I was born at the end of city limits in a small WI city that had 7 thousand heartbeats.
Growing up, I have fond memories of driving country roads with my mom, going to flea markets, and listening to tapes on the way. And my dad taught me the journey and escape of laying on a floor, staring at a ceiling, and listening to records.
It wasn't until many moon cycles later that I was exposed to raw rail bone creative expression when I stumbled upon the poet, Buddy Wakefield, performing his art at a Literary Arts festival in Portland Oregon. It sliced a roped-tied perspective I had of 'writing', and coming off the heels of a Truthtelling class by songwriter Matt Meighan, I've kept company with pens and notebooks ever since.
I'm here in Duluth on a feeling, staying for a couple months. I'm drawn to the land and falls and Mother Superior and bedrock and tree talk. And, yes, snow. The artist community up and down the North Shore is thick and alive and inclusive and giving and receiving. I always feel good here, and the local musicians and art spaces are so lit and loving.
My music makeup is a mosaic of artists; sometimes specific records of those artists; sometimes a lyrical draw; sometimes a feeling of their sound draw. And it's a constant swallow. I never really like to answer the question, "what are your musical influences?".... The answer is everything I've ever heard. It's like trying to answer the question, "where are you from?".... The answer is everywhere I've ever been. So I'll just mention a few from my current playlist that defined my latest migration, that to New Mexico: Dead Moon, Charlie Parr, Joe Pug, Michigander, Adrianne Lenker & Buck Meek, Cat Power, Willi Carlisle, Julien Baker, Jeffrey Martin, Fort Atlantic, Mariee Sioux... on and on.
Gratitude describes my insides, performing here at the Two Harbors Carnegie Library. Grey canopy winter day; Lake Superior listening; the divine femine 'Girl Reading On A Train' looking down; my grandfather's harmonica resting on the fireplace mantle; truths fuels.
Christopher Cabatbat
SaintOfTrains.com
IG: @SaintOfTrainsMusic
This session was recorded in Two Harbors Minnesota for KTWH-LP 99.5 FM by Kim and Jose Leon, Two Harbors Media.
Thanks to the library staff for making this session possible.
Listen in Two Harbors at 99.5 FM or anywhere else
at www.ktwh.org.