Happy New Year!

oh how wonderful to be heading into a brand new year!! 🎉🎶🎻

Although 2020 was far from what we expected, there were definitely highlights that made this year special! Here are a few of them..

✨ half of a St. Patrick’s Day tour back in March!

✨ Launched Patreon (!!) Released 12 episodes of the Cozy Celtic Concert series, then started the Hummingbird Sessions. 😊

✨ 2 new music videos and a new single: Wandering, and Chasing the Sun.

✨ Two big online concerts for St. Patrick’s Day and Christmas.

✨ Learned that everyone has a Hobbit name 😂

✨Started working on a new album... 🌱

We have big plans in the works for 2021 that we can’t wait to share with you all!! Everyone take care of yourselves and let’s all hope for the best in the coming year. Thank you all SO MUCH for your support this year.

We're especially grateful for all of you and the community we have here on Patreon. Cheers!

Greta, Willow, and Solana

Still, Still, Still

Merry Christmas, dear patrons.

It's been a very strange year but we are so grateful that one wonderful thing that came out of it was this community here on Patreon. So thank you for being here! We hope you have a wonderful, beautiful, magical Christmas.

Here is an old Austrian Christmas lullaby that we recorded for Falling Snow. It also happens to be the reason we called the album "Falling Snow" - because of the first verse. 

Still, Still, Still

Still, still, still,
One can hear the falling snow.
For all is hushed, the world is sleeping
holy star its vigil keeping
Still, still, still,
One can hear the falling snow.

Sleep, sleep, sleep,
It's the eve of our Savior's birth.
The night is peaceful all around you,
Close your eyes, let sleep surround you.
Sleep, sleep, sleep,
It's the eve of our Saviour's birth.

Dream, dream, dream,
Of the joyous day to come
While guardian angels without number
Watch you as you sweetly slumber
Dream, dream, dream,
Of the joyous day to come.

Dream, dream, dream,
Of the joyous day to come.

LIVE: Christmas Eve Disaster Story

Occasionally it's really fun to do a bit of live storytelling in our shows. Those who have been to many live shows (and I know we have lots of you in this group!) may have seen a few of them, including "Finn McCoul" and "the Devil Went Down to Georgia." 

But this is the one we wrote for the Christmas shows!

It's the unfortunate tale of Christmas Eve going wrong when Santa gets sick. The two elves, Zip and Zap, will just have to take over, but they think a little too much of their own ability.

This video was taken last year (2019) on the Christmas tour. We hope you enjoy this! 

I've also included the written version so you can read along in case the audio is patchy:

The Christmas Eve Disaster Story (a.k.a. Elf Skit)
ALL SING:
SANTA CLAUSE IS COMING TO TOWN

Narrator: All the elves were in the workshop, Christmas Eve was almost here - when the news came ‘round that the boss was down with a nasty bout of flu. Santa Clause, that dear old man, he’d spread himself too thin. Sick in bed with a pillow on his head, he said: “boy, I just can’t win.” But someone was needed to do his job and so he called a meeting. He would choose one elf to fly his sleigh so he could sleep that evening.

Zap: Hey Santa Clause, you’re pretty good and I know this sounds cliche, but you’re lookin’ kinda old and grey and like someone should save the day. I’m a CEO and a Top Shelf Elf and listen what I’ve got to say - I’ll take a survey and cut the pay (this place could use that anyway) with efficiency and double-speed and the help of my sidekick Zip - I’ll triple the toys for all girls and boys by this Christmas Eve.

Narrator: Well Santa sat straight up in bed and turned to him to say… “Well that’s alright and fine and good, but can you fly a sleigh?”

Zap: I’m a CEO and a Top Shelf Elf… I can learn that any day.

Narrator: So Santa smiled and looked at him and said to him, “Well, okay….”

ALL SING:
Oh you better watch out, you better not cry you better not pout I’m telling you why - Santa, he’s NOT COMING to town.
He’s very, very sorry. He wishes that he could. But now it’s up to Zip and Zap to get this stuff to you.
So they better watch out, they better be sharp, they better be smart I’m telling you why - Santa, he’s NOT COMING to town.

Narrator: Flying fast, they came at last to a land of trees and sea. Zooming through a big snowcloud Zip turned to Zap to say:

Zip: We’re doing great, keep straight ahead, don’t worry ‘bout a thing. We’ll get there just in time I think, as those kids hop into bed.

Narrator: but Zap he had much bigger plans than just that simple scheme… “That’s not fast enough!” he screamed, and with haste he went extreme! Thinking he was oh-so-clever, down came his hand on a big red lever - a latch came loose beneath the sleigh, dropping the presents to their dismay. All the gifts fell down to the sea below, and were lost… forevermore.

Narrator: “What are we gonna do now?” Zip wailed, and put his head in his hand.

Zap: There’s only one thing we can do - we’ve gotta get this sleigh to land!

DRAMATIC MUSIC

Narrator: steering the sleigh through a blanket of cloud, they landed the sleigh with a noise very LOUD, and found themselves facing this very large crowd of some people who probably expect … presents.

Zip: Well gee, these poor people…we’ve gotta give ‘em something. If Santa finds out… we’re dust! We’re nothing!

Zap: Hmmm…. these people don’t know that their gifts are all gone, how could they know that something went wrong? Listen to me little Zip and you’ll see that I am much smarter than Santa would be. Instead of a boring box under the tree, what they will get… is a violin solo. From ME!

Zap plays a terrible solo. Zip is encouraging, the Narrator can’t listen.

Zip: The noise level shows that this crowd is not pleased. They still miss those presents they should have received! I hear people these days like music to dance to - not really music, but a beat they can hop to. Try it! 1, 2, 3….

Zip and Zap are not good at playing together and it’s a train wreck.

Narrator (shaking head): but though the crowd cheered for both of the elves….

AUDIENCE CHEERS

Narrator: … they knew they had failed, in spite of themselves. That perhaps deep inside, these people know better… that there’s much more to Christmasthan just being clever.

Zip and Zap: we’re sorry that all of your presents are gone, we’ll have Santa replace them all before long.

Zip: we used our talents and we were very smart, but maybe what’s missing is a little more… heart. Santa gives of himself every year - he makes children happy, he gives adults cheer… if we could all see his worth and help with his plan, then there might finally be peace on Earth, and good will towards man.

Zap: yeah…. why, there are much worse places we could all be. Why we’re here together - and not in the sea.

Zip and Zap: all we can say, and all we can do is be glad that we’re here and that we can all say….

ALL SING WE WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS

Zip and Zap fall asleep

Narrator: all the elves were in the workshop, Christmas Eve was really here. When Zip and Zap woke up and found they’d had a big old nightmare. Santa Clause, that dear old man, he was ready to begin. In the shed and sitting in his sled, he said “boy this makes me grin!”
Beaming around at his North Pole home he decided to call a meeting. He would choose one elf to fly his sleigh and help him out that evening.

Zap: Hey Santa Clause, you’re pretty good and I know this sounds cliche, but you’re looking kind of young and great and I’ll help you in any way!

Zip and Zap: We are just little elves, with nothing much to say…

Zap: … but I’ll gladly do what I can for you, and Zip will help you, too.

Narrator: well Santa sat straight up in the sled and turned to them to say, “well that’s alright and fine and good, but will you fly the sleigh?”

Zap: oh Santa Clause, we’re just little elves, and we try our very best. But we have just one request. YOU’D better fly the sleigh.

Narrator: so Santa smiled and looked at them and said to them “well…okay.”

ALL SING:
SANTA CLAUSE IS COMING TO TOWN

Full Show: Christmas with the Gothard Sisters ONLINE

🎄 Christmas Greetings! 🎄

Hopefully you all got a chance to see this show live on our website when it first premiered. 

Now that everyone else has gotten to see it, we're adding it here to our Patreon library. This means that Patrons will have access to this full show even after Christmas - along with the others we have stored on here, including the St. Pat's show!

To see all the rest of the "full shows," click on the tag under this post that says "Full Concert."

That'll pull them all up!

Anyway, enjoy the show. And let us know - what was your favorite part of this show? Have you seen the Christmas show live? 

Vlog: Christmas Tour 2019

Wow it has been a different year, hasn't it?

This vlog follows  last years' Celtic Christmas tour with stops in Washington, Oregon and Montana. Singalongs, dance-alongs, gorgeous scenery and enthusiastic crowds. 

It's always fun to look back on a tour - and last year's Christmas tour was a blast. Plus there was lots of Christmas-y scenery along the way. 

Hope you enjoy this glimpse into our touring adventures!

Episode 005 - Hummingbird Sessions

Concert Time!

This is an extra-special Christmas edition of the Hummingbird Sessions. Featuring carols old and new and twice the amount of music and songs as a holiday treat, we hope you enjoy this Christmas Special!

Sit back, turn up the volume, sing along and enjoy!

The Hummingbird Sessions - Episode 005:

1. Winter Wonderland / Let it Snow

2. Christmas Medley: Greensleeves / Carol of the Bells / We Three Kings / Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy (from the Nutcracker)

3. I Saw Three Ships

4. Christmas Flower

5. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

6. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

7. Joy to the World

8. Jingle Bells

Once you've finished the concert, let us know what you think! Next month we'll be having fun as we begin to give you sneak peeks of some of our new songs, as well as playing favorites old and new! So write your suggestions for songs to put on the next poll down in the comments and we'll see you in 2021!

Lyrics:

Winter Wonderland (Richard B. Smith / Arr. Gothard Sisters) / Let it Snow (Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne)

Sleigh bells ring are you listening?
In the lane snow is glistening
A beautiful sight we're happy tonight
Walkin' in a winter wonderland

Gone away is the bluebird
Here to stay is the new bird
He sings a love song, as we go along
Walkin' in a winter wonderland

In the meadow we an build a snowman
Then pretend that he is Parson Brown
He'll say 'are you married' we'll say 'no man,'
'But you can do the job when you're in town'

Later on we'll conspire
as we dream by the fire
To face unafraid the plans that we've made
Walkin' in a winter wonderland

Oh the weather outside is frightful
But the fire is so delightful
And since we've no place to go
Let it snow let it snow let it snow

And since we've no place to go
Let it snow let it snow let it snow

Sleigh bells ring are you listening?
In the lane snow is glistening
A beautiful sight, we're happy tonight
Walkin' in a winter wonderland

A beautiful sight, we're happy tonight
Walkin' in a winter wonderland
Walkin.....walkin' in a winter wonderland

I Saw Three Ships (traditional / arr. Gothard Sisters)

I saw three ships come sailing in
on Christmas day on Christmas day
I saw three ships come sailing in
on Christmas day in the morning

They sailed into Bethlehem
on Christmas day on Christmas day
sailed into Bethlehem
on Christmas day in the morning

And all the bells on earth shall ring
on Christmas day on Christmas day
all the bells on earth shall ring
on Christmas day in the morning 

And all the souls on earth shall sing
on Christmas day on Christmas day
all the souls on earth shall sing
on Christmas day in the morning

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (Traditional / arr. Gothard Sisters)

Hark the herald angels sing, glory to the newborn king
Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled
Joyful all ye nations rise, join the triumph of the skies
With angelic host proclaim Christ is born in Bethlehem
Hark the herald angels sing, glory to the newborn king

Hark the herald angels sing, glory to the newborn king
Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled
Joyful all ye nations rise, join the triumph of the skies
With angelic host proclaim Christ is born in Bethlehem
Hark the herald angels sing, glory to the newborn king

Hail that heaven-born prince of peace, hail that son of righteousness
Light and life to all he brings, risen with healing in his wings
Mild he lays his glory by, born that man no more may die
Born to raise the sons of earth, born to give them second birth
Hark the herald angels sing, glory to the newborn king 

Hark the herald angels sing, glory to the newborn king
Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled
Joyful all ye nations rise, join the triumph of the skies
With angelic host proclaim Christ is born in Bethlehem
Hark the herald angels sing, glory to the newborn king

Joy to the World (Isaac Watts / arr. Gothard Sisters)

Joy to the world the lord is come
Let earth receive her king
Let every heart prepare him room
And heaven and nature sing, and heaven and nature sing
And heaven and heaven and nature sing

Joy to the world the savior reigns
Let men their songs employ
While fields and floods, rocks hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy, repeat the sounding joy
Repeat repeat the sounding joy

Joy to the world the lord is come
Let earth receive her king
Let every heart prepare him room
And heaven and nature sing, and heaven and nature sing
And heaven and heaven and nature sing

He rules the world with truth and grace
And makes the nations prove
The glories of his righteousness
And wonders of his love, and wonders of his love
And wonders and wonders of his love

And wonders and wonders of his love

Jingle Bells (traditional / arr. Gothard Sisters)

Dashing through the snow
In a one-horse open sleigh
Over the fields we go
Laughing all the way (hehehehehehe)
Bells on bobtail ring
Making spirits bright
What fun it is to ride and sing
A sleighing song tonight

Jingle bells jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh what fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh - hey!

Jingle bells jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh what fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh

Happy December!

Hello lovely Patrons - thanks for joining us for December!

We have a fun month planned here, including this month's Christmas - themed episode of the Hummingbird Sessions (wow, how are we going to decide which songs to include? They're all wonderful!). 

On December 4th, we'll be posting our full stage Christmas show online as well, which you can see here.

On top of all that, we're super busy filling orders from our store. We highly recommend that if you plan to get gifts from our shop, you place the orders before December 10th - that way you'll get them in time for Christmas!

In light of that, we have a discount code for you! This is only available for Patrons. Just enter code PATRON2020 at the checkout and you'll get 10% off your order. 

>>> Gothard Sisters Shop <<<

Thank you once again and I hope you enjoy this month on Patreon! ❄️🎄✨

Greta, Willow and Solana
The Gothard Sisters

Interview: The Counterpoint Club Podcast

Recently we were asked by our friends Dr. Sarah Pizzichemi and Brandon Vance of the Skyros Quartet (a classical string quartet based in Seattle) to join them on their second season of the Counterpoint Club - a chamber music podcast.

As all three of us started out in classical music. We grew up playing in the same youth symphonies and chamber groups as Sarah and Brandon. Then we branched out into folk music and they are now professional classical musicians and educators in the Seattle area. Over the years we've had many discussions about music and what it means to us and how we approach it. So it was fun to catch up and chat over the influence that classical and folk music have had on each other in our musical journey, and to record it this time!

We hope you enjoy this interview. We chat about our musical influences, how we got started, what we've been working on, how we describe our music, overcoming perfectionism and more.

More Information:
The Skyros Quartet: https://www.skyrosquartet.com
Brandon Vance: http://www.brandonvance.com
The Counterpoint Club Podcast: http://www.chambermusicmadness.org/the-counterpoint-club/ 

Autumn Update

what we've been up to lately:

We're officially back in the studio and have begun recording and writing the rest of the songs for the new album. It was wonderful to release the first song off the album, Chasing the Sun, back in September. Since then we've finished two more new songs and we have a packed schedule over the next few months to get the rest recorded as well!

Releasing anything, even if it's just a single, takes a lot of time and energy to coordinate so we were in a bit of a whirlwind. But now that things have died down again, our new website and shopify store are up and running (!!) and the single is out in the world, we can get back to concentrating on the rest of the songs for the album.

We're also super excited about posting our Christmas show on December 4th and ringing in the beginning of the holidays with all of our fans online. Will you be there?

Meanwhile, nature never ceases to be inspiring! Bright leaf colors, misty woods, frosty mornings, and intricate spiderwebs fill the view from the studio, as well as majestic snow-frosted mountain peaks.

Here are some pics.

How are you doing?

Episode 004 - Hummingbird Sessions

Concert Time!

Lots of fun music in this episode, thanks to all of your choices. We give updates on all the exciting things we have planned for the next few months, plus Solana makes a lyrical mistake - see if you can spot what it is. 😂 LOL! (To her credit though, Willow and I didn't even notice. Haha.) Get ready for Episode 004. We hope that this set of songs and tunes helps make your day a little brighter. Sit back, turn up the volume, and enjoy!

The Hummingbird Sessions - Episode 004:

1. Elderflower March

2. Fields of Athenry (Pete St. John)

3. The Three Coins

4. It's the Little Things

5. Cat and the Fiddle

Once you've finished the concert, let us know what you think! Next month is the Christmas episode, so add your suggestions for songs to play in future regular episodes as well as the Christmas concert. Cheers!

Lyrics:

Fields of Athenry (Pete St. John / Arr. Gothard Sisters)

By a lonely prison wall / I heard a young girl calling
Michael they have taken you away
For you stole Trevelyn's corn / So the young might see the morn
Now a prison ship lies waiting in the bay

CHORUS
Low lie the fields of Athenry
Where once we watched the small free birds fly
Our love was on the wing
We had dreams and songs to sing
It's so lonely 'round the fields of Athenry

By a lonely prison wall / I heard a young man calling
'Nothing matters Mary, when you're free'
Against the famine and the crown / I rebelled, they struck me down
Now you must raise our child with dignity

CHORUS

By a lonely harbor wall / She watched the last star falling
As the prison ship sailed out against the sky
For she'll live to hope and pray / For her love in Botany Bay
It's so lonely 'round the fields of Athenry

CHORUS  

It's the Little Things (by G. Gothard)

It's the little things that make a difference
Little things
It's the little things that make a difference
Be the change you wish to see in the world

Cat and the Fiddle (G. Gothard)

Good 'ol moonlight through the night
Keep it up, good work, shining bright
I've waited all day for my chance to play
I'll fiddle all night and I'll sleep all day

CHORUS
This old fiddle's seen every place
Miles on the road and dust on the case
Hey diddle diddle and a hop to the right
Like a cat with a fiddle in the pale moonlight

'Who' said the owl 'will watch with me
You and the moon and me make three
The dish and the spoon ran away last night
Hope the fork and the knife will be alright'

CHORUS

'Oh' said the mouse as she saw me there
If I was not so small new shoes I'd wear
I'd join that fiddler for a dance or two
I'd leap and I'd tap 'til he told me shoo'

CHORUS
CHORUS

Full Show: Celtic Festival Online LIVESTREAM

We were pleased to join the Celtic Festival Online for a livestream on a Friday night in August.
Now you can watch the entire stream replay right here!

Vlog: Filming Chasing the Sun

Behind the scenes from the making of Chasing the Sun! This one was filmed in the woods as the sun went down, and features a magical lantern and a ravine.

Backstage: Aomori, Japan

Almost exactly a year ago, we were in Japan on our 5-week tour there. Here's a little peek backstage at one of the venues right before a matinee. 

Solana will take you on a backstage tour in Aomori.

Do you like this kind of backstage content? Let us know in the comments below!

Enjoy!

Episode 003 - Hummingbird Sessions

It's time for the third full episode of the Hummingbird Sessions. This one is a fun one and we had a great time playing these songs to play for you all this month. There were a few ties this time in the poll. So we chose the songs that best went together in a set list out of the top-voted picks.

We hope you guys enjoy!

The Hummingbird Sessions - Episode 003:

1. Chasing the Sun

2. Leaving of Liverpool

3. Fairy Dance Jig / Henri the Lobster

4. Paddy's Green Shamrock Shores

5. Alaska Set

Did you enjoy the concert? Which was your favorite song in this month's concert? As always, leave your suggestions for songs to include in the set lists down the road and we'll add them to the list. 

Lyrics:

Leaving of Liverpool (traditional, arr. Gothard Sisters / tune: the Banshee)

Fare thee well to you my own true love
I am sailing far far away
I am bound for California-ay
And I hope that I return someday

CHORUS
So fare thee well, my own true love
When I return united we will be
It's not the leaving of Liverpool that grieves me
But my darling when I think of thee

I am bound on a Yankee sailing ship
Davy Crockett is her name
And her captain's name is Burgess
And they say that she's a floating shame

CHORUS

Oh the sun is on the harbor, love
And I wish that I could remain
For I know it will be a long long time
Before I will see you again

CHORUS

CHORUS

Paddy's Green Shamrock Shores (traditional, arr. the Gothard Sisters)

From Derry quay we sailed away on the 23rd of May
We were taken onboard by a pleasant crew
Bound for America

CHORUS
So fare thee well my own true love
I'll think of you night and day
A place in my mind you will surely find
Although I am so far away
And when I'm alone far away from home
I'll think of the good times once more
Until I can make it back someday
To Paddy's green shamrock shores

CHORUS
CHORUS

Midnight Sun in Osaka

Here is Midnight Sun played LIVE in Osaki, Japan as part of our 22-city concert tour there last year with Min-On and the Music Plant. 

For the tour, we learned how to speak Japanese (still reading off a sheet so as not to accidentally say the wrong thing) for all the talking sections of the concert between songs. For all you lovely patrons, I've left the speaking in at the beginning so you can experience a Gothard Sisters Concert in Japanese. 😊⛩

For all our Japanese fans - please forgive our attempts to speak your beautiful language! 🌺

Chasing the Sun(Official Music Video)

Here it is a day early for all you lovely patrons!  The Official Music Video for Chasing the Sun.

We had so much fun making this video - what's your favorite part?

Enjoy!

Episode 002 - Hummingbird Sessions

It's time for the second full episode of the Hummingbird Sessions. This one is a fun one and we had a great time re-learning some of these songs to play for you all this month. 

We hope you guys enjoy!

The Hummingbird Sessions - Episode 002:

1. Marching On

2. The Boatman's Call

3. The Whistling Gypsy Rover

4. Willow's Waltz

5. Colors of Home

Did you enjoy the concert? Which was your favorite song in this month's concert? As always, leave your suggestions for songs to include in the set lists down the road and we'll add them to the list. 

Lyrics:

The Boatman's Call (G. Gothard)

the boatman works alone
it’s the only life he’s ever known 
a young man in life alone
across the river every day 
he ferries settlers o’er the rushing cool
carries merchants through the rapids cruel 
even royals in their crown and jewel
across the river on his own 

CHORUS
Ya - da da da, a young man tall 
Ya- da da da, ya da da da da da 
Ya- da da da, the boatman’s call 
Ya - da da da, ya da da da da da 

the young woman lone she goes
gathering flowers where the river flows 
she is lovely as the mountain rose
and she needs passage on her way 
she needs crossing late in emerald May
sitting golden in the creak and sway 
our young boatman gave his heart that day
across the river going home 

Ya - da da da, a young man tall 
Ya - da da da, ya da da da da da 
Ya - da da da, for this girl did fall 
Ya- da da da, ya da da da da da 

Their world was set, planned, always they would be 
They didn’t fret, no, not like you and me 
Their world was small, there, near the river free 
Then came this fine, grand, tale of he and she 

Ya- da da da, this girl did fall 
Ya- da da da, ya da da da da da 
Ya - da da da, for the boatman’s call 
Ya- da da da, ya da da da da da 

And now they are not alone
their lonely life by one has grown 
Now they are not alone
they cross the river every day

The Whistling Gypsy Rover (traditional, arr. the Gothard Sisters)

the whistling gypsy came over the hill
down through the valley so shady
he whistled and he sang 'til the green woods rang
and he won the heart of a lady

she left her father's castle gate
she left her handsome young lover
she left her servants and her estate
to follow the gypsy rover

CHORUS
when the whistling gypsy sings
when the whistling gypsy plays
when the whistling gypsy sings
I'll run away

her father mounted his fastest steed
to search the valleys all over
he searched for his daughter with great speed
and the whistling gypsy rover

they came upon a castle so fine
down by the river so shady
and there was music and there was wine
for the gypsy and his lady

CHORUS

he is no gypsy my father she said
but lord of all these lands over
with him I'll stay until my dying day
in love with the gypsy rover

Colors of Home (G. Gothard)

they came from all over, blazing a trail
like the snow that melts swiftly from the peaks to the coast
they made a place there for me to know
like a tapestry woven, the colors of home

CHORUS
I miss the evergreen trees
I miss the comforting rain
I miss the grey of each misty new day
I miss the colors of my home
I miss the way the air feels
I miss the way that I know I belong
I miss the colors of my home

i grew up running pine needle trails
moss green of the forest, the seagull's bright call
copper sunsets on a sapphire sea
wide open spaces as far as I can see

CHORUS

Call me back! ... to the windswept beaches
Call me back! ... to the fresh salt air
Call me back! ... to the mountain reaches
Oh I feel so far away...

they paint a memory - a part of me
it's gold like the lightning that strikes violet skies
crimson canyon and the evening's red flame
hear the chorus of voices calling my name

CHORUS
CHORUS

Summer Update

what we've been up to lately:

Greta has been hard at work coming up with fun Patreon updates and writing brand new lyrics.

Willow is recording and writing sweet new fiddle sounds and also learning sound engineering.

Solana has been learning how to play Ukulele and brewing her own kombucha.

The guitar got a spa day.

Fiona has not gotten to go to the beach yet and she's very mad about it.

Nature has been growing and swaying and being very hopeful and encouraging.

Here are some pics.

How are you doing?

Disney Friends

These are a few moments from two different days playing background music in the lobby atrium of the Disney Magic cruise ship a few summers back. We always loved these days when we got to play music while all the fabulous Disney characters took pictures with guests. It was especially magical when the kids started to dance along with our music.

The first photo is of Stitch telling us something with a silent stare. 

The second is of a little girl who was the most graceful dancer - she went for nearly an hour dancing to our music after dinner in her sleeping beauty outfit. It was beautiful. 

LIVE: 3 Little Birds - Chasing the Sun

One of the many Summer festival shows we got to play last year. This was the last song from our Sunday afternoon main stage set at the lovely Peoria Irish Festival in Illinois. Just like a festival, there's lots of background noise and also plenty of people singing along. Oh how we miss that feeling of live music and everyone together enjoying music, vendors, a nice cold beer and a celebration of Summer. 

Plus - there's dancing in this one!

Anyone else missing live music right about now? Well, here's a little taste.

3 Little Birds is by Bob Marley

Chasing the Sun is by yours truly! (The Gothard Sisters)

Finale Jig is by the Gothard Sisters

Frank's Reel is traditional

Cheers, everyone!