The music of Mairi Rankin and Eric Wright is like a conversation between two good friends. Featuring Cape Breton fiddling and Old-Time cello, each brings a respect and rev-erence for their traditions, but with the command and creativity to blend their styles. They are both well-established in the traditional music world—Mairi performs and records with Beòlach and the Outside Track as well as playing for dances and teaching fiddle and step dance while Eric has performed and recorded with numerous bands including Ruth Moody, Trey Anastasio, Natalie MacMaster, and John Reischman. He is also a member of award-winning British Co-lumbia-based band The Fretless. Together Mairi and Eric make a unique sound that is lush, powerful, and rooted in groove, exchanging rhythmic and melodic roles with a call and answer feel. The duo received the Canadian Folk Music Award for Instrumental Group of the Year with their album The Cabin Sessions in 2019. More recently, they toured Ireland with Tim Edey this past spring. Maybe they’ll get to revisit some of those times and reunite with Tim at the Festival this year.