Vocalist is stand-in for Joplin, Slick in iconic rock bands
By Dee Longfellow
For The Elmhurst Independent
Many have dubbed her the “best female voice in rock today,” and it may be true of this Grammy nominee and four-time DIY Music Award winner Cathy Richardson.
Elmhurst residents will be able to judge for themselves on Thursday, July 14 beginning at 7 p.m., when Richardson will perform for Music@Gazebo, sponsored by the Spring Road Business Association. Enjoy an evening of music in a relaxing outdoor setting. Bring a blanket or lawn chair, your favorite snack and beverage, and kick back for an enjoyable evening.
Having toured the Chicago club circuit for years, Richardson independently released and sold more than 30,000 copies of her seven solo albums. Over the last decade, her career has taken a few colorful turns that steered her out of the local scene and into the international spotlight amidst the rock and roll history that spawned her career. She has the ability to stand in for both Janis Joplin and Grace Slick in their iconic bands.
Richardson’s real life rock’n roll persona led to her discovery for the role of Janis Joplin in the original Off-Broadway cast of the show Love, Janis. She channeled the late music legend to rave reviews in New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Arizona. In 2007, she toured the U.S. with Janis’ original band Big Brother and the Holding Company on the Summer of Love 40th Anniversary Tour.
That tour was headlined by the band Jefferson Starship, whose founding member Paul Kantner, an inductee to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, took note of Richardson’s show-stopping performance with Big Brother and asked her to join them on tour the following year. She stayed with Jefferson Starship as they released their first album in more than ten years and toured the U.S. and beyond, from Tokyo to London.
In 2009, Richardson was invited along on the Heroes of Woodstock tour on the 40th anniversary of the famed Woodstock Music & Art Fair, this time performing as Grace Slick of Jefferson Airplane. A documentary was filmed of the comeback tour for a forthcoming 3D concert movie called the Road To Woodstock. Richardson continues to tour with Jefferson Starship about 60 dates a year.
Her next major musical endeavor will be The Macrodots, described as “an amped-up, hard-rocking collaboration” with San Francisco guitarist/songwriter/producer Zack Smith. Their self-released album the Other Side, has received critical acclaim and, despite playing only a handful of shows so far, more than 1000 copies of the album have already been sold. For more information on this endeavor, visit themacrodots.com
For more information about the performer, visit cathyrichardson.com. It’s worth a visit just to see her dressed in Robin Thicke’s black-and-white vertical stripes in a parody of Miley Cyrus’ VMA twerking performance. Otherwise, come out to the Gazebo on the Prairie Path near Spring Road on July 14 and see her in person – with free admission!
