VenuePilot

They said it couldn’t be done. Four different songwriters joining forces to form a single band? There was simply no precedent (outside of CSNY, The Beatles, The Traveling Wilburys, The Highwaymen, Monsters of Folk, etc). And yet Fantastic Cat did it anyway, defying the odds and teaming up to record their highly unanticipated 2022 debut, The Very Best Of Fantastic Cat. Hailed by Rolling Stone as "a wildly satisfying collection of folk-rock, country, Americana, and good old rock & roll" that offers “equal doses of Dylan

and Springsteen,” the album earned the vocal-trading, instrument-swapping collective their national TV debut, sold-out headline dates around the US and Europe, festival performances everywhere from Sundance to Take Root, and a song in the Showtime series Tulsa King. In 2023, the unlikely four-piece teamed up with all-star producer Butch Walker for a 50th anniversary take on Wings’ “Band On The Run,” which prompted even more love from Rolling Stone, who dubbed them “the Harlem Globetrotters of

Americana.”

Individually, each member of Fantastic Cat boasts their own impressive resume along with a litany of critical acclaim. Paste declared Don DiLego’s latest album a “stunner.” NPR said Anthony D’Amato “sings and writes in the tradition of Bruce Springsteen or Josh Ritter.” Rolling Stone called Brian Dunne’s new record “the sleeper album of the year” and praised Mike Montali’s band, Hollis Brown, as “the soundtrack

for a late-night drive through the American heartland.” Collectively, though, the four transcend their respective roots, emerging as velvet-clad rock and roll cooperative far greater than the sum of its parts.

They say some cats are born fantastic; others have fantasy thrust upon them. These guys

are somewhere in the middle.

Jake Thistle, a rising singer-songwriter and New Jersey native, is known for his lyricism and musical storytelling. With a sound that blends classic rock sound with a modern pop sensibility, he crafts songs that resonate with all audiences. 

Being awarded multiple titles from Indie Boulevard and being named a “Rising Music Star” from The Boston Herald, Thistle has played for audiences all over the United States and Europe.  Thistle has appeared on outlets such as CBS News, Variety, Billboard, American Songwriter Magazine, BBC Radio, The Record, WCBS FM, NYC's Q104.3 FM. Thistle has also assisted in raising over $100,000 in charitable donations to the American Cancer Society and the Light of Day Foundation. 

With a deep connection to his artistry, Thistle has worked with acclaimed musicians like John Hiatt, Lou Pallo (Les Paul), Ron Blair and Steve Ferrone (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers), Jim Keltner (Bob Dylan), Earl Slick (David Bowie/John Lennon), Jeff Slate (Rolling Stone) and many other great musicians. He's been on bills with the likes of Jackson Browne, Stevie Nicks, Foo Fighters, Eddie Vedder, Roger McGuinn, Steve Earle, Tom Morello amongst others!

With a sound that pays tribute to his influences such as Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Thistle’s music showcases his versatility and passion marking him as an artist to watch.