Cat Power facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cat Power
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Cat Power in Hamburg, 2013
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Charlyn Marie Marshall |
| Also known as | Chan Marshall Cat Power |
| Born | January 21, 1972 Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1992–present |
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Charlyn Marie "Chan" Marshall (pronounced SHAWN; born January 21, 1972), is an American singer-songwriter. She is better known by her stage name Cat Power. This name was first used for her band, but later became her solo artist name.
Chan Marshall was born in Atlanta, Georgia. She grew up in different parts of the southern United States. In the early 1990s, she started performing in bands in Atlanta. After opening for Liz Phair in 1993, she worked with Steve Shelley from Sonic Youth and Tim Foljahn. With them, she recorded her first two albums, Dear Sir (1995) and Myra Lee (1996). Both were recorded on the same day in 1994.
In 1996, she signed with Matador Records. She then released her third album, What Would the Community Think, with Shelley and Foljahn. After this, she released Moon Pix (1998), which was recorded with members of Dirty Three. She also released The Covers Record (2000), which was a collection of cover songs.
After a short break, she released You Are Free (2003). This album featured famous musicians like Dave Grohl and Eddie Vedder. Next came The Greatest (2006), which had a soul sound. It was recorded with many studio musicians in Memphis, Tennessee. Her second album of cover songs, Jukebox, came out in 2008. In 2012, she released Sun, which she produced herself. This album reached number 10 on the Billboard 200, making it her most successful album so far.
Music experts have noticed that Cat Power's sound often changes. Her early albums mixed punk, folk, and blues music. Later, her songs included more elements of soul and other styles.
Contents
Early Life and Music Beginnings
Growing Up in the South
Charlyn Marie Marshall was born on January 21, 1972, in Atlanta, Georgia. She was the second child of Charlie Marshall, a blues musician, and Myra Lee Marshall. She has an older sister named Miranda. Her parents divorced in 1979. Her mother later remarried, and the family moved around a lot because of her stepfather's job.
Marshall went to ten different schools across the Southern U.S. She lived in places like Greensboro, North Carolina; Bartlett, Tennessee; Memphis, Tennessee; and various towns in Georgia and South Carolina. Sometimes, her grandmother took care of her. She was not allowed to buy records when she was young. However, she listened to her stepfather's record collection, which included artists like Otis Redding and The Rolling Stones. She also listened to her parents' records, like Black Flag and Barry White.
In sixth grade, she started using the nickname Chan. This is the name she would later use as a professional artist. When she was 13, she enjoyed bands like the Smiths and the Cure. She saved money to buy cassettes, and her first one was by the Misfits. At age 16, she stopped talking to her mother. They did not reconnect until Marshall was 24.
Religion was important in Marshall's childhood. Her father was a Jehovah's Witness. She went to Southern Baptist churches with her grandmother. There, she began singing hymns.
Starting Her Music Career
Marshall's first instrument was a 1950s Silvertone guitar. She taught herself how to play it. In the late 1980s, while working at a pizzeria, she started playing music in Atlanta. She jammed with friends like Glen Thrasher and Marc Moore in a basement. When they got a show, they needed a name quickly. Marshall saw a man with a Caterpillar hat that said "Cat Diesel Power." She chose Cat Power for the band's name.
In Atlanta, Marshall played her first live shows, opening for her friends' bands. After some personal difficulties, Marshall moved to New York City in 1992. Her friend Glen Thrasher introduced her to New York's free jazz and experimental music scene. She played her first New York show in a warehouse in Brooklyn. During this time, she met the band God Is My Co-Pilot. They helped her release her first single, "Headlights". Only 500 copies were made.
Marshall recorded her first two albums, Dear Sir and Myra Lee, at the same time. This happened in December 1994 in a small studio in New York City. She recorded with guitarist Tim Foljahn and Sonic Youth drummer Steve Shelley. Marshall and Shelley had met after she opened for Liz Phair in 1993. They recorded 20 songs in one day. These songs were split into the two albums, Dear Sir (released October 1995) and Myra Lee (released March 1996). Dear Sir is seen as her first album, but it is more like a short album (EP).
Music Journey and Success
Early Albums with Matador Records
In 1996, Marshall signed with Matador Records. In September, she released her third album, What Would the Community Think. She recorded this album in Memphis, Tennessee, in February 1996. Music critics said the album showed she was growing as a singer and songwriter. They noted it was different from her earlier, more intense music.
After this album, Marshall traveled to South Africa. Then, she left New York City and moved to Portland, Oregon. There, she worked for a short time as a babysitter. In 1997, Marshall moved with her boyfriend, musician Bill Callahan, to a farmhouse in Prosperity, South Carolina. One night, she had a vivid dream while alone in the farmhouse. This dream inspired her to write six new songs. These songs became the main part of her next album, Moon Pix (1998). She recorded Moon Pix in Australia with Mick Turner and Jim White from the band Dirty Three. Moon Pix was very popular with critics. A music video for the song "Cross Bones Style" helped her become even more known. Rolling Stone magazine later called it her breakthrough album.
In 1999, Marshall performed in shows where she played music for the silent movie The Passion of Joan of Arc. These shows included both her own songs and cover songs. Some of these songs were released on her fifth album, The Covers Record, in 2000. She recorded these songs in 1998 and 1999. She also performed eleven cover songs for a Peel session broadcast in June 2000. These included her versions of Bob Dylan's "Hard Times in New York Town" and Oasis's "Wonderwall". Her contract with Matador for The Covers Album was reportedly just a Post-it note signed by her and the company's founder.
In the early 2000s, the fashion world became interested in Marshall's style. Designers like Marc Jacobs saw her as an inspiration. In 2001, she modeled for New York magazine's fall fashion issue. Her friends Mark Borthwick and Katja Rahlwes photographed her for Purple magazine.
In February 2003, Marshall released You Are Free. This was her first album of new songs in five years. The album featured guest musicians like Eddie Vedder, Dave Grohl, and Warren Ellis. It was her first album to appear on the Billboard 200 chart, reaching number 105. A music video for the song "He War" was also released. Marshall toured a lot in 2003 and 2004, playing shows in Europe, Brazil, the U.S., and Australia. Around the time You Are Free was released, Marshall bought a house in South Beach, Miami.
Growing Popularity
In October 2004, Matador released a DVD called Speaking for Trees. It showed Marshall performing with her guitar in a forest for almost two hours. The DVD came with an audio CD that had an 18-minute song called "Willie Deadwilder," featuring M. Ward on guitar.
On January 22, 2006, Marshall released her seventh album, The Greatest. This album had a Southern soul sound and featured new songs. It included experienced Memphis studio musicians like Mabon "Teenie" Hodges and Leroy Hodges. The album reached number 34 on the Billboard 200 chart. Critics said its sound was "polished and accessible." They thought it would bring her many new fans. The Greatest was highly praised and won the 2006 Shortlist Music Prize. Marshall was the first woman to win this award. Rolling Stone Magazine also named it the number 6 best album of 2006.
At the same time, Marshall worked with other musicians on different projects. She sang a duet with singer-model Karen Elson for a tribute album. She also sang on the Ensemble track "Disown, Delete." She created a new version of "Revelations" with Yoko Ono for Ono's 2007 album Yes, I'm a Witch.
In late 2006, Marshall became a spokesperson for Chanel jewelry. Karl Lagerfeld chose her after seeing her outside a hotel in New York. Lagerfeld also used Cat Power's music for his spring 2007 fashion show. He also photographed Marshall for Purple magazine.
In 2007, Marshall contributed songs to the soundtrack of Ethan Hawke's film The Hottest State. She also contributed to the Academy Award-winning film Juno. That same year, she acted in her first feature film, My Blueberry Nights, with Jude Law. She had a small role in the movie. She also appeared as a postal worker in Doug Aitken's Sleepwalkers, an art installation at MoMA. In 2007, she was a guest vocalist on Faithless' album track A Kind of Peace.
In January 2008, Marshall released her second album of cover songs, Jukebox. She recorded it with her band, the "Dirty Delta Blues Band." The album included her original song "Song to Bobby," which was a tribute to Bob Dylan. It also had a new version of the Moon Pix song "Metal Heart." She also worked with Beck and producer Danger Mouse on the album Modern Guilt (2008). She sang backing vocals on two songs, "Orphans" and "Walls." The album was released in July 2008.
In September 2008, Marshall and members of the Dirty Delta Blues recorded their version of David Bowie's "Space Oddity" for a Lincoln car commercial. In 2013, Cat Power's version of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" was used in an Apple Christmas commercial. In December 2008, she released Dark End of the Street, a short album (EP) with songs left over from the Jukebox recordings. In 2009, she sang backing vocals on Marianne Faithfull's cover of "Hold On, Hold On" by Neko Case. In 2011, she was a guest vocalist on "Tonight You Belong to Me" on Eddie Vedder's Ukulele Songs.
Recent Music and Activities
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In February 2012, Marshall canceled a show in Tel Aviv, Israel. She said there was "much confusion" and she felt "sick in her spirit." She had been asked to boycott the country due to its conflict with Palestine. Two months later, she canceled her appearance at the Coachella Music Festival. She explained that she felt it was not fair to play before her new album was finished. She hinted that her new record was "almost done" and would be released later in 2012.
Marshall's ninth studio album, Sun, was released in September 2012. The first song, "Ruin," was released as a free download in June. The album features strong electronica sounds. Marshall added these to the "really slow guitar-based songs" she had first written. A review in September 2012 praised Sun as a unique album. It received a four-star rating. The reviewer said it was "a passionate pop album of electronic music filtered through a singer-songwriter's soul." The album reached a career-high of number 10 on the Billboard 200 chart. It sold over 23,000 copies in its first week.
In July 2015, it was announced that Marshall would narrate the documentary Janis: Little Girl Blue. This film, directed by Amy J. Berg, is about the life of Janis Joplin. It premiered at the 2015 Venice Film Festival. On television, Marshall starred in China, IL, in a musical special called "Magical Pet". Marshall performed three original songs written by the show's creator, Brad Neely.
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On July 28, 2017, Marshall announced on Instagram that her tenth studio album was "ready to go." However, she did not share its title or release date.
On March 20, 2018, it was announced that Marshall would perform a Moon Pix 20th anniversary concert. This concert took place at Sydney Opera House from May 25 to June 16. It featured original album collaborators Jim White and Mick Turner.
After 22 years with Matador, Cat Power signed with Domino Records for her 10th studio album, Wanderer, released in 2018. This was her first album not released on Matador Records since 1996. Marshall said Matador was not happy with the recordings for Wanderer. They wanted her to re-record it to sound more commercial. She released two more singles: "Woman" featuring Lana Del Rey on August 15, and a cover of Rihanna's "Stay" on September 18. The album was released on October 5, 2018, through Domino Recording Company. She started a world tour in September to promote the album.
Power toured the US in August 2021, supporting Alanis Morissette and Garbage. She was a last-minute addition after Liz Phair canceled. Power contributed four new songs to the soundtrack of the 2021 film Flag Day. Her eleventh studio album, Covers, was released on January 14, 2022. A US tour supported this album.
Marshall released her first live album on November 10, 2023. It is called Cat Power Sings Dylan: The 1966 Royal Albert Hall Concert. The album recreates Bob Dylan's 1966 concert at Manchester Free Trade Hall. Early unofficial recordings mistakenly said the concert was at the Royal Albert Hall. In February 2024, Marshall began a tour to support the album. She will recreate Dylan's 1966 performance at venues in the United States and Europe.
Personal Life
In 2005, Marshall started a relationship with actor Giovanni Ribisi. She lived with Ribisi and his daughter in Los Angeles. They also had a rental house in Malibu where she had a studio. After The Greatest was released, Marshall canceled her tour. She took a break to recover from mental health challenges. She was admitted to a hospital for a week as part of her recovery.
In September 2012, Marshall was diagnosed with hereditary angioedema. This is an immune disorder that causes swelling of the face and throat. She stated she had been hospitalized over eight times due to this condition. This led her to cancel her European tour.
In April 2015, Marshall announced that she had recently given birth to a son. She later named James Concannon, an artist, as the child's father on her Instagram account.
On June 5, 2023, she announced on Instagram that she had been sober for 41 days.
Musical Style and Performances
Cat Power's Sound
Critics often describe Marshall's music as Cat Power as being serious and influenced by the blues. Her lyrics are often seen as sad, which led some to call her the "queen of sadcore". However, Marshall says her music is often misunderstood. She believes many of her songs are "not sad, [but] triumphant." She has said that blues, old soul music, British rock 'n' roll, and hymns have greatly influenced her.
Cat Power's early albums mixed punk, folk, and blues. Her later albums (after 2000) started to have more complex music and production. The Greatest (2006) had a strong soul influence and included R&B elements. The Memphis Rhythm Band played the music on this album. Unlike her earlier albums, which had simple guitar and piano, The Greatest was her first "full-blown studio record with sophisticated production."
Live Shows
Marshall's live shows used to be known for being a bit unpredictable. Songs might start and stop suddenly or blend together. She sometimes ended performances early without explaining why. This was sometimes due to stage fright.
By 2006, she had new musicians working with her. Her performance style became more energetic and professional. A review in Salon magazine said she was "delivering onstage." They called The Greatest album "polished and sweetly upbeat."
Giving Back and Activism
A live version of the gospel song "Amazing Grace" was released on a charity album called Dark Was the Night. This album came out in February 2009. It helped the Red Hot Organization, a charity that raises money and awareness for HIV and AIDS. She also appeared in a PETA advertisement, encouraging people to spay and neuter their pets.
On December 25, 2011, Marshall released a new version of the song "King Rides By" from her album What Would the Community Think. People could download it from her website. All the money from sales went to The Festival of Children Foundation and The Ali Forney Center. A music video for the song was directed by Giovanni Ribisi. It featured Filipino boxer and politician Manny Pacquiao.
In 2014, she played two benefit shows in St. Louis for activists in Ferguson. Shirts by artist James Concannon were sold to help raise money for activists who were in jail.
Discography
Studio albums
- Dear Sir (1995)
- Myra Lee (1996)
- What Would the Community Think (1996)
- Moon Pix (1998)
- The Covers Record (2000)
- You Are Free (2003)
- The Greatest (2006)
- Jukebox (2008)
- Sun (2012)
- Wanderer (2018)
- Covers (2022)
Live albums
- Cat Power Sings Dylan: The 1966 Royal Albert Hall Concert (2023)
Filmography
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Sleepwalkers (short) | Dancer working as a FedEx Clerk | Credited as Chan Marshall |
| 2007 | My Blueberry Nights | Katya | Credited as Chan Marshall |
| 2009 | American Widow | Singing Woman | Main Role |
| Year | Program | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | China, IL | Kei-ko (talking gorilla) | Animated series episode "Magical Pet" |
Awards and Nominations
- Won: Shortlist Music Prize for The Greatest
- Nominated: Best International Female Solo Artist, 2007 BRIT Awards
- Nominated: Best Art Vinyl for Jukebox
- Nominated: Best International Female Solo Artist, 2013 BRIT Awards
- Nominated: Best Cinematography for "Where Is My Love?", 2007 Antville Music Video Awards
- Nominated: Comeback of the Year, 2018 Rober Awards Music Prize
- Nominated: Best Foreign Solo Act, Wanderer Best Foreign Album, 2019 Sweden GAFFA Awards
- Nominated: Best Pop Video - International for "Go Up", 2017 UK Music Video Awards
Images for kids
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Cat Power in Hamburg, 2013
See also
In Spanish: Cat Power para niños
