Sophie Wellington

• Fiddle
• Old Time
• Trad

Sophie Wellington is a fiddler, flatpick guitarist, jazz vocalist, and percussive dancer. Sophie was raised in Staunton VA by dance caller and old time musician Bill Wellington and classical pianist Lynne Mackey. Sophie’s music education began at an early age with choirs, saxophone in school bands, square/contra dancing, Irish step dance, and old time fiddle. She studied at Berklee College of Music and graduated in 2021 with a degree in vocal jazz performance, while also studying with Bruce Molsky.

Since graduating, Sophie has kept busy with recording projects, touring, and teaching. She released her debut solo album Roving Jewel in 2022. This captures an eclectic moment in her sound and features various musical genres, environments, and adaptations. She also plays in the Boston based country band The Talking Hearts and progressive old time supergroup Dumpster Debbie. Sophie has toured nationally and internationally in solo performance, duet projects, and most recently as fiddle player and percussive dancer for Willi Carlisle.

In recent years, Sophie has taught flatfooting, fiddle, and guitar on staff at Augusta Heritage Center’s Old Time Week, Blue Ridge Old Time Music Week, Acadia Festival of Traditional Music and Dance, CDSS’s Harmony Week at Pinewoods, and Earful of Fiddle. Her teaching approach draws connections between melody, harmony, and rhythm from her unique perspective as a multi-instrumentalist and percussive dancer.