Celt Check!: Bio
Celt Check!
Celt Check got together as a group for the first time several years ago in an alehouse at a Ren Faire. We had all been playing as singles for many years, but the ale was good and we started jamming on some of the songs that we all knew. Well, the crowd seemed to like what we were doing, and then someone yelled, "Hey, you guys should be a band!" We bought him a drink and then sat down to discuss this idea. After a couple more ales we decided that he was right and we'd give it a try and here we are.
Gareth Davis - Vocals, guitar, bodhran
Gareth has been performing for audiences in one way or another since he was 10 years old, whether performing in a popular musical, such as “Oklahoma” or “Camelot”, or doing Gilbert & Sullivan operettas.
He's half Irish, 1/4 Scots & 1/4 Welsh. Whenever he's asked about his heritage he just states; "I'm a Celt!"
Gareth developed a love for Celtic music from his Grandparents and is proud to carry on the tradition, performing at Folklife Festival, Scottish Highland Games, Renaissance Faires and Special Events.
Lyle Gleason - 12-string guitar, vocals
Lyle Gleason started his musical career as a drummer in 5th grade.
He picked up a guitar in his early teens and has been playing it ever since.
A self-styled "halfway decent campfire guitarist", he has played guitar and bass in 4 bands, as well as singing professionally since he was 15.
Lyle met Gareth at a sing-a-long in the SCA where he filled in with Don Everly's part in a rendition of "Bye Bye Love", to Gareth's Phil Everly, and an instant duo and a lasting friendship was born!
Rick (Fiddler) Wiklund - Violin, viola, mandola, vocals
Rick Wiklund, aka: The Lost Fiddler and Fiddler MacLost, grew up in Auburn, WA.
He started playing violin when he was 6 years old, with no formal training till he was in High School. Everything else he knows is self-taught.
Rick has played with various bands and a couple of orchestras over the years.
Then about 15 years ago he decided to go solo and thus was born The Lost Fiddler.
Fortunately, we found him in the pub at the Faire, though he still gets lost from time to time.
Gwen Beaudry - Bodhran, whistle, vocals
Due to coming from a family of musicians, Gwen can't recall a time in her life when she hasn't been singing or playing.
Over the years she's learned to play many different instruments including, piano, bodhran, and penny whistles.
She has played in local Celtic bands since she was 15, when she joined up with the rest of her family to start a Celtic folk and Sea Shanty band for which she played drums and sang.
Gwen met Gareth at a Folklife Festival after he challenged her to see if she could actually play the drum that she carried around on her back. She can and does.