New scholarship in memory of musician and “Pokémon” voice actor James Carter Cathcart benefits Interlochen Arts Academy students
Cathcart, who studied piano at Interlochen, leaves behind a legacy of creativity, connection, and deep generosity.
The impact of arts education extends far beyond the classroom, shaping lives and careers in ways that ripple across generations. James (“Jimmy”) Carter Cathcart (IAA 68-71) passed away on July 8, 2025, leaving behind friends, family, and devoted fans worldwide. Cathcart lived an immensely creative life as a musician, songwriter, and voice actor who worked with numerous bands and lent his voice to globally-known shows like Pokémon. He leaves a legacy that will support generations of young artists and commemorate the essential role that arts education played throughout his life.
Cathcart’s connection to Interlochen began when he attended Arts Academy for four years. A talented pianist, Cathcart received the Young Artist Award and won the concerto competition as a senior. Post-Academy, Cathcart explored the worlds of jazz, rock, and pop. He worked with the bands New Heavenly Blue and Sky King; he also collaborated with “cool jazz” pioneer Dave Brubeck. In the mid-1970s, Cathcart moved to New York, where he became a founding member of The Laughing Dogs.
Cathcart greatly enjoyed songwriting and arranging. He was the principal writer for the original Hello Kitty theme song, the John Tesh/James Ingram song “Give Me Forever (I Do)”, and many original pieces. A foray into voice acting led to long-lasting, memorable roles in the original Pokémon series—including “Gary Oak,” “Vector the Crocodile,” and “Meowth,” which made him recognizable to a worldwide audience.
James Carter Cathcart stands with his wife Martha S. Jacobi at an Interlochen Arts Academy 50-year reunion in 2022.
Beyond his artistic career, Cathcart deeply valued the personal connections he made, especially with his wife Martha S. Jacobi (NMC 64-70; IAA 71-73; IAC St 72, 74-77), who is an ordained minister, liturgical dancer, and therapist. The duo met through Jacobi’s brother, whose time at Arts Academy overlapped with Cathcart’s. Jacobi and Cathcart bonded over their mutual love for the arts—a passion that had alienated them from their peers until they came to Interlochen. A reconnection in 2009 led to marriage the following year. During Cathcart’s final illness in the spring of 2025, the couple decided to create an annual scholarship for Arts Academy students.
"As students, Jimmy and I both sensed what research now consistently documents, that involvement in the arts, and arts education in particular, saves lives,” says Jacobi. “In walking through Jimmy’s final illness and beyond, I cannot overstate the support of the life-long bonds of friendship, artistic engagement, and life appreciation that emerged from our Interlochen experiences. We realized that we wanted to support the ability of future generations of young people to receive all that Interlochen has to offer: excellence in arts and academic education, support for their development into young adulthood, and a global network of alumni among whom their life-journeys continue…"
The James Carter Cathcart & Martha S. Jacobi Scholarship will support students at Interlochen Arts Academy studying piano (classical or jazz) and/or dance. Since Jacobi has included Interlochen in her estate plans, the scholarship will eventually become endowed and will be granted in perpetuity.
Scholarships like this one are an essential means for talented young artists to access the power of arts education at Interlochen. This past year, 84% of Arts Academy students received financial aid totaling $18.1 million. While impressive, that number still falls short of meeting the full demonstrated financial need of all admitted students.
Donors like Cathcart and Jacobi are playing essential roles in closing that gap, ushering Interlochen into the organization’s centennial year with more access than ever for the students who need it most. The couple’s generosity ensures that future artists will have the same life-changing opportunities they experienced at Interlochen. If you have been touched by the transformative power of arts education, consider joining them in supporting the next generation of young artists. Your gift, of any size, helps talented students access the education that could shape their entire lives.