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Meet the Strictly Strings Gang !

Strictly Strings is no longer strictly strings.  The group came together through fiddle classes in the Watauga County JAM [Junior Appalachian Musicians] Program at the Jones House in Boone, NC, and has blossomed into an exciting multi-faceted band, enjoying the genres of old time, bluegrass, Irish, and swing, all topped off with fresh harmony vocals. 

Strictly Strings is Kathleen Burnett on fiddle and vocal, Anissa Burnett on bass, fiddle and vocal, Willow Dillon on fiddle, cello, banjo, and vocal, and Caleb Coatney on  mandolin, guitar and banjo.  As the senior member of the group, Cecil Gurganus holds down the rhythm guitar and vocals, and drives the van. 

 

Strictly Strings is available for performances at Festivals, Dances, Concerts, Weddings, Birthday Parties, Banquets, Restaurants and more.  

Kathleen Burnett

Fiddle, Lead Vocals

 

Kathleen was born and raised in the mountains of Boone, NC.  She began playing the fiddle and singing at the age of 5, and has grown up performing in several local bluegrass and oldtime bands.  At age seven, Kathleen began instructional classes in the Boone JAM program, which has been an integral part of her musical growth, as well as performing with her sisters in The Burnett Sisters. Kathleen plays the fiddle and guitar, and is the lead singer for Strictly Strings. She is also highly involved with farming horses; training, teaching lessons, and just for fun. Currently, she is enrolled in Caldwell Community College, and plans to pursue a BA in Old time/Bluegrass/Country music at ETSU.  Kathleen hopes to share the beauty of the Appalachian mountain traditions, as well as God’s gifts of song and music, through playing, teaching, and performing regionally and beyond.

Anissa Burnett

Bass, Fiddle, Alto Voals

 

Dedicated to learning and performing traditional old-time music, Anissa has also developed an interest in jazz, bluegrass, Celtic, gospel, and other genres of music rooted in the south and Appalachians.  She has absorbed much of her music while growing up in Boone, NC, being involved with the JAM program as well as attending many local festivals and gatherings.  To further her musical experience and career, Anissa plans to attend ETSU and pursue an Old-Time/Bluegrass degree.  She loves performing and sharing traditional music with Strictly Strings, and also as a member of the Burnett Sisters Family Band.  Anissa sings and plays fiddle, bass, banjo, and guitar.  When she doesn’t have an instrument in her hand, you might find her holding the reins of one of her beloved horses.

Caleb Coatney

Mandolin, Guitar, Banjo

 

Caleb has played music since he was five, when he started learning piano. Soon after, he began participating in the JAM program at the Jones House in Boone, NC. There, he started on mandolin, but quickly added guitar and clawhammer banjo. Currently, he helps as a teaching assistant in these community classes for children and adults. Caleb has grown up playing traditional old-time, bluegrass, and Irish tunes, but he also plays rock music. During the summer, Caleb enjoys competing at fiddler’s conventions, where he’s placed high in several mandolin and banjo competitions. When he’s not playing music, Caleb loves to play basketball and hike outside. He is the oldest of three brothers who all play music.

Willow Dillon

Banjo, Fiddle, Tenor Vocals

 

Willow spent the years of her early childhood in Hawai'i, where she was introduced to the world of music through ukulele and keyboard lessons. She soon developed a strong passion for music when she moved back to the mainland and enrolled classical violin lessons at her local school. After her first session, her teacher decided to teach her old-time style fiddle instead. When Willow was introduced to the old-time fiddle style she knew that that was the style she wanted to play. When her family moved to Boone, North Carolina, she found the J.A.M program and started learning traditional Appalachian fiddle from all of the instructors there. Cecil Gurganus became Willow's main fiddle teacher when she was twelve and has influenced her greatly and taught her the old-time style. She has also had lessons from Rayna Gellert, Trevor Mckenzie and explores the endless world of online lessons with some of the world's greatest musicians. Willow picked up the banjo a few years after learning fiddle and has mostly self-taught herself to play banjo with the help of a few friends and teachers along the way. After playing banjo for almost a year, she grew an endless passion for the claw-hammer style. Willow enjoys listening to and playing all different genres of music from eclectic to old-time to Irish. She likes to incorporate a lot of different styles in her music and enjoys mashing her favorite musicians' styles with one another. Some of Willow's most influential musicians are Bruce Molsky, Casey Driessen, Tim O'Brien, Rayna Gellert, Caoimhin O Raghallaigh, Dirk Powell, Rushad Eggleston, Sarah Jarosz, Joe Newberry and Nathaniel Smith. Willow hopes to travel the world and learn all different styles of music and meet many more great musicians during her adventures. 

Cecil Gurganus
Guitar, Bass Vocals

 

Cecil has been a part of the old time music community in Watauga County since 1976, playing fiddle in the Laurel Creek String Band.  He has been an instructor in the Watauga JAM (Junior Appalachian Musicians) Program at the Jones House in Boone since its inception in 2006.  As fiddle instructor and mentor for the young members of Strictly Strings for more than five years, Cecil has seen these JAM students come full circle, as they have become a working, performing band, including beautiful vocals, and now teaching him tunes!

Cecil is a woodworker and molasses maker on the New River in Todd, NC, and loves backpacking on the Appalachian Trail.

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