Singled Out: Caroline Cotter's The Call

08-22-2023

Caroline Cotter just released her new album, "Gently As I Go", and to celebrate we asked her to tell us about the track "The Call". Here is the story:

I wrote "The Call" as a tribute to my Grandpa. My Grandpa was born in 1913 and died in 2017-104 years old. I knew Grandpa as poised and gentle, and he was all about moderation: "Everything in moderation," he would say. He was born in Rhode Island, served in the Navy in Boston in his early 20s, moved around a little bit throughout the Northeast for work, but spent most of his life in Rhode Island. He and my Nana raised three children, and had 10 grandchildren.

A few months after his 104th birthday, I went to visit Grandpa at his home in Rhode Island. He was upstairs in his bed taking a nap. I was not surprised that he was resting in bed, but was surprised by his energy when he saw me. He swiftly got out of bed, walked down the stairs (without the help of a cane), and invited me to sit with him at his kitchen table for his drink of choice, a screwdriver. We sat together and talked about the birds and the squirrels in his backyard, about the goldfish in his pond, and I wished him a happy belated birthday. He said, "How old am I now?" I said, "Grandpa, you're 104." He just looked at me and said, "Gosh! I don't feel old."

A week later, my dad called me with news that Grandpa had passed. My dad also asked me to sing at Grandpa's funeral. I spent that day in a little cabin on a friend's farm in Maine, sitting with the news and reflecting on my grandfather's life. He lived and died with dignity, worked hard, and was proud of his family. He was generous, kind, strong, and independent. I wrote "The Call" for him and for our family, but also for me as a way to process his life, the love he gave, and our loss.

Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen and watch for yourself below and learn more about the album here