Band Bio
Willowgreen performs traditional, contemporary and original music from Ireland, Newfoundland, Scotland, Canada, U.S.A. and the rest of the Celtic music world. Their signature vocal style combined with instrumentation including harp, hammered dulcimer, bodhrán, guitars, button accordion, whistles and mandolin appeals to audiences of all ages.
Sue Spencer
six & twelve-string guitars, vocals, button accordion
Sue is a founding member of Willowgreen. She grew up singing Newfoundland and Irish folk songs with her family, and comes by her Irish roots through Newfoundland. Her driving guitar style and signature smile will lift your spirits. Sue has been nominated multiple times for the Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council Hall of Honour Award. She has been performing annually with the Oireachtas Show on the Gaeltacht Stage at Irish Fest in Milwaukee. She also performs internationally as part of Celtic/World Music band Eira.
Georganne Hunter
Gaelic harp, whistle
Georganne is a founding member of Willowgreen. She has a B.A. in organ, but fell in love with the Gaelic harp after hearing one at the Renaissance Faire in California. Her love of Celtic music comes from her great grandmother, who immigrated to the U.S. from Shetland as a singer with a Chautauqua group. She has studied harp in Scotland and Ireland and performed at venues from Newfoundland to California. She has also taught harp, hammered dulcimer, piano, and tin whistle. For more information about her life story, please see her memorial website at https://www.huntermusic.com/
Jim Ofsthun
bodhrán, vocals, octave mandolin, whistles, mandolin, button accordion
Jim is an original member of Willowgreen, and a talented vocalist and instrumentalist with international performances on Irish bodhrán, octave mandolin, button accordion, and whistles. He is also a member of Celtic/World Music band Eira. He has family connections to the music through Ireland and Newfoundland, and is considered one of the top producers in Irish music in the Midwest.
Mary Lou Williams
vocals, bodhrán
Mary Lou is an original member of Willowgreen. She comes from a musical family with Welsh roots, and has performed as a vocalist for many years in various groups throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin, besides performing internationally as a member of Willowgreen. She also sings in a number of shows at Big Top Chautauqua, and is a sought-after jazz vocalist.
Wendy Nelson
hammered dulcimer
Wendy is an original member of Willowgreen. She grew up listening to her family's Newfoundland and Irish music. Wendy has taught Irish dance in Duluth, MN, and she choreographed and danced for the hit comedy show, "Riverpants" at Big Top Chautauqua. She plays a Cloud Nine hammered dulcimer.
Liesel Wilson
fiddle, vocals, octave fiddle
Liesel is a recent addition to Willowgreen, and a lifelong lover of its music. She specializes in singing in languages besides English, including Mandarin Chinese, Gàidhlig, Irish, Early Scots, Spanish, and Welsh. She has performed throughout the U.S. and Scotland as a member of Eira, and a former member of the Blue Canvas Orchestra and Chance Ensemble. She was recently featured as a co-producer on Willowgreen's newest album.
Bridget Spencer
fiddle, octave fiddle
Bridget is a recent addition to Willowgreen. She grew up singing her family's Newfoundland and Irish music. She also is a member of Eira, and has performed at various festivals on the fiddle and octave fiddle.