A longtime veteran of the North American music scene, David Wilkie is the founder of Cowboy Celtic. The Turner Valley, Alberta, mandolinist has been called an elder statesman of Alberta music, and has compiled an impressive list of noteworthy artistic achievements while building his varied career as musician and band leader, songwriter, record producer and broadcaster.

            While working on various musical projects over the last ten years, David Wilkie has devoted time to one of his favourite passions –the seeking out of Celtic origins of traditional cowboy music. The result has been the release of three highly successful Cowboy Celtic CDs, The Drover Road (2001), Cowboy Ceilidh (1997) and Cowboy Celtic (1995). The ‘Celtic and cowboy’ musical marriage on these recordings has struck a chord with music lovers on both sides of the ocean. As one reviewer put it, “This is more than music. It’s theatre and imagery and history and storytelling and more, all wrapped up in sagebrush and tartan.”

            Cowboy Celtic has toured Scotland three times, and has played in the U.S. in Tennessee, Missouri, Oklahoma (National Cowboy Hall of Fame), Kansas, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, California (J. Paul Getty Museum and Gene Autry Museum, LA), Oregon and Montana.

            David Wilkie’s experience in the music business includes six years as music director and radio programmer for a 50,000 watt radio station in Alberta, where he gained valuable radio programming experience. When he left radio to play music full time, he hooked up with Canadian legend Ian Tyson for four years of concert dates and recordings. In 1985, he formed The Great Western Orchestra (GWO) and produced three albums, one released on the Sony label (formerly CBS), and the following two independently released on Wilkie’s own label, Centerfire Music.

            Wilkie has produced several albums for other artists, both in Canada and the U.S., and has composed the musical scores for numerous short films and documentaries. He recently played mandolin and mandocello on Maria Muldaur’s Granny-nominated CD Richland Woman. With his songwriting talents and sense of humour, he became a favourite of national CBC radio fans several years ago, regularly composing amusing songs on current events for various national radio programs. His latest song covered the 2002 Winter Olympics in Utah. Wilkie is better known and respected as a serious song writer, and his songs “Wind in the Wire” and “Cowboy Boogie,” co-written with GWO partner Stewart MacDougall, were recorded by Randy Travis on the Warner Western record label. Travis also featured the GWO’s music on his ABC TV special “Wind in the Wire,” and an animated film of the GWO song “Cactus Swing” was produced by Canada's prestigious National Film Board. The group also performed to sold-out audiences with the world renowned Edmonton Symphony Orchestra.

            In addition to his three Cowboy Celtic CDs and his three Great Western Orchestra CDs, Wilkie has two solo albums to his credit and an acclaimed release with the Cold Club (an off-the-wall group that also includes renowned blues guitarist Amos Garrett, jazz violinist Karl Roth and Chilean guitar wizard Oscar Lopez).

            David Wilkie has toured in China, Hong Kong, Macau, Indonesia, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, England, Ireland, Scotland and all over the United States and Canada.

One of our most innovative and creative musicians, Wilkie has had his hand in more important acoustic and/or country projects than perhaps any other musician in Alberta's musical history.

Peter North, The Edmonton Sun

Discography:

      Cowboy Celtic:

              The Saloon Sessions, 2005, Centerfire Music

             The Drover Road, 2001, Centerfire Music/Shanachie & Western Jubilee Recording Company

              Cowboy Ceilidh, 1997, Centerfire Music/Red House Records

              Cowboy Celtic, 1995, Centerfire Music/Red House Records

              The Cold Club: The Cold Club, 1994, Cold Club Records

      The Great Western Orchestra:

              Buffalo Ground, 1993, Centerfire Music

              Wind in the Wire, 1991, Centerfire Music

              The Great Western Orchestra, 1988, Sony Music/Centerfire Music (nominated for Juno award)

      David Wilkie:

            Shoebox, 1991, Centerfire Music

            The Mandoline Kid, 1981, Boot Records

Other Albums Featuring David Wilkie

Katy Moffatt Cowboy Girl Produced by David Wilkie		Maria Muldaur Richland Woman Blues		Amos Garrett Acoustic Album		Wind in the Wire		The Stoned Masons

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            Denise Withnell started playing guitar with Cowboy Celtic in 1996, and her vocals can be heard on the most recent Drover Road CD and on the previous CD, Cowboy Ceilidh. Born in Alberta into a musical family, Denise studied classical piano all through her school years, and taught herself how to play the guitar. Her love for Celtic music and songs comes naturally, as her mother, whose roots are Irish, and her Scottish-born grandmother taught her and her siblings traditional Scottish and Irish songs and rhymes as they were growing up. As for the interest in cowboy music, Denise was raised in cattle ranching, farming and rodeo country for a start, but she says it is really David Wilkie’s passion for the music and history of ‘things musical, cowboy, Celtic and cattle-related’ that have inspired her interest most.

            Denise speaks fluent French, and while obtaining her BA from the University of Alberta, she sang alto with the French Chorale du Collège St-Jean (at U. of A.’s French faculty). She also danced with La Girondole, a French-Canadian traditional ‘giguing’ group that performed all over the province. Denise performed traditional French-Canadian music and dance at the Canadian Pavilion at Expo ’88 in Brisbane, Australia, and Expo ’92 in Sevilla, Spain.

            Denise has been singing at events since she was five years old, and played in several bands and folk duos in Edmonton and Calgary before deciding to study jazz at Grant McEwan College in Edmonton. In 1989, she obtained a diploma in jazz music, specializing in vocal studies. She has sung harmony vocals on several recordings for other artists, and is currently working on her first solo CD, with David Wilkie as producer. The recording will feature mostly western swing and cowgirl music, and maybe a French song or two.

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            Keri Lynn Zwicker is the band’s Celtic harpist and is from Edmonton, Alberta. A talented and versatile player, Keri Lynn graduated from the University of Alberta in 1997 with a Bachelor of Music degree with distinction. She joined Cowboy Celtic in October 1998, and has travelled with the group to festivals and concert halls all across the western United States and to Scotland. A consummate professional, she is a favourite feature at Cowboy Celtic performances.

            Keri Lynn’s musical schedule also includes classical and Celtic performances. She has played principal harp several times with the Edmonton, Regina and Saskatoon symphony orchestras, and has performed full-length chamber music concerts with a flautist. She is also an accomplished Gaelic-style singer who accompanies herself on the Celtic harp. Her solo CD, independently released and entitled The Devil's Mill, showcases well her exceptional playing and singing. Keri’s harp playing is also prominently featured on Cowboy Celtic’s Drover Road CD.

            Keri Lynn recently completed her Masters of Arts in Music at the University of Alberta, with a focus in Ethnomusicology. When not playing classical or Celtic music, or touring with Cowboy Celtic, she instructs harp at Alberta College’s Conservatory of Music.

Discography:

            The Devil’s Mill, 1996, independent.

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Joe Hertz lives in Nanton, Alberta. He has been playing fiddle with the group for nearly six years, and is the newest member of Cowboy Celtic. Joe is also a closet (and word has it, accomplished) mandolin player.

            Joe has been playing the fiddle for 20 years, starting at the tender age of four. His repertoire includes classical, eastern European, Irish traditional and, of course, cowboy. Joe was a member of the Calgary-based youth group, the Calgary Fiddlers, for several years before striking out on his own to help form the musical group Fiddlers GF. This group evolved into two groups, Barrage and Clanterra. Joe played an important role in the formation and sound of all three groups, and recorded Waiting for the Wicker Man with Clanterra.

            Joe and his fiddle are in constant high demand, and he plays with several groups locally and internationally when he is not engaged with Cowboy Celtic. His first solo CD is in the planning stages, and he hopes to release it by mid-2003. The recording studio is no stranger to Joe, as he has recorded on four Calgary Fiddlers albums, the Fiddlers GF album Imprint, Cowboy Celtic’s The Drover Road, Fiddlestix CD Fiddlestix, Barry Hertz’ Sure Cure, and Scott Ring’s My Own Rocky Coast.

Discography:

            Waiting for the Wicker Man, 1999, independent by Clanterra  

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