I'm a singer-songwriter from the Richmond, Indiana area. I hope you enjoy :-)

I've created this SoundCloud site as a way to share some of the music that I've been so privileged to be a part of recording/producing/creating with the absolute best group of talented and wonderful people one could ever hope to work with. 

The musicians of Richmond, Indiana and its surrounding small towns has been a continued source of joy and inspiration to me for the past 20 years. Some of these recordings are rough, some are sketches of ideas, some are completed and finished to the best of my current abilities, but I think each and every one has something special to offer and I am proud to have been a part of them in some way.

The name Catalpa Empire was spawned during a lunch break stroll while recording Rozanne Gewaar and Aaron Nell. Rozanne asked about the large pods that were dropping to the sidewalk during those falls months, and what kind of tree they belonged to. This led to me reminiscing about the Catalpa trees on my Grandparents' property in Eaton, Ohio that had made such an impact on me as a child with their majestic form, almost impossibly large leaves, and those remarkable pods. They gave me sense of wonder and real world magic that spoke to me in an intangible but important way. So it was suggested as a name for the "studio", as we liked to jokingly call our humble collection of recording equipment. It is the same type of feeling that I get when music really touches and moves me, and a feeling that I do my best to impart to every song I work on, whatever my contribution to the process of creating or capturing them, so I found it fit very nicely and it stuck.

I hope you will enjoy what you find here, and I hope to continue to add to the collection for many, many years to come.

I want to thank every person who has allowed me to work with them and their songs, whether they allowed me to assist in arranging, playing an instrument, or just setting up equipment and recording. They have been patient while I fuss over mic placement, or need to refer to the manual of some piece of gear, they have encouraged me to continue to learn and grow at this craft. They have given me a lifetime of fond memories with their kindness and company.

I also want to thank my soulmate and wife, Stacie Foust-Wynne, and our two beautiful and amazing daughters, for their incredible support of the music that is so much a part of our family, for allowing the ridiculous schedules, forgiving me the time and money invested in something that I do solely for the joy of doing it, and welcoming all the musicians into our home and lives with true grace and warmth.

Finally, I want to give special thanks to my dear friend, Aaron Nell(https://pedalhomeaaron.wordpress.com/), who contributed in so many ways to these recordings. We have spent many long evening hours working on music, fast in the clutches of inspiration, and a passion for what we were creating or helping to create. He has purchased equipment, donated a critical ear that I trust wholeheartedly, played a variety of instruments and sung on countless projects, given up space in his home, and lost untold hours of sleep. Without him these recordings could not exist as they are today. 

Chris Chism is a North Carolina-based musician, originally from Indiana, whose work blends traditional folk with modern indie and alternative influences. Playing guitar and banjo, Chris creates music that is both deeply personal and open to interpretation, borrowing from a variety of styles without being confined by genre.

His songwriting draws inspiration from artists like Bon Iver, Sufjan Stevens, Townes Van Zandt, and Pinegrove, putting together themes of quiet reflection, hardship, and the balance between realism and optimism in challenging times. While his songs often carry a melancholic tone, they offer glimpses of hope for those willing to look closer.

Through a unique mix of heartfelt storytelling and diverse musical elements, Chris’s work invites listeners to connect with the beauty and complexity of life’s quieter moments.

@chancetherapper
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