Kate Gregory and Brendan Hearn form an innovative duo that brings together American Old Time, Irish, and other folk music traditions on fiddle and cello. Kate (fiddle) and Brendan (cello) formed their friendship and musical connection at fiddle camps on the West and East coasts of the US and as members of the Ministry of Folk team. They combine their backgrounds from multiple musical styles and shared appreciation for melody and groove to create rhythmic arrangements of traditional and original tunes and songs. The tunes they play and write live both in the rich and multi-continental history and in the imaginative future of traditional music. The duo had their debut performance in January of 2023 at the Boston Celtic Music Festival. 

Kate Gregory grew up in Colorado where she played classical violin for years before beginning Irish fiddle lessons when she was in college and falling in love with traditional music. Through attending many sessions, jams, and fiddle camps over the years, she has honed a creative and rhythmic style informed by many types of traditional music, including Irish, Scottish, Old Time, and Swedish. She moved to Portland in 2021 and since then has collaborated with many members of the Portland traditional music community and beyond, including with the Irish band Kate and the Lads and with local multi-instrumentalist Baron Collins-Hill. Kate recently completed a Master’s degree in Geography from Portland State University and is currently teaching fiddle and playing music around the PNW.

Brendan Hearn is from Maryland where he grew up playing both classical and traditional music on the cello. Following in the footsteps of great folk cellists like Natalie Haas, Rushad Eggleston, Eric Wright, Tristan Clarridge, Mike Block, and so many others, Brendan found his own voice and developed his personal “chop” technique. He has performed with dozens of groups across the United States as a freelance cellist, and specializes in tunes and accompaniment of different folk genres. In 2022, his Old Time project Hemlock and Hickory with fiddle player Dakota Karper was awarded first place in the Neo-Traditional Band competition at the Appalachian String Band Music Festival (Clifftop). He currently lives in Brooklyn, NY, and travels up and down the East Coast (and now the West Coast) for gigs, recording projects, and workshops.