Cary Novotny grew up between the Great Plains of South Dakota and the bluegrass country of Kentucky, where early classical guitar training blended with the region’s country, folk and bluegrass sounds. After earning a music degree from the University of Portland, he built a career as a guitarist, singer and songwriter in the Portland and Seattle folk scenes.

A trip to the West of Ireland reconnected him with his mother’s Irish roots and led him deep into traditional Irish music. Since 1995 he has played with Cul an Ti, one of the Northwest’s most successful trad Irish bands, and has recorded and performed with Kevin Burke, The Bridies, Johnny Connolly, Hanz Araki, Laurence Nugent, Colin Farrell, and the touring show Celtic Legends. These days he also writes and performs country, Americana and pop, and records regularly in Nashville.