kathryn caine

A decade or so ago a willowy strawberry blonde named Kathryn Caine arrived in Charlottesville and started landing singing gigs at venues like Trax, Starr Hill, Durty Nelly’s Pub and Fridays After Five.

The new performer in town had a memorable singing voice that could move effortlessly from a rocking rasp to an aching softness. Her fan base quickly expanded like an incoming tide.

When people got their hands on her CDs, “Whiteville” and “Kathryn Caine Band,” they often noticed something. This singer who could pound out a song on a piano or guitar and sing everything from blues to rock had written nearly all the songs she was performing.

The discovery made many folks really take notice, and they started marking dates for upcoming Caine performances on their calendars. Then, seemingly overnight, the singer-songwriter appeared to vanish as quickly as she had arrived.

“What happened was I had my two little ones, who aren’t so little anymore,” Caine said as she relaxed in her Albemarle County home. “I basically took a break to take care of family.

“But during the eight years I’ve been away from performing live, I didn’t stop writing songs or even recording. If I thought I had written something really good, I’d go in, record it and give it to family members.

“But I love to get out there, perform and play for people. I just love that. Now that my kids are older, seven and six, I feel I can do that again.”

Caine will be performing Nov. 18 at the Southern Cafe and Music Hall, just off the Downtown Mall. Accompanying her will be the musicians who performed on her just-released album, “Down Home Girl.”

Stuart Holme plays electric bass, and James McLaughlin plays drums and provides backup vocals. Darrell Muller plays acoustic bass, Nick Reeb is on fiddle and Andy Thacker plays guitar and mandolin.

A series of serendipitous happenstances led to the creation of the new CD and Caine’s return to the musical mainstream. The awakening happened two years ago, when she recorded a CD titled “Better.”

The album consisted of four rerecorded songs and four new ones. Despite the title, Caine wasn’t completely satisfied with the effort.

“It was good, but I just wasn’t very happy with it,” Caine said. “It didn’t click with me, and I kind of felt like I failed.

“There’s nothing like a good failure to get you inspired, but I didn’t know what I was going to do. Then one of my most favorite people on Earth — Stuart Holme, who has played bass for me for years — told me I needed to meet James McLaughlin.

“Stuart said James was a really good sound engineer, and at the time he owned Mountainside Studio just outside Charlottesville. I met James and really liked him, and we decided to record one song.”

The song Caine selected is “For You.” The tune sprouted anew from a song she had written years ago for a theater production when she was attending North Carolina School of the Arts.

“The song I wrote for the school play was about two women who fell in love with the same guy,” said Caine, who makes her living as a portrait artist. “I was sitting at the piano around Christmas time last year, just messing around, and this song just popped out.

“What I did was kind of turn it inside out. I thought, ‘What about a girl who is in love with so-and-so, but is with this other guy?’ When I did the song at James’ studio with Stuart playing bass, it sounded so good.

“Then everything sort of evolved, and I met Andy Thacker. When I met Andy, I quickly realized he could play what I write, and I got inspired. Truthfully, I got inspired by all the guys I was playing with, and I wrote a bunch of songs. What started out as one song turned into eleven.”

Caine comes from a musical family, and she has been singing for as long as she can remember. Her father is an accomplished banjo player, and she grew up watching him perform on stage.

After spending her childhood growing up in Danville and Whiteville, N.C., Caine attended the College of Charleston and the North Carolina School of the Arts, where she studied painting and art history.

The mother of two said painting is what she enjoys doing during quiet times. When the songwriting muse comes calling, she happily exchanges brush for pen.

“I wrote my first official song when I was around 17, and had a band in college,” Caine said. “After college I decided to move to Nashville and go at it more from a songwriter’s perspective.

“But instead of getting the songwriting jobs I wanted, I got singing jobs. I got a lot of studio work there singing other people’s music and singing background vocals.

“The thing with my songwriting is that it just happens, and then it dies down for a little bit. It comes in waves.”

When Caine sang and recorded the hauntingly beautiful song “For You,” McLaughlin sensed something special had just happened. When the album started to come alive almost by itself, he was convinced.

“This CD was an absolute pleasure to work on,” sai - The Daily Progress

A decade or so ago a willowy strawberry blonde named Kathryn Caine arrived in Charlottesville and started landing singing gigs at venues like Trax, Starr Hill, Durty Nelly’s Pub and Fridays After Five.

The new performer in town had a memorable singing voice that could move effortlessly from a rocking rasp to an aching softness. Her fan base quickly expanded like an incoming tide.

When people got their hands on her CDs, “Whiteville” and “Kathryn Caine Band,” they often noticed something. This singer who could pound out a song on a piano or guitar and sing everything from blues to rock had written nearly all the songs she was performing.

The discovery made many folks really take notice, and they started marking dates for upcoming Caine performances on their calendars. Then, seemingly overnight, the singer-songwriter appeared to vanish as quickly as she had arrived.

“What happened was I had my two little ones, who aren’t so little anymore,” Caine said as she relaxed in her Albemarle County home. “I basically took a break to take care of family.

“But during the eight years I’ve been away from performing live, I didn’t stop writing songs or even recording. If I thought I had written something really good, I’d go in, record it and give it to family members.

“But I love to get out there, perform and play for people. I just love that. Now that my kids are older, seven and six, I feel I can do that again.”

Caine will be performing Nov. 18 at the Southern Cafe and Music Hall, just off the Downtown Mall. Accompanying her will be the musicians who performed on her just-released album, “Down Home Girl.”

Stuart Holme plays electric bass, and James McLaughlin plays drums and provides backup vocals. Darrell Muller plays acoustic bass, Nick Reeb is on fiddle and Andy Thacker plays guitar and mandolin.

A series of serendipitous happenstances led to the creation of the new CD and Caine’s return to the musical mainstream. The awakening happened two years ago, when she recorded a CD titled “Better.”

The album consisted of four rerecorded songs and four new ones. Despite the title, Caine wasn’t completely satisfied with the effort.

“It was good, but I just wasn’t very happy with it,” Caine said. “It didn’t click with me, and I kind of felt like I failed.

“There’s nothing like a good failure to get you inspired, but I didn’t know what I was going to do. Then one of my most favorite people on Earth — Stuart Holme, who has played bass for me for years — told me I needed to meet James McLaughlin.

“Stuart said James was a really good sound engineer, and at the time he owned Mountainside Studio just outside Charlottesville. I met James and really liked him, and we decided to record one song.”

The song Caine selected is “For You.” The tune sprouted anew from a song she had written years ago for a theater production when she was attending North Carolina School of the Arts.

“The song I wrote for the school play was about two women who fell in love with the same guy,” said Caine, who makes her living as a portrait artist. “I was sitting at the piano around Christmas time last year, just messing around, and this song just popped out.

“What I did was kind of turn it inside out. I thought, ‘What about a girl who is in love with so-and-so, but is with this other guy?’ When I did the song at James’ studio with Stuart playing bass, it sounded so good.

“Then everything sort of evolved, and I met Andy Thacker. When I met Andy, I quickly realized he could play what I write, and I got inspired. Truthfully, I got inspired by all the guys I was playing with, and I wrote a bunch of songs. What started out as one song turned into eleven.”

Caine comes from a musical family, and she has been singing for as long as she can remember. Her father is an accomplished banjo player, and she grew up watching him perform on stage.

After spending her childhood growing up in Danville and Whiteville, N.C., Caine attended the College of Charleston and the North Carolina School of the Arts, where she studied painting and art history.

The mother of two said painting is what she enjoys doing during quiet times. When the songwriting muse comes calling, she happily exchanges brush for pen.

“I wrote my first official song when I was around 17, and had a band in college,” Caine said. “After college I decided to move to Nashville and go at it more from a songwriter’s perspective.

“But instead of getting the songwriting jobs I wanted, I got singing jobs. I got a lot of studio work there singing other people’s music and singing background vocals.

“The thing with my songwriting is that it just happens, and then it dies down for a little bit. It comes in waves.”

When Caine sang and recorded the hauntingly beautiful song “For You,” McLaughlin sensed something special had just happened. When the album started to come alive almost by itself, he was convinced.

“This CD was an absolute pleasure to work on,” sai - The Daily Progress

Kathryn Caine has a contagious sound that completes every song. With thought provoking lyrics and excellent musicianship behind her to drive it home, Caine offers more than your average country bumpkin run of the mill radio friendly tune. This is quality music and a voice that makes it straight to the heart in seconds.

Artist Bio:

Kathryn Caine is a North Carolina girl that has been singing , writing songs, and performing for forever... Her music combines many influences.Bluegrass, the music she was raised with, soul, she has it, and Rock,she loves it. She has released 3 CD's, WHITEVILLE, THE KATHRYN CAINE BAND, BETTER, and now DOWN HOME GIRL. Kathryn Caine is a prolific songwriter and fantastic live performer and an amazing singer. You always hear traces of the high and lonesome in her voice as she sings songs that range from a woman scorned ,to the emptiness of rural life, to love and hope. Her music can be found at CDbaby,and Itunes, and hopefully, needs no explaining...it speaks for itself. Hopefully you will love what you hear!



- Muzik Reviews.com

Sometimes the only cure for a bland road trip is great bluegrass music. So it is with Kathryn Caine's, Down Home Girl. Appropriate for the road trip is her first track, Wheels. Its full of tinny acoustic strum (guitars and mandolins) and sassy harmonies.

On Far Away, there's a stellar fiddle lead line that runs throughout the song - a great complement to Caine's vocals, and a perfect showcase of the albums talent. A slower track, For You gives more highlight to Caine's voice as there's not much else to cover it up. Her voice is clear when need be, and has just enough edge to make a Sheryl Crow comparison.

Finally her track, Honey Hill does a fantastic job blending pop with bluegrass. Its a full drum kit, bass, electric guitars outfit; but all the while still has a bluegrass quality. This may be a more accessible track for people not totally sold on the more pure genre, but I think her best writings and recordings are in the more pure bluegrass tracks.

RATING: 4 of 5 stars - Awaken Publications

Kathryn Caine began performing years ago in Charlottesville, North Carolina. She instantly captured listeners with her authentic vocals and passionate songwriting. As her fan base began to expand, Kathryn departed the music scene after releasing two albums to take care of her family. Caine, however, never let the spirit of music wane in her heart. After eight years, she's made a return to performing with the release of her new album Down Home Girl. All who are lucky enough to get their hands on this one will, no doubt, be glad she's back.

With a voice that rivals such acts as Alison Krauss and Dolly Parton, Caine delivers an awesome performance throughout her new album.

Wheels, the opening track on Down Home Girl, is a good representation of Caine's bluegrass influence. Using the imagery of a wheel, Caine ponders through the cycle of all good and bad in life. The instrumentation on this track stands out with the outstanding guitar performance of Andy Thacker.

Honey Hill is a rockin' country song that sticks to the roots of country music and refuses to give way to modern pop influence in most country music today. This is a breath of fresh air for those who enjoy the genre in its most authentic form.

From Caine's the perspective of small town life comes an album full of wonderful lyricism and bluegrass rock that's sure to capture audience of all ages. As an avid painter and performer Kathryn takes a break from painting when songwriting ideas take form. Let's all hope she continues to trade brush for pen.

4.5 stars out of 5

- Swift Reviews

Kathryn Caine began performing years ago in Charlottesville, North Carolina. She instantly captured listeners with her authentic vocals and passionate songwriting. As her fan base began to expand, Kathryn departed the music scene after releasing two albums to take care of her family. Caine, however, never let the spirit of music wane in her heart. After eight years, she's made a return to performing with the release of her new album Down Home Girl. All who are lucky enough to get their hands on this one will, no doubt, be glad she's back.

With a voice that rivals such acts as Alison Krauss and Dolly Parton, Caine delivers an awesome performance throughout her new album.

Wheels, the opening track on Down Home Girl, is a good representation of Caine's bluegrass influence. Using the imagery of a wheel, Caine ponders through the cycle of all good and bad in life. The instrumentation on this track stands out with the outstanding guitar performance of Andy Thacker.

Honey Hill is a rockin' country song that sticks to the roots of country music and refuses to give way to modern pop influence in most country music today. This is a breath of fresh air for those who enjoy the genre in its most authentic form.

From Caine's the perspective of small town life comes an album full of wonderful lyricism and bluegrass rock that's sure to capture audience of all ages. As an avid painter and performer Kathryn takes a break from painting when songwriting ideas take form. Let's all hope she continues to trade brush for pen.

4.5 stars out of 5

- Swift Reviews

Ever notice there aren’t many female-oriented songs about not being tied down? I’m sure there are, but they don’t come to mind like Free Bird or Ramblin’ Man. I suppose Thelma & Louise gives the XX perspective for the movie genre, but what about something you can sing along to? Kathryn Caine, on her latest work, Down Home Girl, aims to fix that with the opening track, Wheels. From there she goes into Far Away where she proclaims she’s “never been one for settling down” because “I don’t think I could survive”.

Kathryn is certainly not a one trick pony, though. There are a couple of good waltzes on the album, Where Did All the Time Go and The Dream. Honeyhill is a good old rock and roll song. The Fall is almost a pop song. It reminds me of Terri Hendrix, but it could also be Taylor Swift if you’re a couple of generations younger than me. Workin’ Man could be a Grateful Dead tune, complete with minor chords and twangy leads with jazzy rhythms.

One of the things Kathryn proves with Down Home Girl is in this day and age you don’t need a big name producer to put out a solidly recorded, engineered and produced effort. Between Kathryn herself and James McLaughlin, who also plays drums, this a clean, bright recording with nothing to hide or muddle the excellent musicianship. Foremost of which is the guitar and mandolin playing of Andy Thacker, but the entire band holds it own on every single song.

With Thanksgiving here tomorrow, many of you will be spending some quality windshield time with nothing but your thoughts and some good music. And even of those of you with kids may be blessed with the saviour known as personal DVD players. Down Home Girl is full of good driving tunes so download it now, add it to your library, and hit the road with best wishes for a good holiday from all of us at Twangville.
- Shawn Underwood

Ever notice there aren’t many female-oriented songs about not being tied down? I’m sure there are, but they don’t come to mind like Free Bird or Ramblin’ Man. I suppose Thelma & Louise gives the XX perspective for the movie genre, but what about something you can sing along to? Kathryn Caine, on her latest work, Down Home Girl, aims to fix that with the opening track, Wheels. From there she goes into Far Away where she proclaims she’s “never been one for settling down” because “I don’t think I could survive”.

Kathryn is certainly not a one trick pony, though. There are a couple of good waltzes on the album, Where Did All the Time Go and The Dream. Honeyhill is a good old rock and roll song. The Fall is almost a pop song. It reminds me of Terri Hendrix, but it could also be Taylor Swift if you’re a couple of generations younger than me. Workin’ Man could be a Grateful Dead tune, complete with minor chords and twangy leads with jazzy rhythms.

One of the things Kathryn proves with Down Home Girl is in this day and age you don’t need a big name producer to put out a solidly recorded, engineered and produced effort. Between Kathryn herself and James McLaughlin, who also plays drums, this a clean, bright recording with nothing to hide or muddle the excellent musicianship. Foremost of which is the guitar and mandolin playing of Andy Thacker, but the entire band holds it own on every single song.

With Thanksgiving here tomorrow, many of you will be spending some quality windshield time with nothing but your thoughts and some good music. And even of those of you with kids may be blessed with the saviour known as personal DVD players. Down Home Girl is full of good driving tunes so download it now, add it to your library, and hit the road with best wishes for a good holiday from all of us at Twangville.
- Shawn Underwood

Kathryn Caine is a North Carolina girl transplanted to Virginia who’s been performing regionally and on the Nashville scene for a dozen years now. With High Lonesome streaking through her voice, Caine has been a demo and backup singer as well as performing with her own band. With three albums under her belt, Caine will release her fourth, Down Home Girl, on October 31, 2009.

Caine gets things rolling with a song about the draw some people feel to the road. Wheels is upbeat, accessible and danceable without sacrificing a thing. Far Away is a song of unrequited love. The guitar work here is incredible and worth trying to figure out if you're so inclined. Caine is in fine voice, which is vaguely reminiscent of Dolly Parton's but in a lower register. Settlin' Down might just be the next big anthem of the small-town country girl. The bluegrass arrangement seems to say how things will go in a relationship; the song is an instant classic. The Fall makes for compelling listening; it's a song for cynical people on the verge of love. The Fall is well-written and intelligent with a melody that will stick around well after the CD/download ceases to play.

For You is an adulterous love song where the protagonist is plotting continue her affair while hiding it from her husband. The song plays like something from a Country-flavored Broadway Musical. Honeyhill crosses over into Rock N Roll country for an ode to the narrator's favorite place on earth. A strong melody combined with knockout vocal harmonies make this a big winner. My personal favorite song on the disc is Working Man, a well-written piece of Country/Pop, setting the stage for the closing number, The Dream. This tune is a heartbreaker about a little brother who passed away young and how he continues to make his presence felt. The song is beautifully written and if you don't have a tear in your eye by the end you probably weren't listening.

Kathryn Caine dazzles on Down Home Girl. Based in Country but dabbling with Folk and Rock N Roll, Caine's dynamic Country debut is among the elite debuts in 2009. Her voice has a classic country sound, and Caine always sounds like she's giving her heart on every song and enjoying it completely. Make sure you spend some time with Kathryn Caine and Down Home Girl!

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of - Wildy's World

"Kathryn's good.Really good. She writes solid tunes that easily cross over into rock territory. She has a beautiful country voice with all the right influences and plenty of lovely backwoods tremelo and yodelly cracks. She's pretty. With the right management (and amazing good luck) She could be a real contender on alt/country radio." - c-ville weekly

" In a town full of oh-so-brooding young performers, Caine's on-stage ebullience recalls a kinder, rootsier era. - c-ville weekly

"Make no mistake about it, Caine has a major -league voice and is a talent just waiting to be discovered!" - The Daily Progress

"Caine and her band are sure to hold appeal for fans of country roots-rock or for those simply looking for a fresh sound and voice on a Richmond music scene that needs some new answers." - The Richmond Times Dispatch