Hey TomTom,
My name is Katie Cathcart and here is my story. As far back as I can remember I have had a passion for drums. I got my first play set when I was four and after what seemed like a lifetime of begging Santa, I received a real kit at the age of 6. Needless to say my life has been filled with music. It wasn’t until my senior year in college when I came close to losing it that I realized drumming is truly what I am meant for.
On my way back to USC from home, a reckless driver hit my car and forced it into the center divider. The momentum of the collision caused my car to spin out of control and flip on its side. To protect my body, I braced myself against my door. I watched my window shatter into my left hand. I had severe tendon and nerve damage in my index and middle fingers. My life stopped and I had to slow down to work on getting my hand back.
Throughout my experiences I learned valuable lessons about who I am, patience, and life. I became empathetic with those who suffer from loss and resolved in the belief that the mind is a powerful tool for perseverance. I am now able to play with my band (JEKKEL) again that I formed in middle school with my brother and our best friend. We just released a new music video (One Way Road) and are working on a new EP. I am also working on a drum book. I love your mag and purpose. I feel that the reason why I am still here is so that I may share my love for and knowledge of drums, sound, and music with the world.
I want to inspire and make a difference in people’s lives, especially girls who want to rock and all who need that extra something to believe that they can do it too. I have found many drummers who give up or never try because they compare themselves to everyone else out there. It’s not about drumming to be “the best” it’s about drumming to be the best you. I hope that you can use my story in some way or perhaps if you even just shared my latest video it could inspire a few kick ass girls. Thank you for your time, it means a lot to me.
ROCK 😡