|  Tim Chadwick: guitar, vocals
Tim has been playing music in one form or another since he was about 12 years old--which was a long time ago, folks! Born and reared in Mississippi, he started playing the trumpet in school band programs, and then soon started playing guitar and bass (both electric and upright). He has always loved making music, and nowadays has numerous intertwined "projects" going on. He works closely with the Surry Arts Council in Mount Airy NC, serving as emcee and coordinator for two weekly jam sessions for players of acoustic instruments. Tim believes that there are only two kinds of music--good and bad. He is quite at home playing in many different genres, including bluegrass, old time, vintage country, and of course Celtic. As a member of The Almost Irish Band, Tim makes a huge contribution by playing guitar (or banjo) in an exuberant, dynamic style and furnishing the "glue" that rhythmically holds the band together. He has a fine singing voice, good phrasing, and excellent diction. In the tradition of the finest folk singers, he makes you appreciate the song itself through his enthusiasm and devotion to authenticity. Tim is a long-time employee of the U.S. government, and began living in Mount Airy in 1995. He has been happily married to his wife Bobbie since 1977 (wow!). There are three cats (Fred, Lucy, and Ricky) who graciously allow Tim and Bobbie to share their home. He is in a bluegrass band called "Highway 52," and occasionally plays trumpet in a jazz standards duo. Feel free to contact him if your event could use such music! He has "irons in many fires," and a good way to keep track is to visit his own personal website: | | Roger Stamper: fiddle, bass guitar Originally from the mountains of Grayson County, Virginia, Roger began playing the fiddle at the age of 6. Roger's father, James Stamper, played Irish music and passed that appreciation on to Roger. During his childhood, almost everyone in Roger's family played an instrument and joined in casual jam sessions as he was growing up. Roger plays tunes he heard his father play, as well as tunes he heard over the radio and at fiddlers' conventions in the Southwest Virginia area. Roger moved to Mount Airy around 1983, and found work as a mental health professional. He attends jam sessions in the area and shares his knowledge with any interested individual. Roger lives with his wife Amy and their cat, Fancy. Our beloved dog, Wiggly, was tragically killed in what has come to be known as "the pizza delivery incident." Roger occasionally plays old time and bluegrass music but especially enjoys the musical traditions of Ireland and Scotland. He has an extensive repertoire of tunes from several different genres. He is an excellent fiddler, and masterfully fills that essential role in The Almost Irish Band. He is also fully capable of doubling on guitar, and regularly plays bass guitar on several of our selections. He has a delightful, exciting style on the fiddle, and has that enviable ability to "make it look easy." He consistently brings smiles to the faces of the audience, whether he's playing a pulse-quickening jig or reel, a charming waltz, or a beautiful slow air. | | Gary Chilton: hammered dulcimer, pennywhistle, Q-chord, vocals Gary is from Mount Airy, but has lived in several areas of North Carolina. He has long been involved in choirs from the time he was about 10 years of age. Gary never played an instrument until about 3 years ago when he purchased a 16/15 hammered dulcimer, something he had wanted to try for about 10 years. He was taken with the different sounds and genre of music and arrangements that can be obtained with it. He has worked hard, and now since joining The Almost Irish Band he says that harder work will be needed, but he is up to the challenge. His ancestry is Scotch Irish, and he loves the music. The hammered dulcimer is quite an addition to the fiddle and guitar, and does indeed have a haunting but lovely sound. He also plays a few tunes on pennywhistle and the Q-chord, which is essentially an electronic autoharp. Gary is excited to get the vocals going, and is doing a great job. He is a natural when it comes to figuring out vocal harmony. In addition, every performance by the band features several of his vocal solos. He is a true tenor, and obviously that fits very well with so many of the Irish songs. Gary lives with his wife Jeannie, and has two grown children. He says that he has received great support from all three of them, and that they have endured all of the long nights of practice at home where as much as three to four hours a night just on one song may be needed. | |