Gary James' Interview With
Katrina Carlson





Q - Katrina, you're probably one of the most educated singers I've ever interviewed. I say that because you have a Bachelors Degree with Honors in International Relations, Foreign Policy and Diplomacy with a focus on Nuclear Arms Control. That is some degree!

A - (laughs)

Q - Shouldn't you be working in some governmental capacity?

A - Yes. I really wanted to go into politics actually. I worked on Capitol Hill for some time for a Senator from Arizona. It was really fascinating. I really enjoyed it, but I realized I didn't need to go into public office to kind of make change happen and be a good citizen. I was kind of disillusioned by some of the run around we had to give to our constituents. I was fully convinced I was going to go into politics, but that was way back when. But now I've gone into music, but I kept my ear on politics and I've enjoyed at least understanding what's happening in our political system and being a responsible voter. Now I've started a podcast and we're dealing with a lot of issues now and education does come in handy just overall. I went to Manhattan School Of Music. I went to (the) Aspen Music Festival. I've done a lot of study with music simultaneously with my college degree, but I thank you for that lovely compliment.

Q - You're quite welcome! I'm sure other people have pointed that out, haven't they?

A - Yes. It's just kind of funny, isn't it? Life is what happens when you're making other plans.

Q - A quote from my favorite singer, John Lennon.

A - I know. (laughs)

Q - In 2008 you were selected from hundreds of applicants to attend a three day, three night songwriting seminar hosted by songwriter Jeffrey Steele where he coaches and critiques songwriters. What could you learn from him? You're already a successful songwriter.

A - Well, I had been a songwriter in Los Angeles for most of my career, really for all of it honestly. I'm a West Coast girl. I went to school at Brown on the East Coast. I lived in Manhattan for some time, but I never had been down South. At that time some of the best singer/songwriters were coming out of Nashville. Somebody told me about Jeffrey Steele. He's a wonderful singer/songwriter. Yes, I applied. I didn't know if I could get that taste of Nashville and how they go about doing things. He had guest speakers. I really enjoyed the story telling that had to do with the songwriting that a lot of times comes out of Nashville. Of course it's more Country music and story driven, which I've always been story driven. That's why I went, because I never really experienced that. I'd never even been to Nashville, which is crazy, except I think I went there once to tour but never really stayed there and dealt with the people and learned from a songwriter there. So, that was fun.

Q - And you were there for three days and three nights?

A - I was there probably a little longer than that, but yeah, I more or less went before that.

Q - You have three guitar companies and Dean Markley Strings endorsing you. What does that mean for you? What do you get from them? Besides the obvious free products.

A - Yeah, well I really went about going for the guitars that I really enjoy playing. I love Taylor. I love Fender, Dean Markley Strings. It's always helpful to an artist to have companies that are willing to give you free stuff. It's not always free. Actually, Fender has stopped its artist program. I'm sort of glad I was with them for as long as I was. I think I got all the Fender guitars that I wanted, and honestly I was basically paying cost for them, which was still great. Now if you're huge, they're probably gonna throw product at you, but I'm an Indie, so it's not going to be thrown at me realistically. A lot of these companies have tightened there belts on kind of the freebie, give-away type things. Certainly product placement for them is great and for me these were the companies that I liked and they were willing to work with me, so that was nice.

Q - You've performed with so many diverse singer/songwriters. Eddie Money is different from Joan Jett, who's different from Lindsey Buckingham. Have you opened the show for these artists or have you been part of their bands? How did that work?

A - So, I've been just as an artist myself, Katrina Carlson. I've basically opened for them or played with them at events, whether I opened or what not. Eddie Money, I opened for him at The House Of Blues in Hollywood. Joan Jett, we were at a festival in Ohio, the Canton, Akron area. I played before her, so more or less I opened for her I guess you could say, or I was just on the bill before her. Lindsey Buckingham and I played at a benefit together, but separately. I was Katrina Carlson. I went first and he went second. (laughs)

Q - How is it that you get to record with Syracuse, New York's favorite, Benny Mardones?

A - Oh, I love him so much. He's an amazing man. We had a wonderful time. He recorded with me a song I wrote called "I Know You By Heart". It did very well. It was the first song I ever got on the radio. So, he was there at the beginning sort of when my career took off and we've been friends ever since. I would go on tour with him sometimes and he would come and sing with me if I had a gig and I wanted to do a duet. So, we've been friends over the years. He's just a great, warm, wonderful human being.

Q - Is it true you have your own record label for your own music?

A - Yeah, just me. I'm the only artist on it.

Q - That means you have to do all the things a record label would do, publicity, promotion, distribution.

A - Yes, sir. I am what they call the General Manager of the label and I oversee the whole thing. I do have some employees, but I have to say it's been a very Indie route and I've had employees come and go, but I've had wonderful people. Always good relationships. My manager married a lovely woman from Australia and moved there. (laughs) So, life happens if you're in a career for a long time. Now my label, Kataphonic Records is actually overseeing my current podcast, so I am starting a podcast called Crazy Amazing Humans, which the tag line is "Get Inspired By Everyday Humans Doing Crazy Amazing Things." We are interviewing people who are not big celebrities, but everyday people who are making a difference in their community or the world at large, whether it be big or small. Just people who are inspirational and motivational and who can really empower our listeners to expand their own sense of purpose and knowledge that they can make a difference in their own backyard or wherever they are. Just trying to kind of promote positivity and be an antidote to some of the negative news and things that are out there right now and can really drive a human being based on what's in the media and whatnot.

Q - How do you find these people?

A - (laughs) So, we've just recorded four podcasts and we're pretty much launching right now. Basically these are people that I've met over the years so far. But, as we go forward we're asking our listeners to recommend people to us. Right now I have a list of about twelve people that I know personally. Just people I've known over the years that inspire me, and I thought I need to tell their stories. People need to know that you don't have to be a big celebrity or somebody with a lot of money to really make a big impact in your world or in your backyard or neighborhood or community or city. So, I just want to facilitate people being inspired and knowing about people who are sort of unsung heroes. So, I'm singing about unsung heroes. (laughs)

Official Website: www.KatrinaCarlson.com

© Gary James. All rights reserved.