Interview with Kitty Rose and Grease Inc. magazine

By Rev. Andy Photos by Scott Adams

Hot on the release of her brand new single, “Gotta Wind Down!”, she’s ready to take the band out west to Tucumcari, NM for the fifth and final Rockabilly On the Route! She’s toured all across the US, performed at the Ryman, got global attention with her “Greatest Hits” album, and has now seen herself move from her country roots to the realm of rockabilly. I had the pleasure of sitting down with Kitty Rose and the band to discuss life, liberty, and the pursuit of Carl Perkins and Axl Rose.

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greaseinc.com | JUNE 2017

As I was coming back to the venue I see my friends standing outside with Carl Perkins. What I didn’t know until later is that they had asked him to wait for me so I could meet him. So, I came around the corner and Carl is talking to my girlfriend and I just about fell over because there he is waiting! I remember he was almost a head taller than me and I’m 6’. I couldn’t talk and managed to squeak out, “You’re the greatest rockabilly ever.” He signed my book, and we were going to have a picture taken – Carl wrapped his arm around the back of my shoulder and we stood there like best buds for this.

He said to me, “Cat,” and he actually said that. “Cat, I gotta get back on my bus.” I began to turn away and he said, “Wait a minute, Cat.” And he reached into his pocket and pulled out a handful of change and I thought, is Carl Perkins about to give me a quarter? He pulls out this light blue guitar pick, handed it to me, and said, “My name’s a bit faded on it, but I played Blue Suede Shoes with this one.” I nearly passed out. He was everything I could have hoped for, imagined, and even more than that.

Reverend Andy: Give me a fun or odd moment in your musical career. Kitty Rose: I come out of the Hollywood area – late 80’s to early 90’s, and I was actually singing demos for Guns ‘N’ Roses. Yes. That band. They would come to my shows and I would never talk to them. They would come to my acoustic solo performances, and I would think, “Okay, they’re here. They’re here. Uhhh.” It’s awful! They came to see me, but I never hung out with them even though I was doing all this work for the band.

You can get more information, find tour dates, and purchase music from the band by visiting their website. Catch them at this year’s Rockabilly On The Route! www.rockabillykittyrose.com

Matt The Crawfish (tenor sax) YV (drums) Kitty Rose (bass & vocals) David "O" Olson (guitars)

GREASE INC. MAGAZINE

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