Celtic Traditions with Kinnfolk

Kinnfolk presents Star Above the Mountain, an evocative musical journey tracing the roots of Celtic tradition as it crossed the Atlantic and took hold in the Appalachian Mountains. Blending original compositions with centuries-old ballads and dance tunes, the program explores the enduring connections between Irish, Scottish, and Appalachian musical traditions—stories of migration, resilience, faith, family, and the deep bond between people and the land.

With soaring vocals, rich harmonies, and masterful instrumental artistry, Kinnfolk creates an intimate and stirring concert experience. Julie Kinn brings expressive vocals along with the rhythmic pulse of the bodhrán and the haunting sound of the Irish whistle. Josh Kinn adds warm vocals, guitar, and octave mandolin, weaving together folk traditions with contemporary sensibility. Fiddler Katherine Wiley completes the ensemble with spirited playing that captures both the fire of Celtic dance music and the soulful lyricism of Appalachian fiddling.

From lively reels and jigs to reflective songs of longing and homecoming, Star Above the Mountain celebrates the cultural threads that connect generations and continents. Audiences will be transported through landscapes both rugged and lyrical, discovering the timeless spirit of music carried from the Celtic world into the heart of Appalachia.

About Kinnfolk

The husband-and-wife duo of Josh and Julie Kinn – weave octave mandolin, bodhrán (Irish drum), and smooth vocal harmonies into their Celtic folk music from the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains. From sea shanties and working songs, to trad tunes and Old-Time favorites, Kinnfolk’s fresh take on classics blends seamlessly with their original compositions. They share stories as enduring as tartan, spinning yarns steeped in Appalachian charm, enjoying playful banter with the audience. Their shows feel like a kitchen party, where everyone is family, and there’s always room for a dancer. 

Kinnfolk is rooted in tradition, lore and ancestry – and began with a story of love and romance in the misty mountains of their home in Roanoke, Virginia. After meeting over a shared passion for folk music at an Irish music session, Josh and Julie found a harmony of the heart. They began making music together, and soon after became kin – and Kinn (with two Ns!). In the heartland of Appalachian music – an American style with Irish and Scottish roots – where the lilt and twang intertwine like a Celtic knot, Kinnfolk has brought this musical lineage full circle.

Since forming Kinnfolk in late 2018, the pair have played at festivals and listening rooms with a quickly growing following across Canada and the United States. In 2023 Kinnfolk won the Robinson Emerging Artist Showcase, earning them a Main Stage appearance at Canada’s premiere Celtic event, the Goderich Celtic Roots Festival. They have been featured on the cover of the largest traditional music magazine in the world — Irish Music Magazine — and named one of the top Celtic folk bands of 2025 by The Irish & Celtic Music Podcast. In 2022, Kinnfolk received a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts and the City of Roanoke to create a body of work exploring the history, geography, and folk legends of their town. The resulting project, “Star Above the Mountain,” debuted to a live audience on June 30, 2023.

Kinnfolk’s self-titled debut album (2020) received much airplay and launched them into the international Celtic music scene. Their second album, “The Knotted Circle” (2022), was lauded as “authentic…with a subtle contemporary seasoning” by Music Connection Magazine. Now they’ve released “Star Above the Mountain” (2025), their third album consisting of 8 original tracks and two trad favorites. The release will coincide with a 2025 North American tour. As WDBJ7 Television said, they “find community” and “love through Celtic music,” and look forward to meeting more of their audience.

Once you experience their music, you’ll be one of their folk – Kinnfolk!

About Katherine Wiley

Katherine is a versatile musician as both a classical violinist and Celtic fiddler.  She has performed at venues from outdoor music festivals to international concert halls, and has won numerous Scottish fiddling awards and competitions along the way.  Katherine grew up in a small New England town immersed in music, as well as the culture of community square dances. She fell in love with Irish music in her early 20’s after attending Oberlin College/Conservatory.  Over the years she has learned from master fiddlers in the Irish, Scottish, and Cape Breton traditions–including Eileen Ivers, Martin Hayes, Alisdair Fraser, Bonnie Rideout and Jerry Holland–but her approach to performing and arranging Celtic music draws on a diverse musical background that includes studies in baroque violin, medieval and renaissance instruments,  and improvisation.

Katherine currently performs with Julie Kinn (vocals, bodhran), Josh Kinn (bouzouki, octave mandolin), David Scheim (harp/piano) and Geoffrey Saur (pipes/whistle). Katherine was a member of the Celtic/early music ensemble The Boar’s Head Consort, which won first place in the Baltimore Chamber Music  Awards competition and performed extensively throughout the Baltimore/Washington D.C. area.  She also played fiddle with the Baltimore Irish band Keltia and the Cambridge, Massachusetts Revels production. After moving to North Carolina, Katherine studied Irish dance at the Rince na H’Eireann School of Irish Dance, and danced at community events in the Triad area.  She also performed in The Laurel Strings duo with guitarist Joseph Pecoraro .

Katherine is a member of the Winston-Salem Symphony, and formerly played with the Washington Chamber Orchestra, Wintergreen Festival Orchestra, Carolina Chamber Symphony, and the Symphonies of Harrisburg, Annapolis, Roanoke, and Charlotte. As an orchestral and freelance musician, she has shared the stage with many notable pop and folk performers– including Eric Clapton, The Indigo Girls, Bruce Hornsby, Yanni, The Manhattan Transfer, Eileen Ivers, Boys2Men, Chris Thiele, Ben Folds, Bela Fleck, Mark O’Connor, Branford Marsalis, Ricky Scaggs–and classical greats Yo Yo Ma, Itzhak Perlman, Rene Fleming, Joshua Bell, Midori, and Luciano Pavarotti.

Katherine is passionate about teaching, and in addition to her private  studio she is an adjunct professor of music at UNC School of the Arts and Wake Forest University, and  Director of Blue Ridge Suzuki Camp in Orkney Springs, Virginia.