October Old-Time Retreat 2026

Rachel Eddy | Artistic Advisor

Intermediate Fiddle

Rachel Eddy is a native of West Virginia who grew up in a musical family steeped in the traditions of Appalachian music and dance. Rachel is known throughout the world as both a dynamic, emotionally powerful performer and an engaging, thoughtful teacher. Rachel’s soulful singing and multi-instrumental finesse—including fiddle, banjo, guitar, and mandolin—may be heard on numerous solo and collaborative recordings as well as at dances and jam sessions, where they are dedicated to fostering community and sharing a love of music with others.

Rhys Jones

Advanced Fiddle

Rhys Jones has been playing traditional Appalachian, French-Canadian and Irish fiddle music for 30 years. Born in Chicago, he began his fiddling at age 7 in the fertile environment of the Chicago Barn Dance Company. Soon after, his family moved to southern West Virginia where he learned from the older generation of fiddlers, including Ernie Carpenter, Melvin Wine, Glen Smith and Wilson Douglas. Rhys continued his musical education while living in Westport, County Mayo, Ireland, and has now played for concerts, dances, workshops and festivals across the United States and Europe. He has won both fiddle and band contests at The Appalachian String Band Festival (Clifftop), and is regarded as one of the bright lights of the current generation of traditional performers. Rhys has three albums with the Vigortone label, appears on numerous compilations and recordings, and can be seen in the award-winning concert documentary Absolutely Irish. Rhys is also known as an accomplished banjo and guitar player, and is always in demand as an accompanist to both Irish and American musicians.

Benny Bleu

Advanced Banjo

Benny Bleu Haravitch plays old time banjo in the Finger Lakes of upstate New York – a land defined by deep lake valleys and steep highlands. The topography is reflected in the local fiddle tradition, and Benny’s banjo rolls along having studied and played with regional old-time visionaries Mac Benford, Richie Stearns, Judy Hyman, and Bruce Molsky. As a former geologist, his songwriting is earth-focused and inspired by the natural world. Benny’s performances are soothing journeys through tunes from his homeland, old songs learned by growing up next to a jug-bandleader, and original modern folk contemplations. 2024 is a prolific year as Benny released twin albums Banjo Meditations (featured in Bandcamp Daily’s Best Country Music of June 2024) and Banjo Jubilations (#2 artist and #5 album on FAI Folk Radio Chart June 2024), and embarked on an all-too-uncommon Amtrak tour to the west coast and back, spreading the efforts of sustainability and eco-consciousness in the traveling arts.

His career is dedicated to purveying honest acoustic roots music, not for the sake of revival, but as a living, breathing community experience in the here and now. An award winning banjo player, and a cherished songwriter, Benny Bleu lives up to the truest form of folk music – made by the folks, for the folks. His hypothesis: building connections with nature, each other, and our history through music makes for a richer future. Simple, testable, repeatable.

Hunter Walker

Intermediate Banjo

More information coming soon!

Jesse Milnes

Intermediate/Advanced Guitar

Jesse Milnes grew up in the world of West Virginia old-time music (his father is fiddler and folklorist Gerry Milnes). Though he is widely known as a fiddle player, Jesse’s first instrument was a guitar and he has developed a personal style of finger-picking, drawing on influences from blues to bluegrass to country. He has played fiddle and guitar with many country, old-time and bluegrass bands over the years, including the Sweetback Sisters, a country band for which he was also a main songwriter. Jesse has won many local and regional fiddle contests, including the WV State Folk Festival in Glenville, WV, and the Ed Haley Fiddle Contest in Ashland, KY. Jesse and his wife, Emily Miller, recently toured in Australia and California and recorded their first album as a duo. They live in Valley Bend, WV.

Gerry Milnes

West Virginia Repertoire for All Instruments (Int/Adv)

Gerry Milnes began collecting and learning banjo tunes in central West Virginia in 1975. As a player, he has won blue ribbons at the WV State Folk Festival, the Vandalia Gathering, and both age levels at the Clifftop competitions. His playing may be heard on several recordings as well as those of Melvin Wine and Ernie Carpenter. Gerry has performed and taught at venues throughout the country.

Sophie Wellington

Int/Adv Singing

Sophie Wellington is a Boston-based musician. From old time fiddle tunes to jazz singing, from flat-picking guitar arrangements to Appalachian flatfooting, Sophie brings a unique and spontaneous approach to making music.Growing up in Staunton, VA, Sophie’s love of music was  encouraged by their parents, concert pianist Lynne Mackey and old time musician and dance caller Bill Wellington. Sophie was brought up in music and community via contra and square dances, choirs, music festivals and dance camps. These communities offered them the opportunity to make powerful connections between music and dance. Sophie’s approach to performing, teaching, and learning has been heavily influenced by having a foot in the world of dance and music (pun intended!)​​

In 2021, Sophie earned their bachelor’s degree from Berklee College of Music. Sophie majored in Professional Music with concentrations in vocal jazz performance (specifically in vocalese writing and improvisation) and the American Roots Music Program, led by Matt Glaser and taught by Bruce Molsky, Darol Anger, Paul Rishell and Annie Raines, Jeremy Kittel.​​

​Sophie is a passionate performer with an innate sense for movement and play. As a solo performer, their program incorporates old time fiddle tunes in a variety of settings, including fiddle and dance duets, ballad singing, and flat-pick arrangements of fiddle tunes. Sophie also plays in songwriter and contemporary bard Willi Carlisle’s band. Since 2023, Sophie has toured extensively with him for his albums Welcome to Critterland (2024) and Winged Victory (2025). Sophie also plays guitar and sings with Boston-based country band The Talking Hearts, and Sophie fiddles in old time super group Dumpster Debbie.

Becky Hill

Int/Adv Dancing

Becky Hill is a sought-after percussive dancer, square dance caller, choreographer, and educator. Becky has worked with Footworks Percussive Dance Ensemble, Rhythm in Shoes, Good Foot Dance Company, and studied with an array of percussive dance tradition bearers. Her choreography has been featured at Wheatland Music Festival, Jacob’s Pillow, and the Kennedy Center among others. She performs regularly with Ben Nelson, Rachel Eddy and Cathy & Marcy’s Old-Time Coalition. .

Becky has done extensive research into Appalachian Dance traditions alongside folklorist Gerry Milnes, where they co-created a documentary “Reel ‘Em Boys, Reel ‘Em” on West Virginia dance traditions and co-founded the Mountain Dance Trail of Augusta Heritage Center.