Connie Michael

Connie Michael studied classical piano at the Interlochen Arts Academy and graduated from Lawrence University with a degree in music education in 1980. A dance musician for more than forty years, she started playing contra dances with a group called Chili Tones in Albuquerque, New Mexico in 1980. After moving to Grand Junction, in 1999 she started the group Blarney Pilgrim with friend Ron Young. She and Ron started the contra dance series in Grand Junction, then changed the band name to Fifth Reel to embrace new kinds of music they were starting to play.