Artists:Cady Finlayson

Called “one of America’s top Celtic fiddlers” by New Age Voice magazine and “bursting with pure and natural talent” by HotIndieNews.com, Cady Finlayson offers a spirited fiddle show with a global twist. Cady’s music blends traditional Irish tunes with worldbeat rhythms and American folk, creating a signature sound that appeals to a variety of audiences. “I love to bring Irish music to people who might not normally hear it,” she says.

Cady has performed in 27 U.S. states, as well as the U.S. Virgin Islands and Ireland, including venues such as Carnegie Hall, the Brooklyn Museum of Art, Slainte Irish Festival, Hofstra University Irish Festival, Palace on the Green, and Breezy Point National Park.

Reviewers have described her playing as “highly melodic” (Dirty Linen); “gorgeous fiddle playing” (MP3s Music Magazine); “a remarkable talent” (Michael Allison); and “fresh and interesting” (AMG). Alternatives says Cady “sizzles on the fiddle” and Chaos Realm says she has “a fire others don’t have.”

Cady says, “The first time I heard Irish music it was one of those really powerful connections. I had to play it.” She studied Irish fiddling with NY-Sligo fiddler Brian Conway and then traveled to Limerick, Ireland as the winner of the President’s Award Scholarship. At the Blas International Summer School, she learned from some of Ireland’s greatest fiddlers and studied Irish history, culture, dance, and language.

Her background includes a Master of Music from Mannes College of Music in New York, and she has played violin since her childhood in Seattle.

Cady has three CDs, (Irish Coffee/Harp and Shamrock/Shines likes Silver) and her music is played on more than 300 radio stations. DJs have described her music as “smartly spirited and soul-filled” (WRNZ) and “head and shoulders above her peers” (3WBC, Australia). She also appears on the soundtracks for Irish-American baseball movie, The Emerald Diamond (2006), Random Acts, and Snakes and Ladders, as well as CDs for Pierce Turner and the Police Pipes and Drums of Bergen County. Her songwriting made her a two-time finalist for the International Acoustic Music Awards.

Cady Finlayson is available for concerts, festivals, private events, and teaching workshops. In addition to playing with her five-piece band, Cady performs as a fiddle-guitar duo, and is a founding member of the Celtic Sisters show with singer Jodee James.

Artist's Statement

"I was in Limerick, Ireland in 2003, where I had the chance to meet some of the great Irish fiddle players. What impressed me the most was how individual each person's style was, and how "tradition" meant different things to different people.

I have great respect for the traditional music of Ireland - the lively tunes, the haunting ballads, and the dance that is such a part of the music. I also grew up in America, where we have such a variety of people and musical styles that celebrate this diversity. My influences include traditional Irish music, American folk music, and world music percussion.

My live shows combine these influences. Music is one of those bridges between people, and I have been proud to be an ambassador of Irish music to people everywhere, all sorts of people. I care deeply about my audiences and I love the feeling of giving a show that really reaches people, in the way that music can. I love to play and I hope that my music will inspire people to really live, because it comes from the heart." -- Cady Finlayson.