Singer/songwriter Cat Catalani's show "American Women Songwriters in the 19^th and 20^th Centuries" is a reflection of the changing times and the role that women songwriters have played in the development of our culture.

"There were not a lot of women writing songs in the 19^th century," Catalani said. "The women of the time were associated with home and church. Their songs are of a more spiritual nature."

Catalani credits women like Billie Holiday for the strength it took to actively work to change that perception of women in music.

"Her big song was 'God Bless the Child,' which is about dealing with what you have and being strong," Catalani said.

"As women's role in society developed, they found ways to express themselves through songwriting," Catalani said.

She went on to say that things really took a turn in the 1950s when Loretta Lynn brought her unique and irreverent music to the scene. Catalani said that many women recognized that Lynn was writing more about what the common woman can identify with.

By the 1960s and 1970s, women in songwriting flourished. Social mores made it even more acceptable for women to make a living in songwriting.

Catalani performs this concert, and others, throughout the state. As an Illinois Humanities Roads Scholar, Catalani gets the opportunity to travel across the state sharing her love of music and performing with audiences of all ages.

"The songs I sing are timeless," Catalani said. "My shows always turn into sing-alongs."

The Roads Scholar program presents Catalani and roughly 30 artists to not-for-profit groups throughout Illinois. The shows are a blend of entertainment and education. With approximately 3,000 such agencies available for programming, Catalani keeps a very busy schedule.

Then there are the private parties and library shows where she sings everything from original material based on the Harry Potter books to the songs of Gershwin.

"I like to play for kids and give them something musical that is not so slick and packaged," Catalani said. "This gives me a chance to show children that there are options out there for them and one option is the fun of songwriting.

On a more serious note, Catalani has a program she has been doing since February called "Songs of War, Songs of Peace."

"These songs take on a whole new meaning these days," Catalani said. "I perform marching songs and battle cries from the Revolutionary War up through the protest songs of Vietnam."

She said she never plays one point of view against the other. She plays all sides in the issue in order to stimulate conversation. She even plays some World War II era songs about the soldiers who were missing their mates.

Whether she is singing about sitting under an apple tree, or if the circle will be unbroken, Catalani brings warmth to her concerts that people will carry with them throughout their lives.

Visit Catalani at www.catcatalani.com