DEAN KOTCHKA
Guitar & Vocals
Born in Appalachian SW Ohio and raised in Dayton, Dean grew up playing classic country with his uncles, learning Doc Watson and Carter family tunes from his pretty guitar teacher, and playing in a rock band his mom forbid. He then went on to become an accountant, a husband & father, and a partner in a software development company. Now, this businessman whose heroes have always been cowboys is getting after it again with a hat on his head and a guitar in his hands.
KELLI DOMKE
vocals & rhythm guitar
As a little girl, Kelli was always singing: belting ‘em out in a dusty Ohio barn loft in the summers, singing Waylon & Willie in the parking lot of the small town Texas icehouse her folks ran, or walking herself to church for the choir. As an adult, and after a few years studying and performing classical music, she turned her attention to kids and family life, eventually becoming a preschool studio art teacher. Like a runaway bride, she feels like a runaway opera singer, trading ball gowns for boots, learning some guitar, and making the kind of friends and music she’s always longed to.
JODY KNOOP
Mandolin and Vocals
Newly retired from 37 years of teaching art at The Seven Hills School, Jody brings a cheerful sense of fun to her performances. When she isn’t playing music with Tangled Roots or WhistleStop, she spends her time contentedly gardening at her storybook home, “horse-camping” with her faithful steed Ivan, stenciling the barn walls, or heading down to the creek with her happy pack of doodles!
Dick Males
Upright bass
After 50 years as a consultant, Dick now spends his time in retirement enjoying musical pursuits, teaching fencing, running an English Language Conversation Group, exploring local in fries in season, and indulging in intermittent curmudgeonly. A treasured member of Queen City Balladeers, Dick plays bass with many friends at the Leo Coffeehouse, and often joins WhistleStop, waiting (perhaps in vain) for us to play Freebird and make him a happy man at last.
Nora Denning
Mandolin and vocals
A Kentucky native and triplet, Nora teaches Latin (and sometimes Greek) at St. Xavier, where she coached the quiz team to a first place victory in state this year! An avid hiker, multi-instrumentalist, and delightful conversationalist, Nora also fronts and plays bass in The Yard Cars, a band you should definitely check out.
JOHN GARDLIK
Upright bass
A retired chemist, John plays music around town with several musical theater companies as well as in the P&G Big Band. Besides bass, John plays multiple other instruments as well, including banjo, guitar and mandolin.