Kentucky-born Brigid Kaelin is a true Renaissance woman — storyteller, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, author, and illustrator. Classically trained and joyfully unconventional, she glides between the worlds of folk, Americana, jazz, and theatre. Brigid is a fluent sight reader, but also loves improvising and playing by ear.
A sought-after session player and performer, Brigid has shared stages and studios with Elvis Costello, Jason Isbell, Dan Bern, Jack Harlow, Ben Folds Five, Jim James (My Morning Jacket), and even Loretta Lynn. She’s sung her original songs on A Prairie Home Companion, tours Europe annually, and been named Louisville’s “Best Singer-Songwriter” multiple times. She’s also been a vocal coach to A-list Hollywood actors on-screen projects. Once she was offered a leading role in a Broadway tour — a dream she had to decline to care for her dying parents and doesn't regret that for a second.
Brigid plays accordion, piano, musical saw, guitar, theremin, ukulele, mandolin and “various other things with strings.” She’s equally at home composing Shakespearean scores for live theatre, recording Nashville sessions, or arranging lush vocal harmonies for film and TV.
Before her full-time music career, Brigid worked as a writer and producer for CBS News and contributed to The History Channel, A&E Biography, Discovery, and VH1 – experiences that honed her storytelling instincts and love of deep research. Her first book, Lakeside, is an award-winning local history favorite.
When she’s not performing, Brigid creates ink-and-watercolor illustrations and oil paintings. Her artwork was commissioned for Governor Andy Beshear’s Inauguration program.
Brigid grew up in Kentucky and couldn't wait to get away. She moved to NYC at 18, graduated summa cum laude from NYU (Phi Beta Kappa) by age 20. She is now back in Kentucky with her Texan husband and two children. She adores the metric system, pirate jokes, and any excuse for a transatlantic flight.
Fun facts Brigid would share during the chat portion of Jeopardy!:
- Her first boss was Bravo's Andy Cohen.
- She once interviewed Colin Powell and Susan Lucci in the same 24-hour period.
- The current president once physically shoved her off of a red carpet.
- She had 12 years of perfect attendance in school.
- On an early date with her now-husband, she took him to Amsterdam for the weekend with less than 24 hours notice.
- She wants to write romance novels under a pseudonym someday. Or cozy mysteries set among cobblestones.
- Her children have been in big movies and TV shows.
- She was on the front page of The Tennessean the same week Taylor Swift's first album was reviewed.
- A well-known lifestyle mogul once threw a suitcase at her
- She has yodeled in the Alps. In a dirndl. Unironically.
