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Catherine Tift Merritt (born January 8, 1975, in Houston, Texas, but moved to Raleigh, North Carolina soon after) is an American singer-songwriter, musician. She is currently based in New York
Merritt’s father taught her guitar chords and Percy Sledge songs. She began her professional career with her band The Carbines playing small clubs. In her early twenties, though Tift had gigged by herself, she decided she was not very good at music and better suited for writing short stories. She and her dog Lucy started school at UNC to study creative writing. There, she met Zeke Hutchins, whose band had just taken a haitus and who had decided to become a school teacher. With his encouragement and a big box of LPs from the 70’s that they both liked, they started a band. Zeke set drums up in the kitchen of Tift’s farmhouse on the outskirts of town, and they practiced songs at her red piano. The Carbines played Chapel Hill haunts like the Cave, the Cat’s Cradle, and the front porch of the General Store in Bynum, NC. Tift also made a guest appearance on the Two Dollar Pistols with Tift Merritt EP.
In 2000, Tift won Merlefest’s Chris Austin Songwriting contest, and with the help of Ryan Adams, found herself with a manager and a recording contract with Lost Highway records. The band headed to LA to record her first release, Bramble Rose, in 2002, produced by Ethan Johns. The record landed on Time Magazine’s and New Yorker’s top ten lists and was called the best debut of the year in any genre by the Associated Press.
Merritt’s father taught her guitar chords and Percy Sledge songs. She began her professional career with her band The Carbines playing small clubs. In her early twenties, though Tift had gigged by herself, she decided she was not very good at music and better suited for writing short stories. She and her dog Lucy started school at UNC to study creative writing. There, she met Zeke Hutchins, whose band had just taken a haitus and who had decided to become a school teacher. With his encouragement and a big box of LPs from the 70’s that they both liked, they started a band. Zeke set drums up in the kitchen of Tift’s farmhouse on the outskirts of town, and they practiced songs at her red piano. The Carbines played Chapel Hill haunts like the Cave, the Cat’s Cradle, and the front porch of the General Store in Bynum, NC. Tift also made a guest appearance on the Two Dollar Pistols with Tift Merritt EP.
In 2000, Tift won Merlefest’s Chris Austin Songwriting contest, and with the help of Ryan Adams, found herself with a manager and a recording contract with Lost Highway records. The band headed to LA to record her first release, Bramble Rose, in 2002, produced by Ethan Johns. The record landed on Time Magazine’s and New Yorker’s top ten lists and was called the best debut of the year in any genre by the Associated Press.
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Another Country
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See You On The Moon
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Tambourine
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Bramble Rose
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Andreas85 wrote:
Saw Tift Merritt on Hart of Dixie, on the CW. Great appearance. I love the new song.
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echo725 wrote:
Her music really hasn't been very Country-oriented since Tambourine. Her stuff is more Singer-Songwriter now.
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Vulgaira wrote:
:) talentoo
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Druid66 wrote:
Tift is a tremendous rising star of alt-country. She has almost a gospel-y voice flying over her twangy guitars, that's a cool combo.
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Jimmy_Maher wrote:
Tift is incredibly talented. Do your friends a favor and make them aware of her. Don't categorize her music, just enjoy it!
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cousinbull wrote:
future crossover star
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dtito2 wrote:
Hear Tift & Norman Blake sing Thirteen from Big Star NYC tribute; http://www.tiftmerritt.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/01-Thirteen.mp3
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lightnin_neo wrote:
Tift deserves more than 58 shouts .....she's one of the greatest <3
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marybeth-damico wrote:
Her new album sounds good!
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aybesea69 wrote:
Wow... I just found her... good stuff!
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Heus wrote:
On tour with Ray!
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MrModernRock wrote:
Who cares what she labels herself as? Its awesome no matter the name. I've never understood why people get so upset over genre titles.
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VASINGER wrote:
its bothers me that she refuses to call herself a country artist. As if its something bad or something. I would much rather be labeled country than that hideous rock n' roll music.
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Saveall wrote:
New album is excellent. Agree with strajnic...the cover of Danny's Song is the sweetest one I've ever heard..........
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emcxmc wrote:
I would fly to the moon to see you.
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strajnic wrote:
Great new album, great cover of Loggins & Messina's Danny's Song!
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umiboza wrote:
New album's incredible!
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titobosco wrote:
hi Dear Im from Brazil and I hear you great music. so wonderful!!!
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MinMusikJustNu wrote:
on the 25 may Tift's new cd is out: See You On the Moon.
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danielfoppen wrote:
@andereklaas. perhaps rick referred to the most beautiful voice of all the Tift Meritts?
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tiftmerritt: @rossgrady Oh no! It really did hurt. Hope you are well and still…
12 Nov 2011 | from twitter.com/tiftmerritt
tiftmerritt: @rossgrady Oh no! It really did hurt. Hope you
are well and still have your yellow car. xt
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11 Nov 2011 | from twitter.com/tiftmerritt -
11 Nov 2011 | from twitter.com/tiftmerritt -
11 Nov 2011 | from twitter.com/tiftmerritt
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QwestarMusic2, jakemase, SoundtrackGirl3 and 22 other people added Tift Merritt to their libraries. Friday evening
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schmesser tagged Tift Merritt with nc, usa, singer-songwriter and one other tag. last month
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schmesser, Affair_, boroboy64 and 1 other person added Tift Merritt to their libraries. last month
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RPLastFM tagged Tift Merritt with radio paradise and radioparadise. last month
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overcomed, cagatelaperra, h_e_r_s_c_h_e_l and 14 other people added Tift Merritt to their libraries. last month
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jcshepard wrote about Various Artists – A Very Special Acoustic Christmas in Scobbling my way thru 2011. last month
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stockmarket added Tift Merritt to the lineup of Andrew Bird at Beacon Theatre. December 2011
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ashtom4, Belle-Blue, ljudson and 4 other people added Tift Merritt to their libraries. December 2011
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Amelie_Leto tagged Tift Merritt with country, americana, singer-songwriter and 2 other tags. November 2011
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Amelie_Leto added Tift Merritt to Amelie_Leto’s library. November 2011
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Female Voices
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Americana
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