Meet The Catz
Meet The Catz
ROBIN BORTHWICK
Robin began playing a drum set at age 12 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina with Mitch Easter in her first rock ‘n roll/surfer band, The Loyal Opposition. During high school years, she played the college fraternity circuit with The Shadows of Thyme managed by Chuck Walton of the Carolina Theater. The Thyme opened for Billy Joe Royal, Kenny Rogers, The Jaggerz and Chicago. She moved to Houston, Texas, in the mid 70’s where she played the gamut of Houston clubs in the 80’s and 90’s with a regionally successful cover band, Daily Planet. In 1998, she established herself in the Houston musical theater circuit, working primarily under the masterful musical direction of Steven Jones. She performed over 20 Broadway and off-Broadway scores in Houston’s most notable venues, including the Arena Theater where she opened for Jay Leno. In 2005, she lived temporarily in Aberdeen, Scotland, and toured Europe with Lucille and the Red Hot Blues Mamas performing at the Aalborg Blues Festival, Denmark, and Stichting Blues Fest, Breda, Netherlands. Her theater career culminated in Houston, 2013, with the run and original cast recording of The Great American Trailer Park Christmas. Relocating back home to North Carolina in 2014 brings her great personal satisfaction as well as musical reconnection with many of the rock stars of her musical beginning. Her passion and joy for playing drums is only surpassed by her skill, versatility and solid playing for any style and occasion of music.
One final and important note: she is published in Sticks ‘n Skins, a photography book about the artists in the world of drumming, which can be found in the Folk-Art section of The Smithsonian Institute.
CORKY MCMILLAN
Corky started his career in Winston Salem and was in Sacred Irony along with Mitch Easter ( producer if REM and many others) , one of the first bands to record their own material and get airplay in what would become a musical hotbed. After relocating to Atlanta with Sweet Rye (along with future Cat Ed Dodson) Corky spent many years working the ATL music scene with many of his own bands, most notably DR 99, who recorded a well-received EP, Huh?, recorded at Mitch Easters Drive in studio. In the late seventies Corky accepted the bass position with Grammy winning Vassar Clements with whom he toured for several years and played on his Buddy Killen produced album, Vassar. On completion of that album he was hired by Buddy as staff studio bassist at Tree Publishing in Nashville. During his tenure at Tree he turned down an offer to play with Delbert McClinton. Others he has played with include Paul Butterfield, Papa John Creech, John Hartford and John McKuen of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. After a 10 year break Corky recorded the well-received album Control by The Distractors. His latest project, Catz in Pajamas, brings him back together with old Winston Salem mates Ed Dodson and Robin Borthwick.
Ed Dodson
Ed has been playing guitar for 53 years and is proficient on both electric and acoustic guitar. He played lead guitar in the rock group Sweet Rye during the early 70s in Atlanta. In the mid-70s he played with the jazz rock group Merlin in New Yok City and recorded promotional tracks with that group for CBS records. Upon his return to NC Ed toured with the funk group The Human Blood Band. During the 80s Ed played with the highly regarded band Kingfish along with the legendary Sam Moss. Upon his return from a two year assignment in Brussels, Ed began exploring Bluegrass and flat picking acoustic guitar. He has recorded six bluegrass albums (with Wood & Steel and with Skip Kelley) and has taught bluegrass guitar for over 20 years at the prestigious Swannanoa Gathering. Ed brings both passion and precision with every performance and delivers powerful blues-tinged vocals whether singing bluegrass or rock.
