The Gawlers are a fun-loving, fiddling family band– from the heart of Maine– with shining smiles and joyful sounds.

John and Ellen Gawler are master fiddle and banjo players and their three daughters, Molly, Edith and Elsie grew up with the music and formed a band of their own – The Gawler Sisters. The band includes “brother” Bennett Konesni and Ethan Tischler (Elsie’s partner.) The full band has a gorgeous and high-spirited sound of string instruments (fiddle, banjo, guitar, cello, bass) as well as harmony singing.

ABOUT THE GAWLER FAMILY BAND

The Gawler Family brings you a delightful assortment of songs and tunes rooted in the traditional music of Maine and the Northeast. John and Ellen, together with their daughters Molly, Edith, Elsie, and “brother” Bennett Konesni, and Ethan Tischler (Elsie’s partner) join their intertwining family harmonies with fiddles, banjo, cello, guitar, and sometimes a few jokes.

Inspired by years of playing for dances in the old Grange halls, the Gawlers may be best known for their rollicking renditions of dance tunes in ‘the Downeast style’ with its origins in the Scots-Irish and French Canadian traditions. Their repertoire also includes a wide variety of old and new sounds, with highly spirited delivery of selections that may include a gutsy shanty or work song, a heart-wrenching ballad, a poignant a cappella number featuring the sisters, or an amusing ode to everyday life. With a particular focus on sentiments that reflect life in rural Maine, their unique arrangements are especially engaging and often go along with anecdotes of historical or humorous content.