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Health & Fitness

Acclaimed Folk Singer Catie Curtis at TCAN this Friday

The nationally recognized and acclaimed folk singer is also a former Natick resident. She'll be playing at TCAN on October 11.

Folk rocker Catie Curtis displayed musical genius at a young age, playing drums for a theater company and playing with bands like Foreigner by her late teens. Pushing musical boundaries by exploring tragic events, Curtis won the 2006 International Songwriting Competition for a song inspired by the events surrounding Hurricane Katrina. Her raw and emotional material touches the heart of all of her fans as they relate to her portrayals of universal life experiences.

In this interview, Curtis discusses her musical influences and what Natick means to her. She will be performing at The Center for Arts in Natick (TCAN) on October 11. Visit natickarts.org or call (508) 647-0097 for tickets and more information.

Q. Who were your musical influences growing up? 
A. My parents listened to AM radio, Broadway show tunes and old time country music. When I got to choose my own records, I got in to Rickie Lee Jones (who appears at TCAN on 10/10!), Melanie, Carol King, and that whole lot of singer songwriters who emerged in the 70's.  

Q. How did the arts affect you as a child? When did you decide this is what you wanted to do for a living?
A. I was captivated by live music and community theater. I wasn't exposed to the folk scene, other than Pete Seeger's children's record, but I knew that I wanted to be a musician. I would use to RadioShack tape players to make multi-track cassette recordings. I decided while at Brown University that I wanted to delve in to the acoustic/folk scene, at least for a while.  That was decades ago and I haven't looked back since.  

Q. Who are some of your favorite artists to collaborate with?
A. I got to sing a song with Kris Kristofferson on his "Austin Sessions" CD. That was cool!  

Q. You've been at TCAN several times, and we love having you. What do you enjoy about playing here? What can the Natick audience expect from your upcoming show?
A. I love the hometown feel. I lived in South Natick for seven years and that's where I lived when our kids were small. I'm bringing Jenna Lindbo on banjo/keys/vox, as well as bassist Richard Gates. I usually play whatever I feel like... which makes it fun and surprising for everyone. I will definitely share some new material from my upcoming CD due out in 2014, "Flying Dream." 

For more information, visit natickarts.org or call the TCAN box office at (508) 647-0097.

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