Allie Jean Burbrink
* Old time, folk, & bluegrass musician
* community music educator
Mom says I was playing harmonica when I was two years old and singing hundreds of songs from memory by age three. I can't remember that, but I've seen the home movies to prove it.
The folk process has always been my preferred way of learning music. Listening, memorizing, and replicating is natural for me - but that's not what is taught by typical music teachers.
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I've been singing and performing as long as I can remember. I love sharing music in person! On sidewalks, back porches, churches, festivals, house concerts, elementary schools - from Hawaii to the Upper Penninsula to Fort Meyers to France.
But I'm not just a performer. I'm also a teacher at heart. I believe that everyone is musical - but as we get older, all kinds of barriers come up between us and our inner musical child.
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I have a gift of helping folks feel music flow through them within seconds. I love seeing their faces light up with delight! The instant success is essential for their confidence - both personal and musical.
Allie Jean's Bio
Allie Jean Burbrink is a multi-instrumentalist whose first love is singing. She plays guitar, clawhammer banjo, harmonica, piano, ukulele, old time fiddle, mandolin, piano, upright bass, feet, and whatever other random instruments she finds interesting. Allie is best known for her work with The Whipstitch Sallies (folk/songwriter/bluegrass - Indiana), Frank & Allie Lee, and The Freight Hoppers (old time - North Carolina). Her children’s folk album, SING & PLAY ALL DAY, was released in 2022. Her new record, BLOOM AGAIN, is a collection of 20 songs and tunes highlighting the contributions of women in folk and early bluegrass music.
"In her wonderful new project, "Bloom Again," Indiana's own Allie Jean Burbrink brings listeners along as she navigates the hearts of hills, hollers, and towns large and small. Her rich singing sounds as at home on a Carter Family number like "You Are My Flower" as it does on the great Carole King song, "I Feel the Earth Move." Along the way is solid banjo, guitar, fiddle, bass, and harmonica, all played by Allie Jean. Highly recommended!" ~Joe Newberry
In addition to performing, Allie is a community music educator with a passion for personalized and collaborative music instruction. She has taught individuals and groups of all ages at Blue Ridge Old Time Music Week, IBMA, Indiana Fiddlers' Gathering, Hindman Settlement School, local libraries, music stores, festivals, camps, and the Indiana Fiddle Frolic where she serves as program director. Her current project is creating video content so that her teaching is accessible to everyone.
