About Bonnie

Bonnie Phipps has made her living through music since the 1980s. She has recorded and performed with The Colorado Folk Ensemble, which featured intricate arrangements with autoharp, cello, violin, and guitar. Pete Wernick (of Hot Rise fame) described the group’s sound as “Old Time New Age Chamber Music” — a blend of traditional, classical, and jazz elements. The ensemble toured for Columbia Artists Management doing community concerts around the Western states. They also played at many prestigious folk venues, including the Hudson River Revival, Philadelphia Folk Festival, Winnipeg Folk Festival, Kerrville Folk Festival, Winfield Folk Festival, and Old Songs Festival.

Phipps’ has written articles on the autoharp for Frets magazine, and two books including her Beginning Autoharp Instruction Book for Alfred Publishing Company. She won Autoharp Championships at both Winfield Folk Festival and Mountain Laurel Autoharp Gathering. Bonnie has been a featured performer and workshop leader several times at the Willamette Autoharp Gathering, California Autoharp Gathering, NorthWest Autoharp Gathering, Augusta Autoharp Week, and Mountain Laurel Autoharp Gathering. She also taught a five-day autoharp class for Haystack and has recently been invited to teach and perform in England for Sore Fingers Week.

Bonnie has three recordings featuring the autoharp: Autoharpin’, The Colorado Folk Ensemble, and her new arrival, Anything Goes, which are all available in the store on this website.