Presented By

NTIF 2011 Urchin Street Performers

Caitlin Hale Daniels

Caitlin is the 2010 recipient of the Southwest Celtic Music Association's Byron D. Cameron Music Scholarship. Over the past year, she has been awarded 1st place for vocals/overall music in numerous countrywide Irish competitions, performed as a solo artist in the Dallas City Arts Festival and also the Fort Worth Cowtown Celtic Festival, played "Louisa" in Casa Manana's Broadway production of "The Sound of Music".

She has also played "Belinda Cratchit" in Dallas Theater Center's "A Christmas Carol" and competed in the preliminary champion level in Irish dance. She has also recently toured Asia as "Brigitta" in the Broadway Asia production of "The Sound of Music".

She is currently a student of The Emerald School of Dance and aspires to be a future member of the vocal group "Celtic Woman".

Calamity Holler'

You have traveled thru another dimension, followed sight and sound with Calamity Road. It's led you to your final destination! There's the signpost up ahead! You've just crossed over to Calamity Holler'! Returning to North Texas Irish Festival, a disruption of of the very fabric of reason is set to occur. The band Calamity Holler' will assail your senses with a program ranging from Celtic Ballads to Appalachian Folk Songs to Country Tinged Rockabilly! We invite you to stop, listen, clap your hands and stomp them feet with us before sanity returns you to the mundane.

Who is Calamity Holler'? Vince Cole: Guitar, Banjo and, ahem, vocals. Maggie Drennon: Fiddle and Vocals Jen Harrison: Dog House Bass, Gutbucket Bass, Vocals . Rogan Muldoon: 12 String Guitar and Vocals

Y'ALL COME ON DOWN NOW...HEAR!

Don Gabbert

Don Gabbert has been called "The Voice of the West Texas Celts". A singer and songwriter he has shared the songs and stories of Ireland, Scotland and Texas across the Southwest.

As a proud first generation Irish-Texan Don entertains young and old alike with his very personal perspective on the Irish in Texas.Don currently lives in Lubbock, Texas where his wife Wrennah is on the faculty at Texas Tech School of Nursing. Join in with Don as he cheers, "Tejas Go Bragh"!

Flashpoint

Flashpoint is one of the newest additions to the Irish music scene in the North Texas area. Playing traditional and contemporary Irish music, Flashpoint is comprised of three of the area’s finest young musicians: Joseph Carmichael, David Mehalko and Daniel Mehalko. Between them they play a wide selection of instruments, including fiddle, flute, whistle, guitar, mandolin, banjo, and bodhran, plus the occasional vocal thrown in from time to time. Their aim with their music is to create interesting performances with a variety of sounds and styles that is appealing to general audiences yet still true to the tradition of Irish music.

Gordon McLeod of acclaimed Celtic band Beyond the Pale said about Flashpoint: "The music this group played had a style and feel that was very authentic as well as pleasant and full of life. This was no stale imitation, these kids have really learned to play Irish music. I was unprepared for the level of musical excellence I heard from them."

Gary Whitaker

Master Storyteller, Gary Whitaker, has been performing since 1997. He is noted for being a creative and enthusiastic teller of Irish and Scottish folk tales. He loves to bring these ancient tales to life with dramatic flair. The Storyman has performed a variety of programs all over Texas in schools, libraries and at festivals. For more information visit his website at www.storymantales.com or visit his fan facebook site registered under Gary Whitaker / The Storyman.

"Give people a fact or an idea and you enlighten their minds; tell them a story and you touch their souls."

Hazel Sandlin

Willow was born on a Midsummer night under a young and tender foxglove plant. Originally from Tir Na Nog ( The Land of Eternal Youth). Willow is of course an Irish fairy! Her true Irish name is Etain, the daughter of Ailill the King of Uaid. She chose the name Willow when she began her travels.

Before leaving her father bestowed upon her three gifts. The first being song, that she may carry the songs of Erin in her heart and share them with children young and old. The second is story weaving, so she may instill, love, generosity, courage, and compassion with all who are wise enough to listen. The third and final gift the most important gift of all, is the ability to bring smiles to the faces of the children she encounters. For it has been said that everytime a child smiles a fairy is born.

Hazel holds a masters degree in Early childhood development, with a minor in music education. She is a former schoolteacher, a member of the Dallas storytelling guild and a member of the Board of Trustees of the Southwest Celtic Music Association.

Heirloom

From traditional English, Irish and American based folk tunes to flowing airs, waltzes and hymns to foot stomping reels, Heirloom, the duo featuring Keith and Lauren Plaskonos, performs beautifully on Hammer Dulcimer, an ancient Persian instrument that sounds like a magical blend of harp and piano. Keith Plaskonos is the 1991 Texas State Champion on this instrument.

Lauren is the 2004 Oklahoma Champion, the 2006 Texas State Champion and both have competed nationally. Their CD - "Heirloom, Music From a Simpler Time" - features an eclectic collection of English, Irish and traditional American, classical and contemporary tunes. Accompanying the dulcimer are haunting and lively vocals, guitar, violin, penny whistle, bodhran and tambourine. Venues have included the Smithsonian, the North Texas Irish Festival, the Norman Medieval Faire, Six Flags and regular appearances at the North Texas Dulcimer Festival.

"music for the soul", "accomplished musicians. Their music is delightfully arranged and performed" The Lone Star State Dulcimer Society.

Jane McDaniel

Born 1945 in Limerick, Ireland, Jane started to write and retell stories at an early age thanks in part to a rich family storytelling tradition. I lived to a certain extent between two cultures, as her father was English and a staunch Protestant and her mother was from Belfast, and Catholic. She attended schools in Limerick and university in Germany, and worked in Germany as a business print journalist and radio news reporter for 26 years before moving to the USA in 1993.

She first told stories to a larger public while hosting annual St. Patrick’s Day specials for AFN Forces Radio Network in Frankfurt, Germany and was a featured Rising Star at the Texas State Storytelling Festival in Denton in 2002. She held the title of US National Irish Storytelling Champion for four years, and was voted The Biggest Irish Liar in Texas in 2006.

She telsl at Folklife Festivals in San Antonio, Corpus Christi, Natchitoches, the North Texas Irish Festival and at the Milwaukee WI. Irish Fest. In addition sheI tells at elementary and middle schools, libraries, retirement homes, social clubs, corporate events, vineyards, and at Adult Education classes. She also tells a range of international wonder tales, participatory tales and riddle stories specifically for children.

Killavil

Killavil is a group of three musicians with an unwavering dedication to Traditional Irish Music. Killavil’s roots are in Dallas, Texas, where they began their pursuit of irish music with the Trinity Hall Session Players. They have performed at festivals, clubs, and pubs, across the United States, England, and Ireland.

The band consists of Michael Stribling on the uilleann pipes, tin whistle, and flute, Rachel Stribling on the fiddle, and Daniel Stribling on bouzouki, bodhran, and keyboard. Killavil focuses on traditional music originating from the Galway and East Clare regions of Ireland. Michael and Daniel both placed at the 2010 All-Ireland Fleadh Cheoil and Michael is a current uilleann piping champion.

Linda King

Join singer/songwriter Linda King on a magical, musical journey as she sings songs of the high seas, adventuring saints, waltzing bears and other whimsical creatures. Linda performs in a variety of genres, but is best known in this area as the founder of the former celtic folk band Amberhawke.

Her music spans a range of time periods and she has been a regular on Urchin Street since 1992. Linda’s blend of music and story has captured audiences young and old in venues as diverse as schools, faires, libraries and festivals from Texas to California and she looks forward your joining her in her musical travels this year at NTIF.

Maggie Drennon

Maggie Drennon is a premiere voice in Celtic singing, a long standing influence in modern folk music. She has toured Ireland with the renowned Furey Brothers, and a noted collector and historian of Celtic songs. She was a member of Ceili's Muse traditional Celtic from 1989 to 1997.

She then co-founded the Celtic rock band SixMileBridge in 1997, touring constantly and rocking festivals nationwide. With a performance that is meaningful yet lighthearted, she is deeply devoted to sharing these traditions with American audiences. Maggie blends Gaelic poetry, original songs, and a romantic style on violin. Most importantly she brings us the soaring voice that will inspire your heart!

October Country

2011 marks the 10th anniversary of October Country. The band, which plays Irish & Scot ballads, classic and Celtic-influenced folk, and filk, consists of Casey Sledge on vocals and rhythm guitar and Shaddow Walter on lead guitar and sound. October Country has played all over the Metroplex, including the inaugural Cowtown Celtic Festival, Dunn Brothers Coffee, the annual FenCon coventions, and Plaza Pub; and were honored in 2010 as Interfilk guests at the Seattle music convention Conflikt 3. They are very pleased to be back at NTIF, joining all their friends on the Urchin Street Stage.

Peg Loyd and John Burleson

John Burleson and Peg Roach Loyd were accidentally paired by Don Penzien at the 2006 CelticFest in Jackson, Ms. The two combined for an impromptu set, got rave reviews and a duo was born. They’ve continued to perform annually at CelticFest ever since. From Burleson’s gift for storytelling to Loyd’s gifted voice for storytelling through songs, they add uplifting tunes on whistle and jazzy rhythms on guitar and bodhrán, making for a lively duo. Burleson’s storytelling CD, The Winding Way, includes "A Circle of Stones" and other Celtic stories.

Loyd, an award-winning songwriter ("The Fiddler’s Feet"; "The Forgotten Ten" and "'Til Night Became Day") and bodhran player from the Midwest Fleadh (2008, 2009 & 2010), has competed at the All-Ireland the last three years. Loyd has published a CD, Carving in Stone (2008), and is a co-author of The Gratitude Book Project – Celebrating 365 Days of Gratitude (2010).

Rickey Pittman

Rickey E. Pittman, storyteller, author, and folksinger was the Grand Prize Winner of the 1998 Ernest Hemingway Short Story Competition, and is originally from Dallas, Texas. Pittman presents his stories, music and programs at schools, libraries, organizations, museums, Civil War Reenactments, and Celtic festivals throughout the South. His first CD of songs from the American Civil War will be produced this fall. In addition to the guitar, he plays mandolin and has just picked up the harp, which he will incorporate into his storytelling in the true tradition of the bard. He is the author of several books including the Scottish Alphabet, a children's picture book.

Pittman is a certified Secondary Gifted English teacher and currently teaches freshman composition for Louisiana Delta Community College, the University of Louisiana at Monroe and Virginia College Online.

Sarah Dinan

Music that is fun, family friendly and anything but boring! Sarah is a seasoned Celtic/Folk musician and she brings her critically acclaimed voice and love of storytelling to music for children and the adults who love them. In her children's shows, Sarah draws from her experiences as an educator, musician, performer and camp counselor to create an engaging, entertaining program the entire family can enjoy.

Her interactive shows feature songs and stories to get bodies moving and help little ones learn about their world. They include a variety of folk, traditional Celtic, silly story, call and response, sing along and original songs. Children are encouraged to dance and sing as the music inspires them. Sarah is joined by Alexis Buffum on fiddle, Dana Martin on guitar and Nick Mitchell on drums and percussion. She and her band are a tour de force that performs a diverse repertoire of songs and tunes from around the globe.