Kevin McMullin

Duck for the Oyster specializes in traditional music and dance, from 18th and 19th century America as well as a variety of dances from around the world. Since 1989
the band has been hosting and playing a regular dance series in Northwestern Wisconsin featuring squares, contras, reels, quadrilles, international, circle and round dances. Their dances are sprinkled with waltzes, polkas, schottisches, swing dances and music for clogging. In the time they have been together Duck for the Oyster has become one of the Midwest's best traditional dance bands. Their eclectic repertoire, compelling rhythms, and sheer sense of fun make them a favorite among dancers of all levels. Every dance is taught before the music starts; dancers are prompted throughout by a caller; no previous experience is needed; beginners are welcome.

Duck for the Oyster is made up of callers Karen Kaufman and Kathy Brihn, with instrumentalists Kevin McMullin on fiddle, Tom Draughon on guitar, Larry Stelter on mandolin, and Bruce Qualey on bass. In addition to their regular dance series,
Duck for the Oyster has appeared throughout the upper Midwest at festivals, schools, museums and town halls, where their unique brand of entertainment has served as a focus for family and community gatherings. They also host a weekend dance camp each June at Hunt Hill Audubon Sanctuary in Sarona, Wisconsin.

Duck for the Oyster has two CDs; Migrations, and their most recent release:
May We Have This Dance. The two discs are a reflection of the musical journey
the "Ducks" have been making throughout their history as a dance band.
Migrations is filled with a melting pot of tunes from all over the world arranged in seamless medleys. May We Have This Dance is a do it yourself dance disc, with music and instructions for 10 different traditional American Dances.
Both discs are available for sale on our web site.

Working with people of all ages has always been important to Duck for the Oyster. Most "Duck" evenings include special dances for the young and the young at heart. The wide variety of songs, dances, rhythm games, stories and fun offered by
Duck for the Oyster endear them to virtually every age group. Quipped one third grader: "This is more fun than Disney World!" Duck for the Oyster can be reached at (715) 635-7641.

"This is really fabulous! The band is great, the calls are in there just the right amount... fabulous musicianship and the booklet is excellent!"

Paul Rosenberg
Founder and Organizor of
The Dance Flurry Festival

WHO'S WHO in Duck for the Oyster

KAREN KAUFMAN teaches and calls traditional American folk and international dances, specializing in helping novice dancers of all ages enjoy themselves on the dance floor. Karen has studied calling at the Augusta Heritage Arts Center in West Virginia as well as at dances from Seattle to Baltimore. She was co-founder of Joining the Circle Dance Weekend
at Hunt Hill. Her dance background includes classical, modern, jazz and international folk dancing as well as clogging and square dancing. Karen holds a masters degree in marriage and family therapy and is a certified
a personal coach, helping people have as much fun in their lives as they have on the dance floor!

http://www.kaufmancoaching.com/

KATHY BRIHN learned to call with Duck for the Oyster and has studied calling at the Pinewoods Camp in Massachusetts. Since 1992, along with regular Duck dances, she has called at festivals, schools, and community education programs. In addition to calling, Kathy sometimes lends her voice to the band's vocal numbers. In her day life, Kathy serves as County Executive Director of the USDA Farm Service Agency in
Rusk County.

KEVIN MCMULLIN has been playing for old time dances since he began learning
the fiddle with the Chicago Barn Dance Company in 1978. He has played for dancers across the United States, in Canada and in Europe as a part
of a band for a performing folk dance troupe. A professional musician, he is a selected artist on several artists’ rosters and is a popular solo artist throughout the
upper Midwest. He has performed on stage with artists such as Peter Ostroushko
and Randy Sabien, with whom he released a recording He learned his American
fiddle lore from some of this country's finest old time fiddlers: Chirps Smith and Mark Gunther prominent among them. Besides playing fiddle, Kevin is
a story teller, author and composer, is the founder of the Northern Heritage Fiddle Contest, and can often be found assisting Karen Kaufman as she teaches dances.
Along with Karen he is a co-founder of Duck for the Oyster, and
Joining the Circle Dance Camp.

LARRY STELTER picked up the mandolin and started playing old time fiddle tunes in 1979, and has been playing with local bands and at festivals ever since. An experienced sound technician, he has done recording and sound work for radio stations, festivals, contests, schools, churches, local cable companies and arts councils through out Northwestern Wisconsin and Minnesota. His experience playing with and listening to so many bands has given him a splendid sensitivity to a wide variety of playing styles. Larry has been lending his talent to Duck for the Oyster as a mandolin player since the band started in 1988. His unique backup style has been
a critical part of the Duck for the Oyster sound. In addition to playing with Duck for the Oyster, Larry is CEO of North Forty Music and plays with the Namekagon String Band.

BRUCE QUALEY studied string bass with the assistant principal bass player in the Minnesota Orchestra and went on to spend five summers at the National Music Camp at Interlochen, Michigan. A native of Rochester, Minnesota, Bruce has played in civic orchestras in Elkhart, Indiana and St. Paul, Minnesota, and performed for 19 seasons with the Rochester (MN) Symphony Orchestra. Bruce has performed with Duck for the Oyster since 1996. He also plays in the Namekagon String Band folk group and the Dean's List big band. Bruce and his wife, Sara, live near Cable, Wisconsin.

Tom Draughon is the owner of and executive producer for Heartistry Music, a record label devoted to music and artists of the Lake Superior region. A consummate guitarist, notable performer and enthusiast of acoustic music, Tom plays a wide variety of instruments, including guitar, violin / fiddle, banjo, and piano. He has performed with Tom Paxton,
Randy Sabien, and Molly and the Makers and appears as a session
musician on over 30 recordings as well as on his own CDs Second Wind, Aftermath, and Kids on the Mountain. Tom also performs with his a capella vocal group, Sons of the Voyageur, and the new acoustic trio, Take 3
with Kevin. He also currently serves as Adjunct Professor of Music at
Northland College in Ashland, Wisconsin.