get a straight answer from

me, but it's pretty, isn't it?

:

01:00:17,432 --> 01:00:19,593

Jason English (Host): all

that kind of stuff, you know?

:

01:00:19,593 --> 01:00:19,902

Yeah,

:

01:00:20,032 --> 01:00:20,282

Cat Ridgeway: you know?

:

01:00:20,312 --> 01:00:20,682

Yeah.

:

01:00:20,682 --> 01:00:23,502

And so it's, it's more of like,

just like not being able to say

:

01:00:23,502 --> 01:00:24,912

what you need to say or say it well,

:

01:00:24,931 --> 01:00:26,362

Jason English (Host): say or say it well.

:

01:00:26,362 --> 01:00:27,220

Yes, and I

:

01:00:27,452 --> 01:00:27,902

Cat Ridgeway: Yes.

:

01:00:28,142 --> 01:00:32,442

And it's so funny because like, I

mean, I feel like I, I'm, I'm pretty

:

01:00:32,442 --> 01:00:35,212

good with words when it comes to

like writing songs, but then it's

:

01:00:35,212 --> 01:00:39,772

like, you put me, put me on the spot

in a relationship, but by like, no.

:

01:00:40,342 --> 01:00:45,752

And so, um, yeah, that song, that song

hits, uh, hits me in a nice place.

:

01:00:45,772 --> 01:00:47,002

Cause it just, I don't know.

:

01:00:47,597 --> 01:00:50,217

It felt like something very

specific I was trying to express.

:

01:00:50,217 --> 01:00:54,107

And, um, that was actually the first

song Mike and I started laying down.

:

01:00:54,107 --> 01:00:58,177

And when we got to tracking, even just

the scratch vocal, we were, we just

:

01:00:58,177 --> 01:01:02,577

looked at each other and we were like,

dude, like we did something today.

:

01:01:02,767 --> 01:01:06,607

And that was kind of the jumping off

point for the whole record sonically.

:

01:01:06,617 --> 01:01:07,547

So yeah.

:

01:01:07,647 --> 01:01:10,777

Um, but then there, I mean, but

then there's like another, like

:

01:01:10,807 --> 01:01:12,437

really dumb song on the record.

:

01:01:13,017 --> 01:01:14,937

This you'll probably get

a kick out of this story.

:

01:01:15,462 --> 01:01:20,682

So I ended up back in Georgia last

year because I got invited to be an

:

01:01:20,692 --> 01:01:22,922

artist in residence for an art gallery.

:

01:01:22,922 --> 01:01:24,632

I was on the road with Abe Partridge

:

01:01:24,794 --> 01:01:25,093

Jason English (Host): Okay.

:

01:01:25,093 --> 01:01:25,391

Yeah.

:

01:01:25,391 --> 01:01:25,689

Abe.

:

01:01:25,802 --> 01:01:28,662

Cat Ridgeway: yeah, and so for

anyone who doesn't know Abe, he's

:

01:01:28,662 --> 01:01:32,372

also, he's an amazing songwriter,

um, but he's also a fine artist.

:

01:01:32,372 --> 01:01:35,762

And so between the shows, we were

stopping in at different art galleries

:

01:01:35,772 --> 01:01:39,612

for him to talk about his work that

was either already on display or talk

:

01:01:39,622 --> 01:01:43,092

about getting it on display, um, at

different places we were touring through.

:

01:01:43,442 --> 01:01:44,792

So we're in LaGrange.

:

01:01:45,662 --> 01:01:51,492

And, uh, we end up at this, uh, the

Cochran Gallery and they're inviting

:

01:01:51,782 --> 01:01:54,442

Abe to come stay in this little

cabin to paint and then they're

:

01:01:54,442 --> 01:01:55,852

like, Cat, we also have writers.

:

01:01:55,852 --> 01:01:58,682

If you ever want to do like an artist

in residence thing, you just come up and

:

01:01:58,692 --> 01:02:03,122

stay in our cabin and there's no internet

connection and you can just make stuff

:

01:02:03,122 --> 01:02:04,272

all day and no one's going to bother you.

:

01:02:04,272 --> 01:02:08,472

And I was like, Yeah, I need to

finish writing for this album.

:

01:02:08,472 --> 01:02:09,312

Like, let's go.

:

01:02:09,612 --> 01:02:16,142

So I end up in this cabin trying so hard

to finish writing these songs and, um, and

:

01:02:16,142 --> 01:02:19,842

just get in a flow state again, because

I haven't really been able to in a while.

:

01:02:20,372 --> 01:02:24,952

And so one day I'm like,

you know what, send it.

:

01:02:25,152 --> 01:02:27,162

And I take two gummies instead of

:

01:02:27,256 --> 01:02:27,670

Jason English (Host): one.

:

01:02:27,670 --> 01:02:28,085

And

:

01:02:28,132 --> 01:02:30,102

Cat Ridgeway: And then I'm like,

I'm gonna go on a walk in the woods.

:

01:02:30,132 --> 01:02:33,652

And I and I do, and I get completely lost.

:

01:02:33,732 --> 01:02:34,982

And I'm like,

:

01:02:35,131 --> 01:02:36,788

Jason English (Host):

I get completely lost.

:

01:02:36,822 --> 01:02:39,822

Cat Ridgeway: I, I done, I

done really messed this up.

:

01:02:39,962 --> 01:02:40,332

Oops.

:

01:02:40,402 --> 01:02:45,222

And so I call, I call Wes, the, the guy

who owns the gallery, he and his wife.

:

01:02:45,642 --> 01:02:48,662

And, um, I call him and I'm like,

dude, I think I might've gotten

:

01:02:48,662 --> 01:02:52,422

lost on your property, which mind

you is like 50 acres of Woodland.

:

01:02:52,472 --> 01:02:54,182

Jason English (Host):

Southwest, uh, Georgia.

:

01:02:54,217 --> 01:02:54,507

Yeah.

:

01:02:54,682 --> 01:02:56,792

Cat Ridgeway: And

:

01:02:57,172 --> 01:02:58,642

Jason English (Host): that's the

middle, that's the middle of nowhere by

:

01:02:58,682 --> 01:03:00,972

Cat Ridgeway: is, yeah, it is

totally the middle of nowhere.

:

01:03:01,012 --> 01:03:06,542

And, um, I find a telephone tower and

I call Wes and I tell him I'm lost.

:

01:03:06,542 --> 01:03:09,472

And his response is just, well.

:

01:03:09,487 --> 01:03:11,977

And

:

01:03:14,537 --> 01:03:15,657

I was like, oh no!

:

01:03:17,267 --> 01:03:18,227

I'm gonna die!

:

01:03:18,477 --> 01:03:21,357

I'm literally gonna die

in the woods in LaGrange.

:

01:03:21,747 --> 01:03:23,797

And oh my god, what a way to go.

:

01:03:23,817 --> 01:03:25,977

This is so, my parents

are gonna be so mad at me.

:

01:03:26,007 --> 01:03:26,697

Like, you know,

:

01:03:26,767 --> 01:03:27,427

Jason English (Host): and I'm like,

:

01:03:28,087 --> 01:03:29,327

Cat Ridgeway: this is

the dumbest thing ever.

:

01:03:29,777 --> 01:03:33,262

And um, Anyway, so then he's like, let

me, let me give the phone to my wife.

:

01:03:33,262 --> 01:03:36,582

So he puts his wife on the phone

and she's like, Hey cat, do

:

01:03:36,582 --> 01:03:38,382

you, do you see where that rusty

:

01:03:38,522 --> 01:03:39,035

Jason English (Host): like, yeah.

:

01:03:39,112 --> 01:03:41,832

Cat Ridgeway: And I'm like, yeah, she's

like, you see that one slap that's

:

01:03:41,832 --> 01:03:43,542

sticking up a little more than the others.

:

01:03:43,542 --> 01:03:47,372

I'm like, yeah, if that's to your

back, you're walking the right way.

:

01:03:47,662 --> 01:03:52,312

And I'm like, those are some backwoods

directions if I ever heard them.

:

01:03:52,602 --> 01:03:56,042

And, and so I follow them and

I'm losing reception on the

:

01:03:56,042 --> 01:03:57,342

phone and I'm freaking out.

:

01:03:57,772 --> 01:03:58,482

Jason English (Host): And I'm,

:

01:03:58,617 --> 01:04:01,117

Cat Ridgeway: I just keep walking

because I'm like, that slats to my back.

:

01:04:01,117 --> 01:04:02,317

I'm going the right way, you know?

:

01:04:02,317 --> 01:04:06,467

And so I finally find the cabin and

I realize I was never more than 50

:

01:04:06,583 --> 01:04:07,107

Jason English (Host): yards away.

:

01:04:07,107 --> 01:04:07,117

Oh,

:

01:04:07,127 --> 01:04:07,267

Cat Ridgeway: the whole time.

:

01:04:07,267 --> 01:04:11,337

And I'm like, dude, this is classic.

:

01:04:11,517 --> 01:04:14,867

And, um, I, I just keep

thinking though, like.

:

01:04:15,337 --> 01:04:19,317

If parallel universes exist, I

definitely died in those woods

:

01:04:19,317 --> 01:04:20,457

and at least like five of them.

:

01:04:20,867 --> 01:04:23,867

And I can't get my head out of that cycle.

:

01:04:23,867 --> 01:04:27,846

And so I wrote this song called what

if and it's just, it's just stupid.

:

01:04:27,857 --> 01:04:30,477

And it's actually, I

think it's hilarious now.

:

01:04:30,537 --> 01:04:34,487

Um, but knowing like the anxious

place it came from and how now the

:

01:04:34,487 --> 01:04:39,142

song is like, so funny to me is

so, You know, and like, like legit.

:

01:04:39,462 --> 01:04:43,382

Um, and I love where the song ended

up too, because, um, again, being on

:

01:04:43,382 --> 01:04:47,412

tour with Abe so recently, I had a

lot of like bluegrass kind of stuff in

:

01:04:47,412 --> 01:04:49,512

my head from the way he played banjo.

:

01:04:49,512 --> 01:04:56,322

And, um, I loved the way the bluegrass

banjo had a melody to what was

:

01:04:56,332 --> 01:04:57,672

being played, it wasn't just chords.

:

01:04:57,672 --> 01:05:01,782

Like it was like an actual thing

you could hum back to somebody.

:

01:05:02,027 --> 01:05:02,371

Jason English (Host): so

:

01:05:02,582 --> 01:05:04,942

Cat Ridgeway: And so I wanted

to come up with something that

:

01:05:04,942 --> 01:05:07,967

melodic that, you know, Also had

a vocal melody sitting over it.

:

01:05:07,967 --> 01:05:10,467

And so I wrote this thing and

then I showed it to Mike and I

:

01:05:10,467 --> 01:05:14,217

was like, dude, I really like this

thing, but it's way too bluegrass.

:

01:05:14,217 --> 01:05:17,337

I need us to get it out

of like Yeehaw town.

:

01:05:17,667 --> 01:05:20,477

And he's like, okay, well we just

don't make bluegrass decisions.

:

01:05:20,527 --> 01:05:22,707

And so it ended up being like.

:

01:05:23,962 --> 01:05:24,471

Jason English (Host): Really

:

01:05:24,942 --> 01:05:25,362

Cat Ridgeway: weird.

:

01:05:25,372 --> 01:05:28,572

I don't even know how to explain it, but

it starts off with like a little eighties

:

01:05:28,662 --> 01:05:31,252

Casio keyboard, like preset, just like,

:

01:05:32,471 --> 01:05:32,872

Jason English (Host): Sweet.

:

01:05:33,132 --> 01:05:34,632

Cat Ridgeway: yeah, it's really cool.

:

01:05:35,432 --> 01:05:36,442

Um, but yeah.

:

01:05:36,442 --> 01:05:41,412

So anyway, in, in some, uh, yes, the

record's definitely a lot deeper than

:

01:05:41,412 --> 01:05:45,312

anything I've put out, but it's definitely

also like, it's not just like sad.

:

01:05:45,692 --> 01:05:46,162

Jason English (Host): well good.

:

01:05:46,692 --> 01:05:47,762

When can we expect that?

:

01:05:48,272 --> 01:05:52,132

Cat Ridgeway: We're hoping for

October, but like definitely fall.

:

01:05:52,512 --> 01:05:52,922

Mm hmm.

:

01:05:53,002 --> 01:05:54,152

I think it's a fall record.

:

01:05:54,152 --> 01:05:55,132

It feels like a fall record.

:

01:05:55,522 --> 01:05:55,892

Yeah.

:

01:05:55,892 --> 01:06:02,632

Um,

:

01:06:02,742 --> 01:06:04,002

Jason English (Host): Are you dating?

:

01:06:04,012 --> 01:06:05,332

Like, is it hard to date when you're.

:

01:06:05,346 --> 01:06:08,978

I am in a relationship at the moment,

:

01:06:09,072 --> 01:06:11,372

Cat Ridgeway: I am in a

relationship at the moment.

:

01:06:11,372 --> 01:06:11,922

Yes.

:

01:06:11,971 --> 01:06:14,582

Um, but it's honestly,

it's been really chill.

:

01:06:14,892 --> 01:06:16,192

It's been very, very easy.

:

01:06:16,522 --> 01:06:18,892

Um, which just, you know, that's when

:

01:06:18,963 --> 01:06:19,871

Jason English (Host): Uh, yeah.

:

01:06:19,871 --> 01:06:21,686

Making time for each

:

01:06:21,832 --> 01:06:22,252

Cat Ridgeway: yeah.

:

01:06:22,352 --> 01:06:23,212

Uh, yeah.

:

01:06:23,212 --> 01:06:24,172

Making time for each other.

:

01:06:24,172 --> 01:06:25,772

Definitely high on the priority list.

:

01:06:25,772 --> 01:06:33,022

You know, I have to try, uh, which, uh,

as, as I've gotten older, I realized

:

01:06:33,052 --> 01:06:38,352

like, oh, like effort is, is needed,

you know, um, when I was like in college

:

01:06:38,352 --> 01:06:40,552

and stuff, I was just like, oh, I'll

see you when I see you, you know?

:

01:06:40,855 --> 01:06:41,574

Jason English (Host): see, uh,

:

01:06:41,902 --> 01:06:44,272

Cat Ridgeway: Um, uh, and to

be fair, that was kind of the

:

01:06:44,272 --> 01:06:45,582

energy I was receiving back.

:

01:06:45,582 --> 01:06:48,252

So it's like now, now I'm

a little bit older and, you

:

01:06:48,922 --> 01:06:49,292

Jason English (Host): um,

:

01:06:49,312 --> 01:06:52,352

Cat Ridgeway: Yeah, so I mean, it's,

it's been, it's been pretty easy.

:

01:06:52,512 --> 01:06:57,742

Um, but yeah, I definitely have had to

like be intentional with, with my time

:

01:06:57,742 --> 01:07:01,932

and, uh, and, and how I make my schedule

and, and make sure that things are on the

:

01:07:01,932 --> 01:07:07,232

calendar before, uh, tour dates and stuff

start, start filling in all the gaps.

:

01:07:08,032 --> 01:07:08,402

Jason English (Host): Hmm.

:

01:07:09,292 --> 01:07:10,022

Cat Ridgeway: Mm.

:

01:07:13,382 --> 01:07:14,612

No, not really.

:

01:07:14,932 --> 01:07:16,772

I just like, I don't, I don't know.

:

01:07:17,103 --> 01:07:19,799

Jason English (Host): I don't,

yeah, I hear people talk

:

01:07:19,832 --> 01:07:20,262

Cat Ridgeway: I don't know.

:

01:07:20,342 --> 01:07:25,732

Yeah, I hear people talk about the ick and

I'm just kind of like, what do you mean?

:

01:07:26,392 --> 01:07:27,792

Like, do you, do you like this person?

:

01:07:27,886 --> 01:07:30,582

Jason English (Host): it's

like, you know, it's like, uh,

:

01:07:30,582 --> 01:07:31,082

Cat Ridgeway: I don't know.

:

01:07:31,082 --> 01:07:34,832

I mean, maybe I'm, maybe I'm like really

in the minority here, but I just like,

:

01:07:34,852 --> 01:07:36,802

I've never like resonated with the ick

:

01:07:36,824 --> 01:07:39,811

Jason English (Host): someone

actually gives me an ick,

:

01:07:40,032 --> 01:07:42,482

Cat Ridgeway: honestly, if I'm being

real, it's like, if someone actually

:

01:07:42,482 --> 01:07:43,632

gives me an ick, I'm like, we're

:

01:07:43,793 --> 01:07:44,290

Jason English (Host): Yeah.

:

01:07:44,290 --> 01:07:44,788

Oh,

:

01:07:44,862 --> 01:07:45,642

Cat Ridgeway: clearly like

:

01:07:45,784 --> 01:07:46,779

Jason English (Host): I, I

:

01:07:47,082 --> 01:07:47,612

Cat Ridgeway: yeah.

:

01:07:47,642 --> 01:07:48,362

Well, okay.

:

01:07:48,372 --> 01:07:51,002

So I guess like, just.

:

01:07:51,259 --> 01:07:52,254

Jason English (Host): that's, I

:

01:07:52,592 --> 01:07:57,382

Cat Ridgeway: Lack of reciprocity is just

like, not, I mean that, but I feel like,

:

01:07:57,452 --> 01:08:01,512

like, Ick is more of just like a Yeah.

:

01:08:01,742 --> 01:08:02,102

Yeah.

:

01:08:02,102 --> 01:08:04,502

And like, I just, yeah, I know.

:

01:08:04,502 --> 01:08:05,442

I don't know.

:

01:08:05,442 --> 01:08:08,382

Like I've never, I've never

felt that way toward anyone.

:

01:08:08,382 --> 01:08:13,592

I'm just kind of like, you do you, like,

you know, it's, you're a whole ass person.

:

01:08:13,602 --> 01:08:16,542

Like if you want to wear a

flip flop, wear a flip flop.

:

01:08:16,852 --> 01:08:17,532

I don't know.

:

01:08:17,542 --> 01:08:17,822

Like

:

01:08:18,017 --> 01:08:18,037

Jason English (Host): know.

:

01:08:18,037 --> 01:08:19,287

That's a great answer, by the way.

:

01:08:19,336 --> 01:08:23,147

Because the, the, yeah, it's like,

they get hung up on, like, the dumbest

:

01:08:23,322 --> 01:08:24,282

Cat Ridgeway: Yeah, I don't know.

:

01:08:24,282 --> 01:08:29,682

I feel like, I mean, in, in my, um, past

couple of years of therapy, I feel like

:

01:08:29,682 --> 01:08:34,992

a lot of this is just like getting hung

up on something as a, as a scapegoat

:

01:08:34,992 --> 01:08:39,352

for either insecurity or like a, like an

underlying perfectionism type of thing,

:

01:08:39,447 --> 01:08:40,017

Jason English (Host): I love that.

:

01:08:40,082 --> 01:08:41,260

Um, and it's

:

01:08:41,282 --> 01:08:43,672

Cat Ridgeway: and it's like, when, when

you have that, it's like, okay, well,

:

01:08:43,672 --> 01:08:46,812

why, why does something that insignificant

actually bother you that much?

:

01:08:46,812 --> 01:08:50,172

Like back it up five steps, you know?

:

01:08:50,642 --> 01:08:52,542

I don't know.

:

01:08:52,922 --> 01:08:56,062

I don't, not to get like

too cerebral on it, but

:

01:08:56,176 --> 01:08:56,961

Jason English (Host): but yeah.

:

01:08:57,301 --> 01:08:58,312

Cat Ridgeway: yeah, I don't know.

:

01:08:58,341 --> 01:09:01,711

I've just never, that's not, that's never

been something I've experienced, but it

:

01:09:01,711 --> 01:09:03,312

doesn't mean it's not real, you know?

:

01:09:04,022 --> 01:09:05,102

Um, but yeah.

:

01:09:05,247 --> 01:09:05,466

Jason English (Host): All right.

:

01:09:05,707 --> 01:09:06,617

So last question.

:

01:09:06,907 --> 01:09:07,697

Thanks for your time.

:

01:09:07,707 --> 01:09:08,107

I guess.

:

01:09:08,107 --> 01:09:09,707

Uh, what are you most curious about?

:

01:09:10,792 --> 01:09:11,752

Cat Ridgeway: Ooh.

:

01:09:11,977 --> 01:09:13,727

Jason English (Host): Because you

you're out you're obviously curious

:

01:09:13,727 --> 01:09:19,836

about coffee and biology and all

the things but like what Yeah

:

01:09:19,932 --> 01:09:24,672

Cat Ridgeway: I am the most curious

about where music is going to go.

:

01:09:25,142 --> 01:09:31,237

Um, in the, in, in the

way of, What is a sound

:

01:09:32,522 --> 01:09:32,761

Jason English (Host): that

:

01:09:32,926 --> 01:09:33,997

Cat Ridgeway: haven't heard yet?

:

01:09:34,437 --> 01:09:39,136

Um, cause one of my favorite records

of all time is Bon Iver's 22 a

:

01:09:39,136 --> 01:09:44,697

million, because that was the only

record in my lifetime where I heard

:

01:09:44,707 --> 01:09:47,386

sounds that I had never heard before.

:

01:09:47,407 --> 01:09:51,886

Because I, I mean, I came into the world

after the revolutions of the seventies,

:

01:09:51,926 --> 01:09:57,177

of the eighties with technology entering

into music and, um, you know, all of these

:

01:09:57,177 --> 01:10:00,087

different inventions that were tied into.

:

01:10:00,682 --> 01:10:00,722

Jason English (Host): sound.

:

01:10:01,347 --> 01:10:05,107

Cat Ridgeway: And so I, I constantly

do wonder, like, what's the next

:

01:10:05,217 --> 01:10:07,297

genre that's going to be born?

:

01:10:07,297 --> 01:10:11,297

And what's, what's the new

sound, like how the eighties

:

01:10:11,307 --> 01:10:15,287

brought electronics into music?

:

01:10:15,287 --> 01:10:17,127

Like what's, what's the next thing?

:

01:10:17,287 --> 01:10:18,867

That's, that's what I think about a lot.

:

01:10:19,932 --> 01:10:20,312

Jason English (Host): All right.

:

01:10:20,322 --> 01:10:20,872

That's awesome.

:

01:10:21,142 --> 01:10:21,692

All right.

:

01:10:22,132 --> 01:10:22,862

Well, thanks so much for your

:

01:10:23,147 --> 01:10:23,627

Cat Ridgeway: No, thank

:

01:10:23,802 --> 01:10:25,922

Jason English (Host): Can you, can

you play us some songs from the new

:

01:10:26,017 --> 01:10:26,927

Cat Ridgeway: Yeah,

:

01:10:27,902 --> 01:10:28,392

Jason English (Host): Thanks Cat.

:

01:10:28,677 --> 01:10:29,267

Cat Ridgeway: for sure.

:

01:18:01,034 --> 01:18:02,594

Jason English (Host): Thanks so

much for joining us for another

:

01:18:02,594 --> 01:18:04,384

episode of Curious Goldfish.

:

01:18:04,824 --> 01:18:08,104

Please follow and subscribe to

the podcast and on social media.

:

01:18:08,684 --> 01:18:11,304

Also tell your music loving

friends about us too.

:

01:18:12,054 --> 01:18:14,154

Until next time, stay curious.

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About the Podcast

Curious Goldfish
A Community Where Inquisitiveness and Music Come Together. Inspired by the Mindset of Ted Lasso.
Launching in 2024, the Curious Goldfish Brand is inspired by two episodes from the First Season of the Apple TV+ Series Ted Lasso.

The “Goldfish” reference is about the importance of not dwelling on mistakes in life. In an early episode, Ted Lasso, the series’ namesake asks one of his players – after they were badly beaten in a play during training – what the happiest animal on earth is. The answer: A Goldfish, because it has a 10-second memory. Lasso encourages the player to forget the mistake and to not let it hinder his mindset. In other words, to “Be a Goldfish.” The “Curious” reference is born from another Season 1 episode where Ted finds himself in a dart match at a local Pub with a ruthless Football Club Owner. Lasso references a quote from Walt Whitman to “Be Curious, Not Judgmental.”

So “Being a Goldfish” is a great start, but curiosity is an undervalued trait in today’s world. We don’t ask enough questions; we don’t inquire enough about each other and about life. So I want people to be “Curious Goldfish.”

The initial premise of the podcast will center around my curiosity about music. I can’t sing. I don’t play a musical instrument, but I am inspired by artists who are vulnerable enough to put their thoughts down and then share them with the entire world. I’m curious about the songwriting process; I’m curious about a musician’s journey; I’m curious about the business of music; I’m curious about who or what inspires a sad song, a love song - and everything in between.

Though the initial premise is music, we will likely spend time discussing and highlighting all-things Ted Lasso. In its three seasons, it inspired the host in so many ways (work, personal, relationships etc).

The musical focus of the Curious Goldfish Podcast will center around up-and-coming artists primarily in rock, roots, folk, Country and Americana genres. Not every aspiring musician will earn $100 million from Spotify streaming like Taylor Swift. Our goal is to shine a light on those artists who have as few as 100 monthly listeners to those with more than 100,000. Their stories deserve to be heard because your music can inspire, and it’s time you had a chance to share them.
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About your host

Profile picture for Jason English

Jason English

Tech Exec by Day, Music Lover Day and Night. Former Journalist who is trying to be a middle-aged William Miller from the Movie Almost Famous. Also, Ted Lasso changed his life...so there's that.