Today we’d like to introduce you to Cagan Goldstein.
Hi Cagan, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Cagan Goldstein is a singer-songwriter, pianist, and guitarist living in Biglerville, PA. Originally from Falls Church, VA, he took classical piano lessons while in grade school at the Levine School of Music for 8 years, after which he switched to focusing on rock and pop music. Cagan first began performing professionally around North Central, WV while attending West Virginia University from 2017-21, both solo and as the keyboardist of country outfit The Shane Masters Band. Since moving to Biglerville in 2021, he has played shows all around South Central PA, including performing at The Burning of Chambersburg as a finalist for A Capella & Unplugged in 2022 and playing keyboard with Heads or Tails Experience for over a year. He also plays keyboard for Gena Lanette sometimes, who he is so grateful to for recommending him for this interview! His most popular project right now is likely 176ers Dueling Pianos, an all-request show he does with Dr. Nyce. Cagan plays a mix of originals and covers in high-energy, dynamic shows featuring both keyboard and guitar. He counts Taylor Swift, Bruce Springsteen, Ben Folds, and Gin Blossoms as some of his biggest influences.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
My ADHD is definitely a struggle- it has delayed me in completing this very interview if I’m being honest!
I used to struggle with performance anxiety when I was taking classical piano lessons, but I think that was because of the rigor of the juries and having judges paying close attention to my technique. Nowadays I’ve played audiences with several hundred people, with no stage fright whatsoever.
Lately, my main challenge with my shows has been how to walk the line between playing the fun, energetic shows that are what venues are booking me for and using my art to “reflecting the times” as Nina Simone would say. For the past year and a half, in the back or front of my mind almost constantly, has been the genocide our tax dollars are funding in Gaza, and more recently the crumbling of our democracy and civil liberties under the second Trump administration. I have been adding “ceasefire” and “Free Palestine” lyrics to relevant songs and inviting the audience to call their representatives to support the “Block The Bombs” Act, but I still feel like I’m not saying enough. I don’t get the sense many people notice what I’m saying. And if I were to get much more demonstrative- would my audience appreciate me shoving politics down their throats while they’re trying to have a nice evening at a bar or restaurant? Would the venues that I rely on to pay the bills invite me back? I hope that if I become popular enough as a musician that I can take bigger risks at my shows, I take those risks.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I specialize in music! I write songs, generally within what could be classified as power pop. The EP I released in September 2024, Sweet Completeness, is heavily inspired by power pop bands such as Gin Blossoms, Big Star, and Teenage Fanclub. The producer I worked with, Mark Poole of Zone 8 Recording in Granville, WV, specializes in power pop and let me play his extra jangly guitars through extra jangly settings. I even got it mastered by Kevin Nix of Ardent Studios in Memphis, TN to really give it that power pop sheen! (Big Star and Gin Blossoms have been mastered at Ardent). The EP is available for streaming on all major streaming platforms, and can be purchased on CD at my shows and at Sweet Repeat Records in Gettysburg!
I also have a large repertoire of covers, coming from the fact I listen to a wide variety of music, from Todd Rundgren, to early Genesis, to Taylor Swift, to Kendrick Lamar and SZA. This comes in handy with 176ers Dueling Pianos, an all-request Dueling Pianos show I play with my friend Dr. Nyce. That is probably what I am most popular for right now around Central PA and Morgantown, WV.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Go to other shows by local musicians! You will meet great people, pick up tips for your own performances, and find venues that you might like to play at yourself. Don’t make it brazenly about networking though! The networking will happen naturally as you make musical friends that will inspire you. You may also simply have a really good time- I’ve thought that many local musicians are putting on shows on-par with famous musicians!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musicwithcagan/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/musicwithcagan
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3SAQj879VGVDEPiQLUvA7Z
