Guitarist Owen Morrison plays traditional fiddle music with virtuosic flat-picking, driving rhythm, and lyrical grace.

A native of Charlottesville, VA, Owen grew up in a musical family surrounded by English, Irish, American, and Canadian folk music and traditions. He earned a B.A. in Classical Guitar from Guilford College in Greensboro, NC and studied Flamenco guitar in Seville, Spain.

Owen began playing professionally at the age of fifteen. Currently based in Washington, D.C., he performs guitar, mandolin, and foot percussion across the United States and abroad. His musical projects include the traditional dance bands Elixir, The Figments, The Morrison Brothers, Night Watch, and House Red. He is a member of the Dovetail Ensemble, which brings together artists from disparate traditions for collaborative performances. Owen’s playing is featured on numerous recordings, and he has performed at the National Folk Festival, the Country Music Hall of Fame, and dozens of other festivals and venues.

As a composer, Owen is known for his sweeping melodies and evocative chord progressions. His waltz, “Daybreak” has been published in The Waltz Book IV, and Owen’s bands and other groups have recorded his many of his compositions. His tunes run the gambit from waltzes to jigs and reels and incorporate his traditional, classical, and Flamenco training.

In addition to his performing and composing talents, Owen is also an accomplished guitar teacher. He has taught at Ashokan, Swannanoa Gathering, Pinewoods Camp, and the Augusta Heritage Center, among others. Owen also teaches private lessons, both in person and on the internet.

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