Jan Gillies Bio:

Having lived an extremely unusual life for a kid from northern Indiana, Jan uses her singer/songwriting skills to tell stories of her adventures over decades of working as a sailor, scientist, environmentalist, professional SCUBA diver, Hospice director, EMT, teacher, and other professions too numerous to mention. Since first picking up a guitar at the age of 14 during the upheavals of the Vietnam War, she has used music to laugh, cry, scream & whisper about all the wonderful and horrible things life has thrown at her. Developing her initial Travis-picking style in coffeehouses from the Chicago area & Kangaroo Island, Australia to Miami, Florida, she has played in swamps, on shipboard, music festivals, and a wide range of usual and unusual venues. She was chosen as a semi-finalist in the ZETA 4 Miami radio station’s “Search for Sound” competition for new songwriters.

With her husband, Neil, on hammered dulcimer, the Gillies’ present a unique blend of contemporary and traditional influences in their music. Having been a teacher for over 10 years, this is still a major part of Jan's music – to teach, and share her love of music & the natural world.

Sometimes delving into rather controversial topics, Charlie Tompkey once told her, "'If you were singing these songs in the 60s, you'd either be famous, or in jail!"