Brendan Hearn & Kate Gregory shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Brendan & Kate, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: Who are you learning from right now?
(Brendan) I feel like I’m learning a lot from my music peers and friends right now, as we are all walking similar paths of navigating the music scene. There’s been so much sharing of ideas and ways to carve out our own audiences and connect in the modern era of social media and tech.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
We are Kate Gregory and Brendan Hearn and we are a folk duo that plays traditional and original music on fiddle and cello. Despite living on opposite sides of the US, we have been playing and performing music together for several years and are so excited to be releasing our debut album, One Year Since, in November, 2025. This album is a culmination of the music we have been working on together over the years. Three of the tracks are original tunes that Kate wrote in the style of American Old-Time music. Another two of the tracks are songs, one that Brendan wrote from a poem and one is a cover of a song by Emmylou Harris and the McGarrigle sisters. And another is a tune that we wrote together. Our combined sound really solidified when we started playing Old-Time music together, which is why this album is more grounded in that genre. At the same time cello is not a traditional instrument in Old-Time music, and combined with the original tunes we play it means that we are in an evolving space. We both play a lot of Irish music as well, and enjoy singing folk songs of many genres, so we are always exploring both ways we can bend and blend different folk traditions while finding continuity in our sound.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
(Brendan) I remember learning to play music with a private teacher at an early age, an the first time I drew my bow across the string, I remember loving the sound and feeling like a world had opened up. Something about coordinating my left and right hands to make sounds on an instrument spoke to me, and from then on I wanted to pursue music. The power felt like it came from within me, and that I could now convey any feelings or ideas I had in my head through music, and outside my body.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
(Kate) I would remind myself that it’s ok to let the relationship with my instrument ebb and flow, and have different phases. I grew up playing classical violin, but there were a couple of periods of time that I took a break from playing and taking lessons to do other things. When I got to high school and was playing in orchestras, I often regretted those lapses in practice because I felt I hadn’t put in as much time as some of the other players. Looking back, I think taking those breaks is what helped me realize how much I loved playing violin and wanted to keep learning. Similarly, during my freshman year of college, I put down my instrument completely for a while, albeit with confusion and fear of losing something I loved. But about a year later, I met an Irish fiddle player and started taking lessons. I think taking that break made me feel ready to enter a new phase with my instrument, one where I called it a fiddle instead of a violin. If I could go back and talk to my younger self, who regretted taking a break from playing and feared that she would lose her relationship with her instrument, I would tell her that she didn’t need to worry. She was on the right path all along.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
(Brendan) I really love the idea of life-long learning, which maybe in itself answers “no matter how long as it takes”. When it comes to music, especially in a music scene rooted in tradition, there are truly endless learning opportunities. There are old tunes written decades ago that ourselves and our peers play in new ways, always learning from the past but innovating. We also write new tunes in an older style, in order to bring our own expression to the tradition and contribute to the scene that we have learned so much from. We are always learning from our friends an community members who play this music, and from the wealth of knowledge that exists within the tradition, and I think that’s a really special thing to have for our whole lives.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What will you regret not doing?
(Kate) I would regret not writing more songs. Most of the music I write is instrumental, usually melodies on the fiddle. I love to sing, and I think lyrics are so powerful, but I have only written a couple of songs. Lyrics are such an important means of expression, and I am inspired by songwriters who are vulnerable and raw in their writing. While songwriting has felt daunting to me, it’s something I want to get more practice with in my creative process, whether I end up sharing those songs with others or simply using the process of songwriting to better understand myself.
Contact Info:
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxkEpzp0KOJqv4yjqX449JJ1F4JZtRQPy
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6AIQ4yqVoQcEmXpjgMF4oQ?si=LPK7GecRSFqzpRXx85492g
Image Credits
Baron Collins-Hill
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