Born and raised on West Bay Road, Inverness County, Shelly Campbell has been playing traditional Cape Breton music for 35 years. Her playing is powerful, lively and graceful, deeply-rooted in the traditions she grew up listening to. She was influenced by local fiddlers Stephanie Wills, Theresa MacLellan, Gertie Coffin, and Alex Francis MacKay among others. Shelly plays at many local concerts, pubs, and festivals and is a popular player for dances. Although she usually stays close to home, Shelly has taught and played throughout the Maritimes as well as in Ontario, Ireland, Scotland, and Denmark. She also has an avid interest in the Gaelic language and its preservation on Cape Breton and continues to work on her own fluency. Shelly is Junior High School math and Gaelic teacher and resides in Whycocomagh.