Gordon's deep, rich voice and exquisite 6- and 12-string guitar playing have made him an established icon of New England folk and sea music for many years. He has produced numerous recordings, performed all over the country, and has a warm, supportive approach to teaching that makes him a treasured addition to the Meadowlark staff.
Jerry was born and raised in coastal Maine, though he's now an "Outah Staytah" based in Massachusetts. Jerry is a recognized authority on traditional music of the sea, and has appeared on numerous stages across the country. He sings and plays guitar, concertina, bones, tinwhistle, ukulele, banjo, and accordion, and he writes great songs. Some of his tall tales are even funny (well, sort of).
Camden resident, former folk music radio host, and noted recording artist Anne Dodson excels at bringing out the creativity and musicality in people. She plays guitar and mountain dulcimer and has a lovely, resonant voice that can give you chills. She has performed nation-wide in original, contemporary, and traditional genres, both solo and with the group Different Shoes, Matt Szostak, and other Maine folk stars.
Ron has played dance music on the fiddle for over 20 years with contradance bands including the influential group, Swallowtail, and the new Moving Violations. Based in Massachusetts, in the heart of contradance country, he also plays mandolin, flute, and other instruments. He's taught at several camps, and has numerous recordings under his belt. He particularly enjoys improvising and helping mold the energy that happens between the dancers and the music. According to Ron, "It's like making a sand castle at the beach with a talented and creative group of friends; delightful while it lasts, and washed away with the next tide, with nothing to clean up!"
Kary studied classical music at Crane School of Music, but her interests are wide-ranging, encompassing folk, blues, and celtic traditions. In addition to tinwhistle, she plays guitar, bass, keyboards, french horn, and more, and is a talented and supportive teacher. She lives in the Adirondacks of upstate New York.
Lorinda is a multi-instrumentalist who teaches and performs Appalachian and Celtic traditional music on both the mountain dulcimer and Celtic harp. Lorinda is also a part time instructor at the University of Louisville, KY, teaching the music therapy practicum courses, runs a private practice in music therapy, and also plays oboe, tinwhistle, autoharp, and guitar. She has presented popular music workshops in diverse venues ranging from grade schools to Augusta Heritage Center, performs widely, has produced five recordings, and has published several instructional books on mountain dulcimer.
Mid-coast Maine resident Cindy Kallet is a prominent figure in the world of folk music. Her Folk Legacy recordings, full of memorable original and traditional songs, are folk classics. A superb fingerstyle guitarist, Cindy is also a renowned singer and songwriter with a long list of performance credits including an appearance on A Prairie Home Companion, and an engaging, playful, supportive, energetic teaching style that draws the best out of all who meet her.
A renowned hammered dulcimer star (who also taught himself fiddle and is a epidemiologist on the side), Ken has written, recorded and toured widely with the trio Helicon, and has also launched a successful solo career on an instrument that is not often heard performed or recorded on its own. His vast teaching experience includes many stints at the Swannanoa Gathering, John Campbell, Common Ground, and numerous festivals.
A world-renowned musician of many talents and accomplishments, Grey performs, records, composes, teaches, publishes, and produces, a virtual Renaissance Man of music. He plays numerous instruments, including fiddle and tinwhistle, but he is perhaps best known as one of the world's foremost players and "promoters" of the Irish flute; his recordings are widely considered to be classics in the field.
A musical ambassador for the Adirondack Mountain region of upstate New York, Peggy is a prolific songwriter and recording artist who artfully blends personal life experiences with American folk and blues traditions. She is particularly known for her musical portrayals of Adirondack women and her nature-oriented kid songs.
Fiddler, teacher, and theater artist Rachel Maloney's musical life has taken her from her roots in Virginia to Europe, North Carolina, and most recently to Providence, RI. Formerly with the Nee Ningy Band, she performs and teaches at the Providence Music School. Rachel's fiddle repertoire is vast, eclectic, and full of rare musical gems, and her musical energy is both prodigious and inspiring.
Keith is a superb guitarist, pianist, singer, and foot-percussionist in the Vermont-based trio Nightingale, an influential band whose recordings cover a wide range of genres from folk to celtic to French-Canadian. His childhood home, Newfoundland, also inspires much of his repertoire. Keith is a master at using guitar, feet, and keyboards to enhance and drive dance music and to turn the potentially mundane into the sublime.
Meadowlark's founder and director, Curt is an accomplished guitar player and banjoist. On guitar he is equally at home with Celtic, blues, bottle-neck, folk and classical styles; his influences range from Roy Bookbinder to Hot Tuna to Leo Kottke. His wild side shows when he picks up the banjo, however, as you will observe at The Whomp.
Richie's high-energy, deeply creative innovations on 5-string banjo, most widely known through his performances, movie sound tracks, and recordings with The Horseflies, have elevated him to the status of a "living banjo god." Firmly rooted in the traditions of southern old-time banjo music, he also brings refreshing, often surprising twists to music.
Becky records and plays world-class fiddle in the dance band, Wild Asparagus, and the trio Nightingale. With these top-flight bands, Becky has performed and/or taught at major venues, camps, and dance events all over North America and Europe. She draws inspiration from many traditional music fields including Celtic, Scandinavian, and French-Canadian.
Born in England and residing in Providence, RI, Chris Turner has wowed audiences around the world with his wizardry on the harmonica. With 20 recordings to his credit, his musical influences include blues, Celtic, classical, old-time, and improvisational styles. Chris has won the European Harmonica Championship and has played on stage with Ian Anderson, Big Boy Henry, the Rolling Stones, and the Rhode Island Philharmonic.