Susan Cattaneo wears several hats in the music world.  She’s an instructor at Berklee College of Music. She’s a songwriter.  She’s a guitarist.  She’s a singer. She’s a show producer. She’s a mentor to many.  She’s a woman who gets a lot of “stuff” done! What’s that expression: Give something to a person who’s too busy to get things done and they’ll do it… Well, that’s Susan.  I have to wonder when the woman sleeps.  Not to mention, she’s a wife, mother of two, and a dog mama as well.

I first fell in love with Susan when I heard her song “Lorelei” and I still maintain that it could go to the top of the country charts. Give it a listen.

 

Here’s another video to show you another side of Susan Cattaneo.  “In the Grooves” features the amazing Bill Kirchen.

To learn more about Susan Cattaneo, visit her website.

Susan and the Big Loud Band will be playing at the Old Sloop Coffeehouse in Rockport, MA on Saturday, November 30.  Go see her and make sure she plays “Work Hard, Love Harder!”

 First 45 you ever bought with your own money:

When I began listening to music on records, I never actually bought 45’s but went directly to 33LP’s (so full albums rather than singles). The first record I bought was Carole King’s Tapestry which I played so much that I think I wore out the grooves.

Does your guitar have a name?:

Yes!  Her name is Pearl!  Recently, we were down in Texas, and I went to a guitar store and fell in love with this beautiful Taylor. At the time, I happened to be writing an old-style western song about women outlaws.  My Pearl is named after Pearl Hart, who called herself “The Lady Bandit” and she’s the only woman to be arrested for robbing a stagecoach.  Her story is remarkable. When she robbed the stagecoach, she felt bad for her victims, so she turned her horse around and gave all of them a dollar so that they’d have something for food and a place to stay. Playing Pearl has really inspired me to write more songs, so I’m grateful to have her in my musical life!

Favorite healthy food:

It’s a toss-up between blueberries and avocados.  I recently lost a lot of weight (thanks to weight watchers), so I’ve rediscovered the joy of eating wonderful fruits and veggies. I eat about ½ a pint of blueberries every day. And avocado toast on sourdough bread with a little bit of parmesan cheese, olive oil, and salt is truly one of my favorite things in the world.

Favorite comfort food:

I don’t think there’s anything quite as wonderful as a really good grilled cheese sandwich. Swiss cheese, maybe some avocado, on wheat bread, cooked in a frying pan with butter.  Whenever I’ve got a cold or the flu, that’s my “go-to.”

How many times does your husband make you laugh per day?:

Ha! I love this question. At least once a day. My hubby is also my manager and so we interact a lot on a daily basis.  And in spite of all the work things we have to get done, he always manages to sneak in something funny. He is brilliant at all the music biz stuff, but he is also at heart, a goofy and sweet person, and I love that about him.

Comedy or drama?:

Oh, most definitely comedy!!! While I don’t mind a good drama, I have to be in the mood for it.  I don’t know if it’s the political climate or the world these days, but I find that more and more, I choose funny whenever I can. Laughter is truly one of the best medicines. I love stand up, and I’m a big fan of a comedian named John Mulaney.  My son and husband both do improv comedy, so I guess funny is in the family too.

Outer space or underwater?:

NEITHER!!! For some reason, being confined in either one of these places is one of my worst nightmares. The idea of being stuck somewhere where there’s no oxygen to breathe if something goes wrong is absolutely terrifying to me. When I hear about these millionaires who are putting their money into space exploration so we can all go live on Mars, I can’t imagine anything worse than that!! Except living in a submarine.  That would be equally horrible…

Dark or milk chocolate?  (or heaven’s above, neither):

If I had my choice, chocolate would be one of the basic food groups. I’m partial to every kind of chocolate there is. While I don’t eat it very much these days, I really think it’s one of life’s greatest inventions.  If I had to choose, I guess dark chocolate is rating higher than milk these days. Though all bets are off if the chocolate comes from Switzerland!!

What’s the most songs you’ve ever written in a year:

I’ve never done one of those “write a song per day” experiments, but I keep a pretty rigorous writing schedule. I would say my average is about 20 songs per year, give or take.

Dream collaboration:

I’ve got two. My musical hero is Bonnie Raitt and I have been obsessed with Bruce Springsteen ever since we got to see him on Broadway. If there was any way in the world that I could do anything musical with either one of them, I would be able to cross that off my bucket list.