Cathy Morris Interview Page 4

Smitty:  And, oh, I love that “Jordan 7”.

CM:  Mm-hmm.  John Jordan out of Concord, California, near San Francisco, makes those seven-strings, and it’s a violin, a viola, and those two last strings are bass strings.  I don’t even have cello strings.  It’s a violin, viola and bass so that when I’m playing duets at the Conrad with the keyboardist, I can actually cover the bass part every now and then.

Smitty:  Yeah, it’s a beautiful sound and, oh, I just love the look. Those are kickin’ violins.

CM:  You know, I started out with the Zeta back in the early nineties and then went to a John Jensen violin and then the Jordan violin, and now actually I’ve been honored with the title of being a Yamaha violin artist.

Smitty:  Oh, wow. Congratulations!

CM:  And what I’ve done is collected all these instruments, to be honest with you, for their looks as much as their sound, but the looks are what really engage the students and get them excited and when it comes to the sound, you plug it into an effects processor and you can pretty much make all of ‘em sound any way you want. So you can make it sound any way you want, but those looks are what really intrigue people.

Smitty:  Oh, yeah, it totally intrigues me.  It makes you wanna do something with it, you know?  So, now, speaking of all the great things that you have on your Web site, give me your Web site.

CM:  That would be www.cathymorris.com.

Smitty:  All right, and there’s a lot of great things to see on your Web site.  It’s a very engaging Web site with a lot of information about yourself and about the music, and it’s an inspiration to see some of the things that you’ve accomplished and what you have put together as far as music as well.

CM:  Well, you know, it’s a historical archive to share with people where I’ve been in the last ten years and then, of course, there’s a newsletter they can sign up for so I can keep ‘em updated on the present, but I like to invite people to get online and see the kind of world that I’ve been fortunate to build around my music.

Smitty:  Yes, and Indiana certainly knows about that, don’t they?  (Laughs.)

CM:  Oh, yes.  Yes, I’ve been in these parts for about 15 years now and, yeah, it’s pretty fun.  I get recognized on the street and it’s a pretty good time.

Smitty:  Yeah, absolutely. We look forward to the new record and hopefully we’ll get to see you live and I would encourage everyone to go to your Web site to see what you’re doing and look at your itinerary, your schedule, and speaking of that, you also have a nice fan club because I get your newsletter, which is very cool.  I love the newsletter. Tell me, how can people get your music?

CM:  Oh, it’s very simple, Smitty.  Have ‘em come to www.cathymorris.com and order online from my Web site or they can go to www.cdbaby.com, www.amazon.com.  I’m pretty accessible in the regular Web venues.

Smitty:  Excellent, wow.  Well, I’m sure that many will love to get this great music and I highly recommend it because all of your albums, I think, are fantastic, it is a very nice diverse collection of music, and I just love what you do with that violin because it’s a totally different vibe and I think it gels well with some of the great violinists that are out there today.  I think you stand right with them and that’s a beautiful thing.

CM:  Well, that really means a lot coming from you.  Thanks so much and hopefully we’ll get a chance to connect in person sometime.  I’ll come down your way or you up mine and we’ll get you out to a live performance.

Smitty:  Hey, I would love that.  You know I’m gonna take you up on that too.  (Laughs.)

CM:  Perfect.

Smitty:  Very cool.  We have been talking with the amazing Ms. Cathy Morris.  You must go to her Web site, check out her great music, and if anytime you’re in the Midwest and the Indianapolis area, please check out her itinerary and catch a live show because it is all of that.  Cathy, thanks again and all the best to you and look forward to that great record in 2007.

CM:  Thank you so much. 

Baldwin “Smitty” Smith

For More Information Visit www.cathymorris.com and www.cdbaby.com and www.amazon.com and www.apple.com/itunes.