Cat Power
Birthday:
21 January 1972, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Birth Name:
Charlyn Marie Marshall
Height:
175 cm
Charlyn "Chan" Marie Marshall is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and occasional actress. She adopted the name Cat Power for her first band in 1992, and has since used the name as a moniker for all of her musical endeavors. Raised in the South primarily by her grandmother, Marshall showed interest in music at an early age, and was...
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Charlyn "Chan" Marie Marshall is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and occasional actress. She adopted the name Cat Power for her first band in 1992, and has since used the name as a moniker for all of her musical endeavors. Raised in the South primarily by her grandmother, Marshall showed interest in music at an early age, and was influenced by blues and rock'n'roll.In the early nineties, Marshall relocated to New York City, and became acquainted with Steve Shelley of Sonic Youth after opening at a show for Liz Phair. Shelley subsequently drummed on her first two albums, Dear Sir (1995) and Myra Lee (1996), both somber indie rock records featuring sparse instrumentation. After releasing several blues and folk rock-influenced albums throughout the late 1990s, Marshall released The Covers Record in 2000, which included a cover of "Sea of Love" that was featured prominently in the film Juno (2007). She released three more albums, You Are Free (2003), featuring collaborations with Dave Grohl and Eddie Vedder; The Greatest (2006); and Jukebox (2008).Marshall has had several endeavors in modeling, and has been cited as a muse of Marc Jacobs and Karl Lagerfeld. She made her acting debut in the film My Blueberry Nights (2007) in a minor supporting role alongside Jude Law.Her most recent record, Sun (2012) was released to critical acclaim, and entered the Billboard 200 at number 10, making it her first top-ten album in the United States. Show less «
I still haven't been able to capture the joy of what it's like when I sing - you know, when I'm by myself, or like when I was a little kid.
I still haven't been able to capture the joy of what it's like when I sing - you know, when I'm by myself, or like when I was a little kid.
I've never had a clique. It's impossible when you're always traveling.
I've never had a clique. It's impossible when you're always traveling.
Everybody tends to think I'm crazy, which is the biggest problem in my life.
Everybody tends to think I'm crazy, which is the biggest problem in my life.
Life is hard and it gets worse and worse and worse.
Life is hard and it gets worse and worse and worse.
From folk to tribal to Cab Calloway, Cole Porter, Gershwin to the Rolling Stones, whose first record was all covers, to country-western, beb...Show more »
From folk to tribal to Cab Calloway, Cole Porter, Gershwin to the Rolling Stones, whose first record was all covers, to country-western, bebop, blues, and even the referencing in classic hip hop to clichéd love ballads of the '80s or whatever - that is kinda gone, and that's just terrifying to me. Show less «
I got more guts than brains, and that's my problem.
I got more guts than brains, and that's my problem.
I moved to Los Angeles to be with a man I loved.
I moved to Los Angeles to be with a man I loved.
I don't come from money or an educated family background or any sort of supportive family life, so all of my choices are made on my own.
I don't come from money or an educated family background or any sort of supportive family life, so all of my choices are made on my own.
I am human and I make mistakes.
I am human and I make mistakes.
Hip-hop and R&B is mostly what I listen to. I don't have a connection with punk rock - I just never had that experience.
Hip-hop and R&B is mostly what I listen to. I don't have a connection with punk rock - I just never had that experience.
I need to be able to face things.
I need to be able to face things.
I've always dressed like a dude.
I've always dressed like a dude.
I've always done things myself. I've never bragged or screamed that I produced a record before. I never told anybody.
I've always done things myself. I've never bragged or screamed that I produced a record before. I never told anybody.
I think the hardest thing about my life is that I've met so many people all over the world who I love, but they're not friends with each oth...Show more »
I think the hardest thing about my life is that I've met so many people all over the world who I love, but they're not friends with each other. Show less «
I'm not a professional entertainer. I'm not Neil Diamond.
I'm not a professional entertainer. I'm not Neil Diamond.
Nobody considers a covers record an album.
Nobody considers a covers record an album.
If your parents gave you fire to play with when you were two, you'd be standing in fire by the time you were an adult.
If your parents gave you fire to play with when you were two, you'd be standing in fire by the time you were an adult.
People and their religions don't affect me.
People and their religions don't affect me.
Playing the guitar, you kind of lock into a rhythm and a groove, and then it relaxes me to make up lyrics and sing.
Playing the guitar, you kind of lock into a rhythm and a groove, and then it relaxes me to make up lyrics and sing.
People tend to think I'm insane, and I'm really tired of it.
People tend to think I'm insane, and I'm really tired of it.
I got told I needed a producer I don't know how many times - maybe 27 times, 30? Then I recently got told 'I'm so proud of you.' That was ev...Show more »
I got told I needed a producer I don't know how many times - maybe 27 times, 30? Then I recently got told 'I'm so proud of you.' That was even more great to hear. Show less «
I used to want to be a war photographer, and I used to want to be a ballerina and a comedian. I used to want to be a writer. I invalidated m...Show more »
I used to want to be a war photographer, and I used to want to be a ballerina and a comedian. I used to want to be a writer. I invalidated myself; it's a mistake for me. Show less «
After my second-to-last record, 'The Greatest', I had gone on tour for a while, and I didn't play an instrument for about five years. And I ...Show more »
After my second-to-last record, 'The Greatest', I had gone on tour for a while, and I didn't play an instrument for about five years. And I got kind of - it's not self-esteem or whatever, or anger toward myself - but disappointed in myself that I hadn't been challenging myself to learn musically. Show less «
We're always going to remind ourselves of our mistakes and how we do things differently, trying to be a better person or whatever.
We're always going to remind ourselves of our mistakes and how we do things differently, trying to be a better person or whatever.
For me, the moment the mic is on and it's rolling, it's impossible to vocally relax for some reason. But one day, I'm going to be able to si...Show more »
For me, the moment the mic is on and it's rolling, it's impossible to vocally relax for some reason. But one day, I'm going to be able to sing the way I sang when I was a little kid, completely open and free. That's, I think, the one thing that's changed: Growing older, I'm not ashamed to hear my voice. Show less «
Usually, I'll just sit down at a piano or with a guitar, and I'll just be relaxed and playing music. Because that's what relaxes your subcon...Show more »
Usually, I'll just sit down at a piano or with a guitar, and I'll just be relaxed and playing music. Because that's what relaxes your subconscious. That's why everyone from animals to humans love music. Show less «
I got told so many times I needed a manager. For a long time I resisted, and I finally got one so I can pay my mortgage, and it helped me fr...Show more »
I got told so many times I needed a manager. For a long time I resisted, and I finally got one so I can pay my mortgage, and it helped me from becoming a homeless person. Show less «
There's just a lot of stuff that really moves me, and I don't know how to express it, and I just want to try to do the best I can and surrou...Show more »
There's just a lot of stuff that really moves me, and I don't know how to express it, and I just want to try to do the best I can and surround myself with good people who don't invalidate me. Show less «
I'm not a learned musician. I don't really know where what chords are and where they graduate and where to gather keys, so I just kind of me...Show more »
I'm not a learned musician. I don't really know where what chords are and where they graduate and where to gather keys, so I just kind of mess with the notes. Show less «
If I had never left the South, I can guarantee you I wouldn't be a musician. I'd be a waitress who paints and does karaoke.
If I had never left the South, I can guarantee you I wouldn't be a musician. I'd be a waitress who paints and does karaoke.
Cat Power's Photos
