Is a contemporary fiddle band comprised of fiddle, guitar, bass, piano and drums. Celtic air plays many genres of music including jazz, western swing, Celtic, old-time, bluegrass and contest style show tunes. The members of Celtic Air enjoy playing many different styles of music but the glue that binds them together is their love for hard driving; in your face Celtic fiddle tunes.

Each member of Celtic Air has their own stylistic flair they bring to the music. Guitarist Joe Sites has won 8 national fiddle championships and played rhythm guitar for Mark O’Connor for over 4 years. Our pianist Steve is a retired music teacher and plays both piano and clarinet. His music is smooth and silky the type you could listen to all night long. Mark, our drummer, keeps the music intense and driving on the upbeat reels and hoedowns and sets the mood for our haunting airs and waltzes.

The band is rounded out by lead fiddler Jacie Sites. Jacie has an uncanny ability to get your feet tapping and your body feeling the groove with her energetic bowing style. Her fingers are the fastest around. She continually wows audiences with her fast fiddling and energetic stage presence. Jacie plays many styles of music and plays them all well as evidenced by her many fiddle titles. Jacie has won such awards as the fanciest fiddler at Nationals in 2004 and 2006 as well as winning the bluegrass fiddle championship at Rocky grass in 2005. Jacie won the Idaho state Old-time and Contest style competitions in the same year. Although she attends primarily old-time and Texas style competitions Jacie is known for pulling out wins in showcase talent divisions by playing her favorite signature Celtic derived tunes. Jacie is also proficient as a mandolinist, guitarist and cellist. In 2005, Jacie won both the mandolin and guitar divisions at the National Heritage contest in Logan, Utah.

 

JACIE SITES began playing the fiddle in middle school. When she turned 15 she began studying contest fiddling from 1990 National fiddle champion Rudi Booher. After only 5 lessons she was well on her way to becoming a champion fiddler. On her 21st birthday Jacie won the Oregon State Contest. Jacie has gone on to win such titles as Idaho State Grand Champion. National fiddle contest 2 time fanciest fiddler, 2nd place young adult division and judge. Jacie is also proficient on mandolin, guitar and cello as she has won contests on all three and attended college on a full cello performance scholarship. Jacie was the 2004 Northwest regional and Idaho State Champion. In 2005 Jacie won the rocky grass bluegrass fiddle champions, her prize was a Zeta electric violin and the chance to play on the same day and stage venue as Allison Krauss and Ricky Skaggs. Another love in Jacie’s life alongside performing is teaching and mentoring students. Jacie and her husband Joe started a program called Strings for kids which gives underprivileged children free instrument and lessons. Jacie currently has students who are or have been the national Junior Junior, the best entertainer and Young Adult champion as well as the Small Fry first runner up and third place. Jacie’s students are the current state and regional champions as well.

JOE SITES has been fiddling around since he was 18 years old. Joe won his first contest, the Idaho State Contest, shortly after he began fiddling. Soon he picked up the guitar and began backing up many of his fiddle friends. Joe played rhythm guitar for virtuoso Mark O’Connor during his fiddle contesting years. Over the past few decades Joe has won a total of 8 National Championships in the Men’s and Adult Divisions. Throughout the years many of Joe’s students have gone on to win National Championships. The most notable of Joe’s students are probably Tim Hodgson fiddler for the Bar-J Wranglers in Jackson Hole, Wyoming and National, Grand masters and Texas State former champion Matt Hartz.