From Cat's Facebook Page
 "Hey everybody - For the past two and a half years, GPN has been my family away from my family. We've all grown so much together. So it's with sadness that I want y'all to know the Goodnight Irene benefit in VT in September was my last gig with GPN in the foreseeable future. It was a bittersweet night, to be sure, and we had a kind farewell as they left to go make a new record. I'm a lucky so-and-so to have been a part of that crew for as long as I was and I wish them all the joy the world has to offer."

I was privileged to see Catherine's first public performance with the band. Here's a clip from the sound check <a href="http://www.thisissomewhere.com/2009/03/29/were-opening-for-a-bunch-of-kids/">of the show</a>
<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/4030541?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;portrait=0" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen allowFullScreen></iframe>

I remember speaking to Justin after the show about the new lineup - I recall my exact words - "it just works".  And work it did for 2 1/2 years.

Here's "White Rabbit and Woodtock" from the show itself
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Van captured a show just a few days later at the Doheny Blues Festival
<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/4694781?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;portrait=0" width="640" height="480" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen allowFullScreen></iframe>
 
<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/4696545?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;portrait=0" width="640" height="480" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen allowFullScreen></iframe>

<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/4758657?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;portrait=0" width="640" height="480" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen allowFullScreen></iframe>

It's clear the band was already clicking wasn't it - watching these you can't imagine that Cat had been with the band for less than a month. Since I'm not writing a eulogy here I'll leave it to you guys to reflect on favorite Cat moments and I'll post them all as a summary. 

<a href="http://www.thisissomewhere.com/2009/05/27/catherine-popper-to-join-grace-potter-and-the-nocturnals/">For reference, Catherine joins the band announcement</a>

What now? Well, it's not like Cat stops being a musician. Plus a career in Twitter comedy might be in the works. 
<a href="http://www.twitter.com/dookiefinger">@dookiefinger</a>
<a href="http://www.thisissomewhere.com/2010/11/22/joe-whyte-with-catherine-popper-on-bass-and-vocals/">Joe Whyte</a>
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=puss+n+boots+popper&aq=f">Puss n Boots</a>

We'll miss you Catherine - but I bet a bunch of us will see you again down the road . . .
