Fel Bautista
Diamond Bar, CA

I live in Diamond Bar, a ‘burb of Los Angeles. My earliest musical memory is plunking on an upright right piano at my aunt’s house. There was also a KOA wood guitar there that my dad would pick notes out.

The question I always get asked is “why did you start playing Irish music?” In one word, DISCO! The A-ha moment was listening to Fairport Convention play Lark in the Morning. I had never heard electrified fiddle before. I started going to a couple of import record stores, finding the likes of Steeleye Span and Martin Carthy. I saw the Chieftain’s from the second row at Royce Hall when they did their first US tour in 1974. The gates were opened. Planxty, the Bothy Band soon followed.