Charlotte Caffey

Charlotte Irene Caffey (born October 21, 1953) is an American guitarist and keyboardist, best known for her work in the rock band the Go-Go's in the 1980s, including writing "We Got the Beat".

Career Caffey began her musical career playing bass guitar in the early Los Angeles punk band The Eyes before joining the Go-Go's in 1978 and switching to guitar. She remained friends with fellow band member Belinda Carlisle after the initial breakup of the Go-Go's and wrote songs for Carlisle's solo albums.

From 1988 until 1992, she led her own band, The Graces, with Meredith Brooks and Gia Ciambotti, who released the album Perfect View in 1989. Caffey also co-wrote the theme song to the television series Clueless with Anna Waronker, and played piano on the album version of "Foolish Games" by Jewel, as well as co-writing the No. 1 U.S. country hit "But for the Grace of God" with Keith Urban.

The Go-Go's announced an 11-date reunion tour scheduled to begin in June 2020; however, in May 2020 the tour was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In May 2021 it was announced that The Go-Go's would be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The band confirmed plans for a 2022 UK tour with Billy Idol that would start in June 2022. The band was forced to postpone a short West Coast tour scheduled for the first week of January 2022 due to a COVID-19 case involving someone on the tour.

Personal life Charlotte Caffey grew up in Glendale, California, she studied classical piano and was a trained musician before joining the Go-Go's. She played piano from the age of 4 and went on to study music at Immaculate Heart College in Los Angeles, graduating with a music degree in 1975.

She is also in Ze Malibu Kids with her husband, the Redd Kross singer and guitarist Jeff McDonald. Their only child, a daughter named Astrid McDonald, was born in 1995 and is a singer and model.

She was the fourth of twelve children born to Ann (née Gorey) and Michael Caffey (died 2017), an American director of network television series.

Caffey semi-retired from regular performances in the late 1980s because of crippling carpal tunnel syndrome.

Discography

With The Eyes 1978: Don't Talk To Me [Single] (What Records?) - bass

With The Go-Go's 1981: Beauty and the Beat (IRS) 1982: Vacation (I.R.S.) 1984: Talk Show (I.R.S.) 2001: God Bless The Go-Go's (Beyond Music)

With The Graces 1989: Perfect View (A&M)

Also appears on 1980: The Specials – More Specials (2 Tone) – backing vocals 1982: Robert Williams – Late One Night (A&M) – vocals on track 8, "Gotta Be Nice" 1986: Belinda Carlisle – Belinda (I.R.S.) – vocals, guitar 1988: Blake Xolton – Cool on My Skin (New Rose) – vocals 1995: Jewel – Pieces of You (Atlantic) – arranger, piano 1998: Penelope Houston – Tongue (Reprise) – guitar, vocals on track 2, "Tongue"