What would make a 6-year old boy from Michigan want to start a bluegrass band? Perhaps it was those hard driving fast tunes that grabbed his young spirit with musical excitement. Perhaps it was his prodigy talent that called his heart to a musical destiny. Perhaps it was the musical enthusiasm he sensed from his twin brother and first cousin of his same impressionable age. Whatever sparked the idea, Cats and the Fiddler was breathed into existence and eight years later, their hard work has paid off distinguishing Cats and the Fiddler as the next generation of bluegrass music.
This amazing trio featuring Carmen Gibes, James Richardson, and Shaun Richardson each now 14 years old, consistently amazes audiences throughout Michigan and beyond with their unique style of bluegrass. Since their debut Cats and the Fiddler have appeared at hundreds of venues alongside IBMA award-winning bluegrass bands such as Rhonda Vincent and the Rage, Cherryholmes, and Dailey and Vincent. They have also performed on the nationally syndicated Mitch Albom Show as well as numerous local radio shows.
For the hundreds of audiences who have heard the music of Cats and the Fiddler, it is no surprise that their latest CD “Road to Nashville” was featured in the nationally recognized magazine Bluegrass Unlimited with this comment: "Although its members are just in their early teens, Cats & the Fiddler has already achieved a remarkable skill level and should definitely look forward to a promising career in music ". Rachel May, entertainment columnist for the Detroit Free Press remarked, "I had a chance to catch the band when it performed during the Detroit Music Awards in April at the Fillmore Detroit, and the performance was breathtaking. Every note was played with precision, and the songs were rich with perfect harmonies."
Their most recent performance highlights have solicited recognition locally and nationally as winners of the 2009 Huron Valley 's Got Talent, performers at the 2009 Detroit Music Awards and performers at the 2009 IBMA World of Bluegrass Songwriters Showcase and Bluegrass in the Schools in Nashville , Tennessee . Tom Kopp of IBMA Bluegrass in the Schools described their performance as “Outstanding! They made a big hit."
While still a toddler, Shaun began listening to country tunes played on the fiddle and pedal steel guitar by his musically talented uncle. Shaun was instantly drawn to the powerful sounds of country and bluegrass music. Too small to handle a fiddle at the young age of 2, he pretended to play along on a fiddle he made out of Tinker-Toys. Finally, at the age of 4 his parents bought him his first fiddle. It wasn't long before Shaun taught himself just about any instrument with strings adding the mandolin, guitar, and banjo to his talents. His prodigy-style playing leaves audiences awestruck and his flat-picking runs, inspired by the legendary Tony Rice, reveals a depth and style of playing rare indeed for a youth his age.
Coming from a musical family it was only natural that Carmen began playing the piano in the tradition of her mother at the age of 4 but when her cousin, Shaun, introduced her to bluegrass music, at the age of 6, she grew to love the guitar and picked it up quickly. After being inspired by the bluegrass artist Cia Cherryholmes, Carmen added the banjo to her repertoire. Whether playing the guitar or banjo, her hard driving instrumentation brings power and energy to every Cats and the Fiddler performance. She is also a devoted songwriter for the band and her honey smooth alto tones as both lead and harmony singer makes a stylish impact.
James with his twin brother Shaun began his musical career tapping sticks and dancing in music classes at the age of 1. At the age of 4 he took up the piano and by the age of 6, James was doing his own piano improvisations. Like his twin brother Shaun, he grew to love bluegrass music. Watching country and bluegrass artists perform inspired him to learn the upright bass which he plays with both precision and style. James avid songwriting abilities as well as his
passionate
lead and harmony vocals add the final touch making the Cats and the Fiddler a superbly talented trio.