Alison Perkins

Alison Perkins grew up in a household filled with music in Detroit, Michigan. The daughter of musicians, she attended her first concerts before she could walk. Her parents took her to countless musical events in the city’s vibrant folk and Irish music scenes, and she routinely crawled into her dad’s guitar case to be lulled to sleep by live music.

As a child, she learned the fiddle from Irishman Mick Gavin, whose lovely Clare fiddling is imprinted on Alison’s musical style. During her teenage years, she won her age groups at the Midwest Irish Fiddle championship six years in a row before “retiring” at the old age of 18. As she neared adulthood, Alison grew from precocious child to masterful young player. At age 19, in 2007, she was invited by Irish singing legend Sean Keane to go on a Canadian and American tour. Her work with her much praised family band, Finvarra’s Wren, has led her to play music all over North America, from Ontario, Canada to Austin, Texas. She also performs regularly with her husband, Nicolas Brown, who plays the uilleann pipes and flute.

Alison’s musical philosophy is very much rooted in the Irish tradition. She is deeply interested in the older generation of Irish musicians, counting luminaries such as Tommy Potts, Seamus Ennis, Paddy Carty and Bobby Casey as influences. Emulating older musicians is something she has found to be both rewarding and challenging, and it has resulted in a musical sound that is rich in subtle creativity.