Carnegie Hall

In many ways, Louis Cato began growing toward the role of bandleader on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert when he started playing drums at the age of two. His love of music evolved into an appreciation of southern gospel from his native North Carolina and continued into his education at the Berklee College of Music. Since then, Mr. Cato has become a Grammy Award–nominated and internationally acclaimed multi-instrumentalist, producer, singer, and songwriter. He has an undeniable ability to craft sonic landscapes into timeless masterpieces and has worked with an array of artists who include Bobby McFerrin, Snarky Puppy, Jon Batiste, Q-Tip, and A Tribe Called Quest. After two decades of lending his talents to other creators, Mr. Cato released his first solo record, Starting Now, in 2017 and released Reflections in the summer of 2023. True to form, he played every instrument on both albums, which leads to his next original endeavor: a compendium of his famous “Cato Covers,” a weekly cover series made popular on his Instagram. Music is Mr. Cato’s lifeblood, and it brings him unbridled joy to share his gifts, feelings, and energy with those around him.