Looking in at Iowa

From Lake Villa Review (Illinois):

Though she’s been called “the best to come out of Iowa since Bonnie Koloc” by Paxton, [Carol] Montag has been happily based in Cedar Rapids for the last 25 years and describes herself as a stay-at-mom doing the singer-songwriter stuff on the side. …

“I remember sitting on the porch swing going ‘what do I know?’ At the time my main job was to raise three boys so I realized most of my life consisted of washing dishes and doing laundry and getting groceries and keeping the house and the kids going. So I wrote the song ‘Babies and Dishes.’ (’And everything’s dirty. Dances at twenty. Garage sales at thirty.’) …

A Gazette article about Carol Montag:

THE GAZETTE (07/27/2006)

Musical Tribute
Local folk singer Montag gathers fellow musicians for benefit concert

By Eric Clark
The Gazette

CEDAR RAPIDS - Carol Montag does not know Matthew McCarthy, but that won’t stop her from helping out the ailing 18-month-old.

Montag, a Cedar Rapids folk singer, will lead a benefit concert Saturday for McCarthy, who was paralyzed from the shoulders down last year after a virus attacked his spinal cord. He has since regained movement in his upper body but additional recovery is not probable.

“It sounds like it would be pretty devastating,” says Montag, who attends the same church as McCarthy’s family, King of Kings Lutheran Church in Cedar Rapids.

Montag will be joined for three songs by Nina Swanson and Kathy Donnelly, who together form the popular local vocal group Tribute, which regularly sells out its holiday concerts at CSPS in Cedar Rapids. The performance will mark one of the first non-holiday appearances by Tribute.

“We have three songs that aren’t Christmas music,” says Montag, on break at Stamats Communications in Cedar Rapids, where she’s an account executive for Archi-Tech magazine.

“I don’t want to give away what the songs will be, but they’ll be in the gospel-music genre.”

Local musician Carlis Faurot will provide backup for the concert, the majority of which will feature songs from Montag’s three solo albums. Montag’s most recent album, “Marigolds,” was released in 2001.

McCarthy’s mother, Tracy, 37, says she’s amazed by the graciousness of everyone involved with the concert.

When her son was 9 months old, he was diagnosed with rapid-onset Transverse Myelitis, a one-in-a-million occurrence that left him paralyzed.

After two and a half months in intensive care, her son recently returned home, where he requires 24-hour supervision.

“I really think that Matthew’s story has touched a lot of people,” Tracy McCarthy says. “Everybody realizes this can happen fast and it can happen to anyone.”

Tracy McCarthy, who has three other children with her husband, Aaron, says their youngest child’s ailment has been difficult for the family to endure, though it has pulled them closer together as a group.

“Our life is controlled by how Matthew is that day and what he needs right now,” Tracy McCarthy says. “Our other kids have been incredible about it. They adore him and know he is the one who needs our time.”

Though health insurance has covered the majority of Matthew McCarthy’s medical bills,
Tracy McCarthy says she is concerned about the future costs of in-home care for her son. She
says her insurance company is trying to cut back the amount of money they can use for an
at-home nurse. That means either Tracy McCarthy, a market researcher, or Aaron McCarthy, an
investment banker, might have to reduce their hours - or quit their jobs - to stay home and
care for their son.

The benefit concert was organized by Elise Hexum, outreach/small group coordinator at King
of Kings Lutheran Church. Hexum says Montag was the logical choice for the concert, since she is a member of the church and a popular performer in the community.

“Carol has a unique and refreshing style of music that really touches the heart,” Hexum says.

Montag specializes in soft, spiritual folk music highlighted by her warm, inspiring voice.

Montag doesn’t perform as much these days as she did in years past. She says she was able to dedicate a little more time to music when she was a stay-at-home mom (her children now are 24, 19 and 15) than she can with her current full-time job.

“I miss performing more often,” Montag says. “But I play as often as I can, and I don’t think I’ll ever stop doing it.”

At least Montag has three gigs she can count on every holiday season with Tribute. This year’s holiday concerts by the group are scheduled for Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 and 2. Tribute started about 10 years ago when Montag, Swanson and Donnelly performed together at Brucemore.

They were so well-received, they decided to form the group.

“Tribute spun totally out of control,” Montag says with a laugh.

Hexum, the organizer of the benefit concert, says she’s thrilled to have Tribute taking part.

“I’ve seen them in concert and I really enjoy them,” Hexum says. “I love their harmonies.”

As excited as Hexum is about Montag, Tribute and Faurot helping out, she’s even more excited about the support from the community for McCarthy’s cause.

“I’m touched that everyone has opened their hearts to the McCarthy family without hesitation,” Hexum says.

Fast take
–What: Benefit concert featuring Carol Montag with appearances by Tribute and Carlis Faurot
–When: 8 p.m. Saturday
–Where: Xavier High School auditorium, 6300 42nd St., Cedar Rapids
–Tickets: $20 at the door or through (319) 393-2438