The Regulars: Caitlin Cary Cheers Change, Shifting from Music to Art
Summary
Caitlin Cary joins us for a thoughtful and downright inspiring chat about her creative evolution, from the indie rock trenches to the calm, tactile world of fabric collage art, which she affectionately calls her “needle prints.” We dig into how this shift has opened up new ways for her to express herself, offering both artistic freedom and a healthy bit of distance from the grind of life on stage.
Caitlin also gets reflective about her roots in Raleigh, North Carolina, the places, people, and memories that shaped her, and how the city’s constant transformation nudged her to start preserving its essence through her artwork.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a conversation among musicians without a few good laughs: we revisit her whirlwind years as co-founder of Whiskeytown alongside Ryan Adams, swap stories about the unpredictable charm of dive-bar gigs and bartending shifts, and touch on what it means to keep creating, no matter the medium.
So, pour yourself something good, settle in, and join us as we explore the crossroads of music and visual art with Caitlin Cary. She’s full of sharp insight, warmth, and a few recommendations you won’t want to miss.
Bio
Chapters
- 00:15 - The Shift in Artistic Expression
- 02:55 - Transitioning from Art to Music
- 04:14 - The Journey into Music and Art
- 06:32 - Navigating the Craft Cocktail World
- 08:38 - The Excitement of Music Recommendations
Show Notes
In this episode of Dive Bar Music Club, we sit down with Caitlin Cary, a former touring musician turned visual artist, for a heartfelt conversation about her journey from the indie music scene to creating stunning fabric collage art, which she calls "needle prints."
Caitlin opens up about how she made the transition away from music and found solace in a new form of artistic expression. We explore the personal connection she has to her hometown of Raleigh, North Carolina, and how the ever-changing landscape of the city inspired her to start documenting its most beloved landmarks through her art. Caitlin shares how this shift in focus has given her the creative distance she needed while still maintaining a fulfilling artistic career.
From her early days as a classically trained violinist to her unexpected entry into the world of indie rock with Whiskeytown, Caitlin's journey into music was as unpredictable as it was transformative. She reflects on the chaotic, yet rewarding years spent in the music industry, the quirks of dive bars, and what it means to live the life of a working musician.
We also talk about the humble, yet vital, venues that played a huge role in her life, both as a performer and a bartender, including Raleigh's own Humble Pie and The Pour House Music Hall.
And of course, we discuss Caitlin's recent achievements, including having her artwork featured in the North Carolina Museum of Art, a long-awaited dream come true.
Listen in for:
- Caitlin's transition from music to visual art
- The inspiration behind her "needle prints" and how they connect to her roots
- Stories from her time touring with Ryan Adams and bartending in dive bars
- The challenge of navigating the modern craft cocktail scene as a non-drinker
- Her thoughts on how music, art, and community intertwine
Where to Find Caitlin:
- Note: If you’re searching for her past music, be wary of some...colorful results when you Google "Tres Chicas."
Subscribe, Rate & Review:
If you’re loving the conversation, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the show. And as always, share your favorite episodes with friends who appreciate good music, good art, and great conversation.
Dive Bar Music Club is your low-key, high-taste happy hour for music nerds. See you next time!
Takeaways
- Caitlin Cary's transition from music to visual art highlights the dynamic nature of creativity; it's all about finding what resonates with your soul.
- The concept of needleprints serves as a fascinating analogy for the artistic process, marrying personal history with tangible expression in fabric.
- The Dive Bar Music Club fosters a unique community for indie music lovers, inviting deep discussions and connections over shared passions.
- Caitlin's experiences in venues like Poorhouse Music Hall illustrate the importance of local music scenes in shaping both artists and audiences alike.
- Ryan Adams' serendipitous invitation to Caitlin (who then co-founded Whiskeytown) underscores the unpredictable paths that often lead to fulfilling artistic careers in music.
- Caitlin's reflections on homesickness and change resonate deeply, reminding us that art often emerges from the need to document and preserve our personal histories.
Links
- caitlincary.com
- Get to know some of our other Regulars
Mentioned in This Episode
- Tres Chicas
- Humble Pie
- Pour House Music Hall
- NC State
- North Carolina Art Museum
indie music podcast, music nerd podcast, underground music podcast, music roundtable podcast, best new indie bands, independent music podcast, music discovery podcast, alternative music podcast, podcast for music lovers, dive bar music podcast, low key music podcast, deep cut music discussion, music tastemakers podcast, music festival discoveries, music zine culture, DIY music scene, touring musician stories, hidden gem bands, vinyl collector podcast, music conversations podcast,
, podcast about music, independent music discussion, visual artist interviews, Caitlin Cary podcast, creativity and music, fabric collage art, music industry insights, indie music scene, musicians transitioning to art, music venues Raleigh, Dive Bar Music Club, retired musicians, exploring creativity, art and music connection, music recommendations podcast, storytelling in music, fabric art techniques, crafting and music, touring musician experiences, music community discussionsTranscript
Speaker A
Well, mostly unenvious quitter. Of course. I haven't quit creativity, but I certainly have. For the most part, or at least for now, I've quit music.
I found an art form that is not made out of my body and out of my soul. Somehow, like there's this super comforting remove between what I am and what I make that is like, I'm so happy.
Speaker B
Welcome to Dive Bar Music Club, the low key, high taste happy hour for music nerds. Each week we're joined by a rotating cast of regulars, people who live and breathe independent music.
This week, we're introducing you to Caitlin Carey, a happily retired touring musician and celebrated visual artist.
Carrie spent years in the trenches of the indie scene, and now she'll be bringing a lot of that real world music knowledge to our barstool roundtable. Part hang, part deep dive. It's Dive Bar Music Club.
Grab your drink, pull up a chair, and let's dive in with Caitlin Carey on this episode of Dive Bar Music Club. Caitlin, you've been doing some beautiful creative work lately that's kind of taken you away from music. What have you been up to?
Speaker A
Yeah. Thank you. For about the past decade, I've been making fabric collage. I made up a name for it because the words weren't really there.
But I call it needle print. And basically it's sort of a friend of quilting.
But I sew fabric onto canvas and I'm very feeling very lucky that I've been able to sort of make a big transition into different form of art that's also my living.
Speaker B
I think I first got to know that work. When you were doing some representations of historic buildings in North Carolina.
Speaker A
Yes.
It's funny, I do connect that to my music life, mostly in the sense that I think that I spent a lot of time being really homesick, and home is Raleigh, North Carolina, and it felt like every time I came home, some building that I loved had been torn down or something had changed. And I'm generally like a not into change person, but I.
It sort of made me feel this strong urge to start documenting the places that made my home feel like my home. And that sort of merged with this way of making art out of fabric that developed into a whole, you know, my whole thing for a number of years.
I've kind of decided I don't want to be the lady that makes landmarks forever. But I certainly enjoyed doing it. And it. I feel very lucky that I.
That it resonated for people and it gave me a foothold in a new, you know, in a whole new career.
Speaker B
So Caitlin Carey, how did you end up having a life in music?
Speaker A
Utterly by accident. I mean, I studied violin from a very young age. I started at 4 and was pretty serious until about 16 when I gave it up for.
I don't know what 16 year olds do, but at least for me it wasn't classical violin. And for a while I stopped and then picked it back up again in college. But through sort of beginning of a career in music was very accidental.
I was in graduate school at NC State and I don't even remember that I told anybody that I was a musician, but I guess I did.
And I got a phone call out of the blue from Ryan Adams saying that he was starting a band and he heard that I was a fiddle player and did I want to be in a band. And I don't even know also why I said yes to that because it was insane.
I was teaching and in a more or less serious academic path heading towards probably trying to become an author, but certainly trying to teach and be in academia. And instead I ran away with the circus, so to speak.
And it really was a circus that launched into a couple decades of, of making music as my livelihood and my life. If asked, I would refer to myself as a visual artist and my goal is to be in the art museum. Well, actually I've achieved that goal.
I got in the art in the real life North Carolina Art Muse just recently.
Speaker B
So congratulations. That is just spectacular.
Speaker A
Thank you. It really feels great. It's a tiny little piece in a, in a little group show. But hey, I didn't have to die to get in the art museum.
Speaker B
Obviously this podcast is dive bar music club and music venues are a huge part of what all of us love.
But have there been any small to medium places and spaces that have really spoken to you with music, whether performing or seeing or just being part of a community?
Speaker A
Oh absolutely. I could say name several in Raleigh and I've also worked in them a lot.
I worked at Humble Pie, which was a restaurant most of the time that turned into a show venue on the weekends where we, we would be washing the dishes and then move all the tables out of the way and set up the stage. And sometimes I would be the person that went out and played on that stage and sometimes we just got to see great shows.
And yeah, there's also the Poorhouse Music hall in Raleigh which is still going as one of our really great sort of mid size clubs. And I both Skillet and I, my husband Skillet and I have Bartended there.
It's been a while now, but that was a big part of our supplemental income when we were. When we were musicians touring. You know, you. You can hold down a job even when you're gone a lot if you're a decent bartender.
I really couldn't be a bartender now in most places because the world of, you know, the well a. I don't really drink. I don't drink anymore. But also the craft cocktail world has all that muddling of fresh herbs and.
Speaker B
Shit that developed after I stopped drinking. So, like, I have. I'm completely clueless when people talk about it. I'm like, I'm sorry. Last time I drank was like, bucket of beer era. So sorry.
Speaker A
Yeah, right.
Speaker B
Where would you like people to find you?
Speaker A
I'm easy to find on caitlincary.com. i was smart enough to get that a long time ago. So. Yeah. And it's full of my artwork and a little tiny blurb maybe about my music. I don't. It's funny.
You don't want to confuse the point. So to learn about my music, you might go to our friend Google, I guess.
Or better yet, go to one of the streaming platforms and go listen to some rather than read about the boring exploits of or what have you. If you look up my band, Trace Chicas, you're liable to get some dirty porn, so watch out.
Speaker B
Oh, I didn't know that. I'm very familiar with Trace Chicas, but not. Not that one.
Speaker A
There's. There are others, apparently, and they do naughty things.
Speaker B
Alrighty. Well, to each their own. One probably pays better than the other. And it's not the music.
Speaker A
That's right. Anyway.
Speaker B
Anyway, Caitlin Carey, I'm so excited that you're going to be part of what we're doing here with Dive Bar Music Club. And I'm looking forward to finding out what it is you are listening to these days.
You've always got a few little gems that you share that I'm like, oh, I should know that. Or I love that too. And I'm going to nerd out about it, but we very much appreciate you being part of it.
Speaker A
That's really cool. I'm excited. It's going to be great. Our music world is so fractalated, pixelated, exploded, that I always feel like I'm missing something wonderful.
So I really look forward to hearing other people's recommendations. That's going to be fantastic. And why they're passionate.
You know, I've always said, like, I don't watch sports, but if I'm with somebody that's really into the World Series, I'm going to sit next to them and, like, totally catch their vibe. You know, I'm looking forward to that part.
Speaker B
You know, I'm much more likely to listen to something when someone passionately loves it and maybe listen for things that I didn't give a chance to previously as well. So I'm as excited about this as everyone else. So thank you. Thank you. I sure appreciate, appreciate it.
Speaker A
Good to talk to you, Sloane.
Speaker B
That's last call at Dive Bar Music Club. If you like the hang, follow the show, leave a review, and tell your algorithm, gosh darn it, we're worth it.
Better yet, share your favorite episode with a friend who actually stayed for the whole set. See y' all next time for the low key, high taste happy hour for music nerds.
Transcript
Well, mostly unenvious quitter.
Speaker A:Of course.
Speaker A:I haven't quit creativity, but I certainly have.
Speaker A:For the most part, or at least for now, I've quit music.
Speaker A:I found an art form that is not made out of my body and out of my soul.
Speaker A:Somehow, like there's this super comforting remove between what I am and what I make that is like, I'm so happy.
Speaker B:Welcome to Dive Bar Music Club, the low key, high taste happy hour for music nerds.
Speaker B:Each week we're joined by a rotating cast of regulars, people who live and breathe independent music.
Speaker B:This week, we're introducing you to Caitlin Carey, a happily retired touring musician and celebrated visual artist.
Speaker B:Carrie spent years in the trenches of the indie scene, and now she'll be bringing a lot of that real world music knowledge to our barstool roundtable.
Speaker B:Part hang, part deep dive.
Speaker B:It's Dive Bar Music Club.
Speaker B:Grab your drink, pull up a chair, and let's dive in with Caitlin Carey on this episode of Dive Bar Music Club.
Speaker B:Caitlin, you've been doing some beautiful creative work lately that's kind of taken you away from music.
Speaker B:What have you been up to?
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Thank you.
Speaker A:For about the past decade, I've been making fabric collage.
Speaker A:I made up a name for it because the words weren't really there.
Speaker A:But I call it needle print.
Speaker A:And basically it's sort of a friend of quilting.
Speaker A:But I sew fabric onto canvas and I'm very feeling very lucky that I've been able to sort of make a big transition into different form of art that's also my living.
Speaker B:I think I first got to know that work.
Speaker B:When you were doing some representations of historic buildings in North Carolina.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker A:It's funny, I do connect that to my music life, mostly in the sense that I think that I spent a lot of time being really homesick, and home is Raleigh, North Carolina, and it felt like every time I came home, some building that I loved had been torn down or something had changed.
Speaker A:And I'm generally like a not into change person, but I.
Speaker A:It sort of made me feel this strong urge to start documenting the places that made my home feel like my home.
Speaker A:And that sort of merged with this way of making art out of fabric that developed into a whole, you know, my whole thing for a number of years.
Speaker A:I've kind of decided I don't want to be the lady that makes landmarks forever.
Speaker A:But I certainly enjoyed doing it.
Speaker A:And it.
Speaker A:I feel very lucky that I.
Speaker A:That it resonated for people and it gave me a foothold in a new, you know, in a whole new career.
Speaker B:So Caitlin Carey, how did you end up having a life in music?
Speaker A:Utterly by accident.
Speaker A:I mean, I studied violin from a very young age.
Speaker A:I started at 4 and was pretty serious until about 16 when I gave it up for.
Speaker A:I don't know what 16 year olds do, but at least for me it wasn't classical violin.
Speaker A:And for a while I stopped and then picked it back up again in college.
Speaker A:But through sort of beginning of a career in music was very accidental.
Speaker A:I was in graduate school at NC State and I don't even remember that I told anybody that I was a musician, but I guess I did.
Speaker A:And I got a phone call out of the blue from Ryan Adams saying that he was starting a band and he heard that I was a fiddle player and did I want to be in a band.
Speaker A:And I don't even know also why I said yes to that because it was insane.
Speaker A:I was teaching and in a more or less serious academic path heading towards probably trying to become an author, but certainly trying to teach and be in academia.
Speaker A:And instead I ran away with the circus, so to speak.
Speaker A:And it really was a circus that launched into a couple decades of, of making music as my livelihood and my life.
Speaker A:If asked, I would refer to myself as a visual artist and my goal is to be in the art museum.
Speaker A:Well, actually I've achieved that goal.
Speaker A:I got in the art in the real life North Carolina Art Muse just recently.
Speaker B:So congratulations.
Speaker B:That is just spectacular.
Speaker A:Thank you.
Speaker A:It really feels great.
Speaker A:It's a tiny little piece in a, in a little group show.
Speaker A:But hey, I didn't have to die to get in the art museum.
Speaker B:Obviously this podcast is dive bar music club and music venues are a huge part of what all of us love.
Speaker B:But have there been any small to medium places and spaces that have really spoken to you with music, whether performing or seeing or just being part of a community?
Speaker A:Oh absolutely.
Speaker A:I could say name several in Raleigh and I've also worked in them a lot.
Speaker A:I worked at Humble Pie, which was a restaurant most of the time that turned into a show venue on the weekends where we, we would be washing the dishes and then move all the tables out of the way and set up the stage.
Speaker A:And sometimes I would be the person that went out and played on that stage and sometimes we just got to see great shows.
Speaker A:And yeah, there's also the Poorhouse Music hall in Raleigh which is still going as one of our really great sort of mid size clubs.
Speaker A:And I both Skillet and I, my husband Skillet and I have Bartended there.
Speaker A:It's been a while now, but that was a big part of our supplemental income when we were.
Speaker A:When we were musicians touring.
Speaker A:You know, you.
Speaker A:You can hold down a job even when you're gone a lot if you're a decent bartender.
Speaker A:I really couldn't be a bartender now in most places because the world of, you know, the well a. I don't really drink.
Speaker A:I don't drink anymore.
Speaker A:But also the craft cocktail world has all that muddling of fresh herbs and.
Speaker B:Shit that developed after I stopped drinking.
Speaker B:So, like, I have.
Speaker B:I'm completely clueless when people talk about it.
Speaker B:I'm like, I'm sorry.
Speaker B:Last time I drank was like, bucket of beer era.
Speaker B:So sorry.
Speaker A:Yeah, right.
Speaker B:Where would you like people to find you?
Speaker A:I'm easy to find on caitlincary.com.
Speaker A:i was smart enough to get that a long time ago.
Speaker A:So.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:And it's full of my artwork and a little tiny blurb maybe about my music.
Speaker A:I don't.
Speaker A:It's funny.
Speaker A:You don't want to confuse the point.
Speaker A:So to learn about my music, you might go to our friend Google, I guess.
Speaker A:Or better yet, go to one of the streaming platforms and go listen to some rather than read about the boring exploits of or what have you.
Speaker A:If you look up my band, Trace Chicas, you're liable to get some dirty porn, so watch out.
Speaker B:Oh, I didn't know that.
Speaker B:I'm very familiar with Trace Chicas, but not.
Speaker B:Not that one.
Speaker A:There's.
Speaker A:There are others, apparently, and they do naughty things.
Speaker B:Alrighty.
Speaker B:Well, to each their own.
Speaker B:One probably pays better than the other.
Speaker B:And it's not the music.
Speaker A:That's right.
Speaker A:Anyway.
Speaker B:Anyway, Caitlin Carey, I'm so excited that you're going to be part of what we're doing here with Dive Bar Music Club.
Speaker B:And I'm looking forward to finding out what it is you are listening to these days.
Speaker B:You've always got a few little gems that you share that I'm like, oh, I should know that.
Speaker B:Or I love that too.
Speaker B:And I'm going to nerd out about it, but we very much appreciate you being part of it.
Speaker A:That's really cool.
Speaker A:I'm excited.
Speaker A:It's going to be great.
Speaker A:Our music world is so fractalated, pixelated, exploded, that I always feel like I'm missing something wonderful.
Speaker A:So I really look forward to hearing other people's recommendations.
Speaker A:That's going to be fantastic.
Speaker A:And why they're passionate.
Speaker A:You know, I've always said, like, I don't watch sports, but if I'm with somebody that's really into the World Series, I'm going to sit next to them and, like, totally catch their vibe.
Speaker A:You know, I'm looking forward to that part.
Speaker B:You know, I'm much more likely to listen to something when someone passionately loves it and maybe listen for things that I didn't give a chance to previously as well.
Speaker B:So I'm as excited about this as everyone else.
Speaker B:So thank you.
Speaker B:Thank you.
Speaker B:I sure appreciate, appreciate it.
Speaker A:Good to talk to you, Sloane.
Speaker B:That's last call at Dive Bar Music Club.
Speaker B:If you like the hang, follow the show, leave a review, and tell your algorithm, gosh darn it, we're worth it.
Speaker B:Better yet, share your favorite episode with a friend who actually stayed for the whole set.
Speaker B:See y' all next time for the low key, high taste happy hour for music nerds.
