Who's Who in The Plaid Family?

The trio is made up of Kelly Werts, his wife Diana Werts, and Princess Harris. Kelly, twice a third place finisher in the National Fingerpick Guitar contest at the Walnut Valley Festival (1990 and 1992), plays guitar, fiddle, penny whistle, spoons, jaw bone and cigar box fiddle. His finger style guitar work, in contrast to so many fine solo players, emphasizes ensemble playing, borrowing most heavily on fiddle and banjo influences. He plays fiddle tunes on the guitar to gain relief - from playing fiddle tunes on his fiddle.

Diana Werts has advanced her craft of accordion playing without the benefit of contests, concentrating instead on introducing her chosen instrument to folk audiences. She has forged a folk style of her own which, to the relief of listeners everywhere, is based on good taste.

Hammered dulcimer player, Princess Harris won the 1991 championship at the Walnut Valley Festival by turning traditional tunes on their head, after debuting a couple of her own works, one of which, "On the Carpenter's Porch" is becoming a staple at dulcimer jams nationwide.

The group's interest in Midwestern folklore have lead them to extensive performing around the region for schools, historic societies, living history museums and even movies. The Plaid Family were featured in a 1993 TNN video called "The Music of the Wild West." More recently, Kelly was filmed in a music scene for a Hollywood production being shot on location in the Kansas City area. Entitled "Ride With the Devil" it follows the border wars between Kansas and Missouri in the 1850s-1860s which lead to the burning of Lawrence, KS by William Quantrill and his men. It should be out in 1999.

The music of The Plaid Family is a stimulating salute to living tradition and progress into the future. From a medley of barn-dance tunes to a turn-of-the-century cakewalk to a new emu-herding song, the Plaid Family delivers music that will live on in your memories.