Rick Willey was born into the middle of a large family of artists and musicians in Saint Joseph, Michigan. Rick started playing mandolin and fiddle as a teenager in a family band. Over the years he explored many styles of fiddle and mandolin music while performing with The Willeys, Paddy’s Racket, Fonn Mor and Soltre. When not listening to the songs of birds, the naturalist and wildlife artist listens to and plays a lot of Irish and old-time fiddle tunes.