Here Comes The Flood: Cathy Grier + The Troublemakers: I'm All Burn

photo: Bruce Rose

Blues singer and guitarist Cathy Grier has been in the businness for 40+ years, as a writer, guitarist for hire, solo artist and now as the leading lady of The Troublemakers. She lived in New York for 20 years before who felling in love with Wisconsin - she moved to Sturgeon Bay in 2017 - and got to work establishing herself as a force in the local music scene.

On her latest album I'm All Burn she is playing up a storm, both electric and acoustic. Grier sounds confident throughout. Her vocals are upfront, with a delivery that's not unlike Bonnie Raitt and Etta James. She pokes fun at her own state of mind (Happiness Blues), takes a stand in a relationship (What Fools Do), looks out after number one (Protecting My Heart and delivers a memorable cover of the Bobbie Gentry classic Ode to Billie Joe. Kudos to producer and engineer Steve Hamilton of Makin’ Sausage Music in Milwaukee who has made I'm All Burn sounding old school: warm, no brickwalling and A+ dynamics.

Cathy Grier + The Troublemakers:
Cathy Grier: vocals, electric guitars, cigar box guitar, sitar guitar. Solos on I’m All Burn; Happiness Blues, Cool Trick, Down On My Knees, What Fools Do
The Troublemakers:
Guitar: Cathy Grier, Billy Flynn, Greg Koch, Jim Ohlschmidt
Bass: Tony Menzer, Greg Roteik
Drums: Jamey Clark, Matt Liban Keys: Larry Byrne, Jimmy Voegeli
Harmonica: Howard Levy, pat mAcdonald, Steven Cohen, Billy Flynn, Johnny Orlock
Horns: Andrew Spadafora (horn captain), Joe Niemann , Mike Lizzo. Arranged by Jerod Kaszynki + Cathy Grier
Backing Vocals: Deirdre Fellner, Liv Mueller, Jim Ohlschmidt, Pat mAcdonald. Arranged by Deirdre Fellner, Cathy Grier, Steve Hamilton