Doors: 6:30pm
Tickets: $20 advance, $25 doors
Advance tickets can only be purchased online-we do not sell advance tickets at the venue. Refunds are not available within 48 hours of the event. Tickets do not guarantee seating during shows at the Royal Room. We are now accepting reservations for diners! Please email reservations@theroyalroomseattle.com for a table. The Royal Room is All Ages until 10pm. All our staff are fully vaccinated, and we ask that our patrons be vaccinated as well.
A concert in remembrance of the life of music and music of Cathy Croce, featuring music from her album Putting Words in my Mouth.
Featuring Nova Devonie, Sarah Rudinoff, Kim Scanlon, and Patrice O’Neill with Abbey Blackwell, Andy Roth, Kate Molloy, and Wayne Horvitz.
Hosted by Riz Rollins.
“In the early months of 2022 Seattle lost a treasured member of the music community
– singer and songwriter Cathy Croce.
Cathy had stopped performing publicly in the late 1990’s, as she focused on her family, and her family’s business. Cathy was the daughter of “Big John” Croce, a first generation Italian immigrant, who started Pacific Food Importers in 1971. But in the 1980’s and 90’s Cathy Croce was a regular fixture around the Seattle songwriter scene, and a member of the Mel Cooley’s – which included Andrew Ratshin of Uncle Bonsai fame, Kim Scanlon, and Patrice O’Neill (singer, and artistic director of Wintergrass). In 1996 Cathy started a solo project with a variety of local luminaries in the Seattle folk/songwriter world including Dave Keenan, Nova Devonie, Garey Shelton, and Heart drummer Ben Smith.
In due course she approached Wayne Horvitz to come on board as a producer, and the record was completed with a host of musicians including guitarist Timothy Young, cellist Brent Arnold, singer Julie Wolf (Ani de Franco, Bruce Cockburn), and horn players Hans Teuber, Jim Knapp, and Steve Moore. The collection of songs was entitled “Putting Words in my Mouth” and showcases here quirky forms and harmonies, beautiful melodies, and surrealistic lyrics reflecting on love, family, her Italian and Slavic heritage, and ultimately the absurdity of existence, all with a smile.
Shortly after her death, composer Wayne Horvitz reflected on her legacy. “The closest comparison I could make as a songwriter is Elvis Costello. But honestly I like Cathy’s songs more. And vocally she is astounding. Cathy Croce is, artistically, the one that got away. Her songs are lovely, moving, and hilarious all at once”.”
