Annie Staninec

Annie Staninec is a Portland-based fiddler renowned for her dynamic performances across bluegrass, old-time, Cajun, swing, and Irish traditions. Born in San Francisco to musically inclined parents—her father from Czechoslovakia and her mother from Japan—she began playing fiddle at age four and was performing publicly by eleven. By her early twenties, she had toured internationally with artists like David Grisman and Darol Anger. Staninec is a longtime member of the Kathy Kallick Band and has collaborated with musicians including Mary Gauthier and Rod Stewart, with whom she toured in 2016.

She co-founded the folk rock band Blind Willies during her time at the San Francisco School of the Arts. Her accolades include the IBMA Momentum Instrumentalist of the Year and multiple NCBS Fiddle Player of the Year awards. In addition to performing, she teaches at esteemed music camps and has released two albums: her self-titled debut in 2015 and “Twin Sisters” with Nick Hornbuckle in 2023.