Meet our 2025 Ola Belle Reed Songwriters Retreat Instructors!
GRAMMY Award Winner, Cathy has won the John Lennon Songwriting Contest, International Songwriting Competition, Mid-Atlantic Songwriting Contest and has recorded 48 albums in her 48 year career, mostly with partner Marcy Marxer. Influenced by folks like Tom Paxton, Alice Gerrard, Pete Seeger and Ola Belle Reed, she writes what she wants in whatever style suits her from bluegrass to swing and from folk to rock. She has been nominated for 12 consecutive GRAMMY Awards and her two GRAMMY’s say “Artist, Engineer, Producer”, but the title she likes best is “Social Music Conductor.”
With her powerful voice, captivating melodies and finely-crafted lyrics, Susan Cattaneo is one of Boston’s most respected singer-songwriters. Combining vivid storytelling with a modern songwriter’s spin, Susan’s music blends folk, rock and blues with hint of country. Susan won the CT Folk Festival and has been nominated for five Boston Music Awards including Singer Songwriter of the Year, Americana Artist of the Year and Folk Act of Year. She has been a finalist or winner in the country’s most prestigious songwriting and music contests including being a three-time Kerrville New Folk finalist. In her 20 plus years teaching Songwriting at Berklee College of Music, Susan has helped students work on over 15,000 songs in all musical genres and styles and mentored over 2,000 artists.
Grammy Award-winning songwriter Don Henry boasts an impressive repertoire with his songs recorded by music legends such as Ray Charles, Patti Page, and Conway Twitty, as well as contemporary country stars like Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert. His stage presence is equally diverse, having shared platforms with the likes of Joey Ramone and Keith Urban. Notable among his works is the Grammy-winning country classic “Where’ve You Been,” performed by Kathy Mattea, which earned song of the year honors from ACM, CMA, and NSAI, marking the first time in country music history that a song received all four prestigious accolades in a single year. Henry’s songs, including the poignant tribute to Martin Luther King, “Beautiful Fool,” showcase a remarkable blend of wit and wisdom, solidifying his enduring impact on the music industry.