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 also performs internationally as part of 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. Presently, she teaches harp, hammered dulcimer, piano, and tin whistle. 

Jim Ofsthun

bodhrán, vocals, whistles, mandolin, button accordion

Jim is an original member of Willowgreen, and a talented vocalist and instrumentalist with international performances on Irish bodhrán, guitar, button accordion, and whistles. He is also a member of 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

Liesel is a recent addition to Willowgreen, and a lifelong lover of its music.  Having been playing fiddle/violin for most of her life, she began playing Chinese erhu during her Chinese language studies in high school and college.  She specializes in singing in languages besides English, including Mandarin Chinese, Gàidhlig, Irish, Early Scots, Russian, Spanish, and Welsh.  She has performed throughout the U.S. and Scotland as a member of Eira, and a former member of Blue Canvas Orchestra and Chance Ensemble.   

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.