Kathy Wieland

By day I sit quietly at my desk and do tax returns, but at night and frequently on weekends, I can be heard singing and playing my autoharp or banjo.

I grew up in a big family and my Dad sang and played the piano. I’ve always loved to sing, so I learned many of the songs in his big “Fake Book” as a child. I sang “alto” in the church choir during my grade school and junior high years and have always loved to sing harmony.
I am pretty much self taught on both the banjo and the autoharp but have taken classes for both instruments at the Augusta Heritage Festival in Elkins, WV and have had a few private lessons with the likes of Joel Mabus and Neal Woodward.

I have taught autoharp workshops at the Michigan Dulcimer Festival in Evart, the Ann Arbor Dawn Dance, Paint Creek Folklore Society May Playday, Chestnut Ridge Dulcimer Festival in Pittsburgh and most recently the Noreast’r Festival in Mio, MI. I have also taught singing workshops at these same festivals as well as the Hiawatha Festival in Marquette, MI.
I have been on the board of the Mt. Laurel Autoharp Gathering (festival takes place in Newport, PA in June) for the past five years and have participated in the Board Members Concert for those years as well.

I had the good fortune to meet Kathy Gravlin at a guitar recital several years ago when we were both guitar students of Julie Austin. We have been singing and playing music together ever since. We started playing outside our living rooms about eight years ago and are having a BLAST!

Kathy Wieland

Kathy Gravlin

I was raised in a singing family, surrounded by music on the radio and phonograph as well as folks singing. My father performed in musicals and shows, as did his parents and brothers and sisters. Riding in the car on long trips, my parents would sing song after song with my mother singing harmony. I was introduced to folk music while a teenager and have been a life long fan of Pete Seeger and his contemporaries. In addition, I loved Motown and also fell in love with 20-40's standards through my parents singing and our family record collection.

I have performed over the years with dance bands for both couple dancing and contra dancing. In high school I was in a quintet of women, playing folk music of the late 60's and early 70'. I started playing the guitar at 12 and then set it aside for other pursuits. I rediscovered it in my 30s, and started taking lessons to learn to play that illusive swing style. It was through that swing guitar teacher that I met Kathy Wieland and we have been having a great time playing music ever since.

I discovered the ukulele back in the early 90's and along with that came many more music friends, experiences and opportunities. I played in a trio called the Contratones with two remarkable woman musicians and really started sharpening performance, harmony and singing skills. I have been welcome into many jam sessions with wonderful and generous musicians and learned those important ensemble playing skills. I especially attribute my harmony singing to working with Kathy W who has a fabulous ear and the patience of Job… Thanks to her for that and the wonderful time we are having playing music.

Kathy and I have led singing workshops, harmony workshops and I have taught very basic beginning ukulele workshops at many festivals and venues.

I love playing the ukulele, singing and making music- with Kathy and other musicians. I love swing music, folk music, gospel, a cappella singing, harmony singing, blues, swing and folk genres and enjoy it all. I am having a blast playing with Kathy W and all my musically minded friends. I thank them all for their friendship, talent, encouragement and music.

Kathy Gravlin