About Cathy

An engaging performer known for versatility, a graceful touch on piano, and her unique array of shakers, bells, tambourines, hand drums, washboards, and other unusual percussion instruments, Cathy has been a staple on Canada’s east coast music scene since the 1990s.

Cathy has been arranging, producing and recording with her longtime collaborator, Rose Vaughan, on and off for over 3 decades, beginning in 1993 when Cathy quit her day job to focus on her work with Rose. Together they have performed across Canada, and released a number of independent recordings over the years. Cathy’s piano work has played an important part in defining the Rose Vaughan Trio’s signature sound.

In the mid-90s Cathy expanded into freelance work, touring and recording with countless other East Coast music acts, and travelled extensively throughout North America, Europe and to Brazil, with numerous folk, celtic, and pop acts including multiple award-winners Natalie MacMaster, the Rankin Family, Dave Gunning, Bruce Guthro, Susan Crowe, Carleton Stone, Madison Violet, Jill Barber, Lennie Gallant, Dave Carmichael Band, and longtime regular, Mary Jane Lamond. Cathy has also performed with high profile acts Alex Cuba, Colin Hay (Men at Work), Paula Cole (Peter Gabriel), Sarah Slean, Rose Cousins, and George Canyon.

In 2013 Cathy was awarded the East Coast Music Association’s Musician’s Lifetime Achievement Award, becoming the first woman in ECMA history to receive the honorary distinction. She was further recognized by Music Nova Scotia Association in 2017 with a nomination for Musician of the Year.

Cathy is perhaps most-recognized for her performances on an oft-seen but lesser-known instrument called the Cabasa. Her self-produced Cabasa Tutorial on YouTube (released 2013) continues to be among the most-watched Cabasa instructional videos today.