Dave’s Night Out – Music in the Family: Alison, Tom, Fiona, and Genevieve Gillespie

Join us for a heartfelt evening of music and storytelling as Dave’s Night Out welcomes the Gillespie Family to Godfrey Daniels!

Known for their deep roots in Celtic and bluegrass traditions, Alison and Tom Gillespie—veterans of Blackwater and Big Valley Bluegrass—are joined by daughters Fiona and Genevieve, each accomplished musicians in their own right. From early days as the Gillespie Family band to acclaimed careers with groups like The Chivalrous Crickets and Burning Bridget Cleary, their musical journey is rich with heritage and harmony. Come experience the joy of family music in our Live Music Listening Room, where the atmosphere is intimate, the conversations are genuine, and audience participation is always encouraged. Your Backstage Pass awaits. 

Dave Fry

Dave’s Night Out is a monthly recurring series at Godfrey Daniels, curated by Dave Fry. Join us monthly for a delightful blend of music, humor, and thought-provoking conversations between Dave and his guests.

Dave’s Night Out – All in the Family – The Gillespie Clan.
Tom & Alison: blackwatermusic.com
Tom & Alison: bigvalleybluegrass.com

Fiona & Genevieve: chivalrouscrickets.com

Long-time members of Blackwater, the premier Lehigh Valley Celtic ensemble, Tom and Alison Gillespie share their love of both Celtic and bluegrass music. Tonight, along with their daughters Fiona and Genevieve, we will share the power of family music, always an integral element of folk music.

Based in the Lehigh Valley, Alison Gillespie is a music teacher, performer, composer, and arts supporter. Together with her musician husband, Tom, she has raised three daughters who are now professional musicians, performing with each other and their partners. Growing up, the three girls honed their skills performing as the Gillespie Family and have now moved on to their own musical projects. When not performing themselves, Alison and Tom are usually babysitting their grandkids so their daughters can record and perform!

Alison and Thomas Gillespie are Lehigh Valley-based folk musicians active in the Celtic Music and Bluegrass genres. They perform regularly with Celtic band Blackwater and the award-winning Big Valley Bluegrass. They have several albums to their credit, are workshop clinicians, and run the monthly Braveheart Celtic Music Session in Hellertown. Alison also founded and runs the Celtic Classic Youth Fiddle Competition in Bethlehem and helps run the Berks Fiddle Fest in Fleetwood, PA. They also perform as a duo and sometimes with their three grown daughters and their life partners who are all accomplished musicians in their own right. Alison teaches violin and fiddle styles and a Celtic Ensemble at Moravian University and at her home studio in Coopersburg, and she has served  on the Boards of several regional nonprofit arts organizations. Tom works by day as a geologist. When not performing, Tom and Alison are usually babysitting grandchildren so their daughters can perform!

Fiona Gillespie, oldest daughter, is a professional singer on the world stage who moves with equal fluidity between the Classical, Early Music and Folk music worlds. She is a songwriter, composer, workshop clinician, dance caller, a Kindermusik instructor, a flute, Irish whistle and bodhran player, is learning Gaelic, and is the founder and director of the HearthSong Folk Arts non-profit artist led collective with a full calendar of events planned. This year she released two albums, one as a Scottish singer with the group Makaris, and the other with her crossover folk band The Chivalrous Crickets.

Genevieve Gillespie grew up singing, dancing, acting and playing classical violin and Irish fiddle. After co-founding the band Burning Bridget Cleary at the age of 13 with fellow fiddler Rose Baldino, the two performed together for five years across America and in Ireland. After that, Genevieve did stints with the groups Irish Blessing, the Tartan Terrors, and the John Whelan Band before co-founding Poor Man's Gambit with local Irish musician Corey Purcell. Today, Genevieve works by day as a Chief Development Officer and since 2018 has been an integral member of the band she formed with her sister, Fiona, and their husbands—the Chivalrous Crickets.