Rooted in Austin and currently based in Los Angeles, Chris Catalena is the true outlaw country-folk musician of his generation. Influenced by Merle Haggard, Kris Kristofferson and Neil Young with the texture of Michael Hurley he has lived a life of struggle, genuine love and boundless hard work and growth. His new self-titled record is a collection of joyfully heartbreaking songs, due out November 1, 2019 via Spaceflight Records.
The album is announced with Austin’s NPR Station, KUTX who welcome Chris into their “Studio 1A” for LIVE session and premiere the video for lead single “Little Thread” today. “Little Thread” is a song inspired by the notion that building something beautiful, can start from something small. Catalena shares, “Never giving up hope of love, reminded me of my little grandma stitching her elaborate quilts, starting with the littlest stitch of the littlest thread.“ The video was created with fellow Austinites: illustrator Myles Fontaine Crosby and animator Casey Byars.
Catalena’s life in music started at age five when his dad taught him how to play piano. Eventually he got a guitar and, in his own words, “I haven’t been right ever since.” After serving almost four years in prison for selling LSD to an undercover cop during the mandatory sentencing craze of the 90’s, Chris dedicated his life to music and began searching for his voice. He lived with The Black Angels and then with The Brian Jonestown Massacre while Rob Campanella produced his first record.
Inspiration struck when he started working at a horse riding facility that was designed to be therapy riding and horsemanship for autistic children and adults. “It was incredible to witness progress kids and adults alike would make during the courses,” he shared. He was also soon tasked with getting the grounds and facilities ready for a summer camp for dyslexic children, at which he a camp counselor and wrote the songs that appear on his new album.
Back in L.A. he met up with musician Nate Ryan and producer Kyle Mullarky (The Growlers, Allah-las) in Topanga Canyon to record his self-titled album. The result is a lush record of exuberant guitar, punchy percussion and intimately crafted storytelling.