Fiddle Hellions
From an online collaboration on Fiddle Hell Online, Betsy Branch, George Penk and Sue Songer made it official by creating Fiddle Hellions. These Portland legends have played for bands that have built the foundation for one of the strongest music scenes in the Northwest: Joyride, Jigsaw, Night Owl, Campaign for Reel Time, Stage Crew, the Portland Megaband, The Quarks, and Wild Hair. Now together, they weave together melody and harmony that reflects their musical familiarity and long-time friendships with each other. Twin fiddlers, Betsy and George, interlace energetic, inventive playing with driving, rhythmic chording, unison melody and delicate harmony lines. Sue, on piano, brings decades of experience and depth to both contras and English Country. She is the co-editor of the Portland Collection, a three-volume set of tunes that CDSS has described as “the staple resource for musicians around the world.”
Campaign for Reel Time
Campaign for Reel Time is a trio including Betsy on fiddle, Bill Tomczak on clarinet, sax & percussion, and Mark Douglass on piano. They play for contras and English Country Dance, and they might be having more fun than the dancers. Along with 2 other bands, C4RT is one of the host bands for Portland’s 3rd Saturday contra dances.
Sail Away Ladies
When Linda Game and Betsy Branch (Portland, Oregon) sat down to jam together in California in 2023, they both felt like they had been playing together for years. Their high-energy, fearless fiddling and their love of beautiful harmonies and improvisations is perfectly complemented by Sue Songer’s piano. This vibrant trio debuted on an Alaskan tour in 2024, and will at Halsway Manor in England in October of 2026. Together, Sail Away Ladies create a warm, welcoming atmosphere with unforgettable dance highs.
The Portland Megaband
This huge contra dance band puts on a benefit dance each March. For more info, visit Portland Megaband. Betsy helps to choose the tunes, make arrangements for the band, and (with Sue Songer) records the practice CD for the group each year.
Besides these bands, Betsy collaborates regularly with a wide variety of musicians in a mix of combinations. These include: Lisa Scott, Nancy Conescu, Geraldine Murray, Larry Unger, Maldon Meehan, Sam Bartlett, Erik Weberg, Peter Siegel, Jared Kirkpatrick, Rick Mohr, Audrey Jaber (and many others!).
