Musician & Public Speaker
My name is Gaelynn Lea. I am a violinist turned songwriter from Duluth Minnesota. I have been performing for over a decade, but my music career took a national twist when I won NPR Music’s 2016 Tiny Desk Contest. After that I started getting… Continue Reading “Gaelynn Lea’s List for Venues, Bands and Promoters to Make the Music Industry More Accessible”
Mind the Gap. What does that mean to me? In a way my whole life has been lived in the gap. I have a physical disability called Osteogenesis Imperfecta, or Brittle Bones Disease. Due to numerous fractures in utero, I have bent arms and… Continue Reading “Sexuality, Disability & the Journey to Inner Freedom”
Paul and I have been on the road touring full-time for the past 6 months now – I have performed and/or spoken at 125 events since October and we’ve traveled to over half the US states so far… 34 is the current total, to be… Continue Reading “The First Six Months: Thoughts from the Road”
I must admit, today’s Inauguration is leaving me in a weird head space. But I don’t think engaging in an online political debate or reading another news article is going to do my mental health or the state of the world any good at… Continue Reading “Focus and the Future”
On May 6th, 2013 I very nervously taught my first fiddle lesson to my friend Robin. And now, after over 3 years and 50 students, I am taking a hiatus of undetermined length to embark on a new touring adventure with my husband Paul.… Continue Reading “To My Fiddle Students: Thank You.”
So I’ve been thinking… The last four months have been amazing and exciting and humbling and terrifying… But mostly they’ve felt like a mysterious unfolding. Music seems to be the calling that I never planned on but have been so grateful to discover, bit by… Continue Reading “A Lifetime of Fear-Facing”
Way back in January, two fiddle students and a close friend told me about this music contest that National Public Radio was hosting called the Tiny Desk Contest. Many of you are probably aware that NPR’S Bob Boilen regularly hosts a three-song podcast called… Continue Reading “Tiny Desk Contest: Hitting the Road!”
I love playing shows at traditional venues, but I hope that I always make time to play for people in places like schools and nursing homes… I can’t quite put my finger on what makes these experiences so special, but they are indeed. For… Continue Reading “Art is for Everyone”
The last few months I have had the opportunity to do a number of fun and rewarding public speaking engagements for conferences, nonprofits, business groups, and schools. Topics are varied, but I generally include a little information about disability etiquette. Disability etiquette is… Continue Reading “A Few Thoughts on Disability Etiquette”
February is a fitting month to reflect on the nature of love. Winter allows us the opportunity (should we take it) to get cozy and hopefully slow down enough to truly appreciate that which we cherish in a close-up, contemplative way. We needn’t… Continue Reading “Love in a Cold Climate”
