From folk music with a message, to blues, to children’s music, to instrumentals… Bill and Kathy Kostelec are prolific singer/songwriters in the American roots tradition.  Bill plays guitar, harmonica, and sometimes banjo.  Kathy plays guitar, mandolin, fiddle, and sometimes autoharp.  They released their 6th album in April 2023.

They have performed at numerous folk festivals and venues, and many songs have been heard on regional airwaves including Northwest Public Radio’s Inland Folk.  They performed at multiple Woody Guthrie Tribute shows:  Roll on Columbia (KPBX Spokane Public Radio underwriters concert), KPBX’s Woody Kids Concert, and Seattle’s Northwest Folklife Festival Woody Tribute show.  They were lead organizers and performers for the Woody Guthrie and Pete Seger Tribute shows at Spokane’s Fall Folk Festival and Bill’s worker songs earned an invitation to perform on the Northwest Folklife Festival’s Labor Stage.

Bill’s easily identifiable voice has been described as “a creaky thing (in a good way mind you)” by the press (Jeff Echert, The Pacific Northwest Inlander) and their latest album introduces Kathy as a significant lead singer.

Some places they’ve played:
*Fall Folk Festival – Spokane

*Northwest Folklife Festival – Seattle

*Tumbleweed Music Festival – Richland, Washington

*Bing Crosby (former Met) Theater – Spokane

*Pigout in the Park – Spokane

* Artichoke Music – Portland, OR

* Uncommon Ground – Chicago, IL

*INBA Bluegrass Showcase – Spokane Valley

*They have also played at numerous coffee shops and intimate venues, and were regular performers at Spokane Songwriter events for a nearly 10 year run.

Live radio shows & interviews:

* Soundspace with Norvel Trosst – KPBX Spokane Public Radio

*Nacho Celtic Hour with Carlos Alden – KPBX Spokane Public Radio

* Crossroads with Bob Rice – KYRS Thin Air Community Radio

* Spokane Open Poetry with Stephen Pitters – KYRS Thin Air Community Radio

*Live broadcast from the Fall Folk Festival – KPBX Spokane Public Radio

Disography

*Sing While You Can (2023)
* The Devil is Beating His Wife (2011)
* Storyteller 2 (2007)
* Storyteller 1 (2005)
* Working Man (2004)  * Railroad Boy (2004)

Bill and Kathy perform as a duo but they have had the pleasure of being joined in performances and/or recordings by numerous talented musicians.

A little background:

Bill and Kathy met through their common love of black and white photography.  Some time later, after hearing Bill sing and play guitar – and finding his book full of songs – Kathy began to push him to play in public.  He pushed back, bought her a mandolin and said he needed a backup singer.  They have been performing together ever since.

Bill “The Blue Collar PhD” worked at Gonzaga University for 22 years where he worked as a Photographer/Graphic Artist and taught classes in Photography and Religion.  He has a PhD in Religion from Emory University, but, as you hear in many of his songs, he has never forgotten his Illinois factory town roots.

Bill is also a virtual singing library of American roots music.  He grew up listening to his Dad sing old railroad and prison songs and enjoys playing songs by Jimmie Rodgers, Robert Johnson, Hank Williams, and many others.

Kathy is originally from western Kentucky.  As a young girl, she loved to read and write poetry – perhaps one reason why songwriting came naturally once she had an instrument in her hands and life allowed for some creative time.  She worked at the Washington State Attorney General’s Office for 13 years before resigning to manage their home photo and music studio.

Bill and Kathy believe in supporting the arts and building community.  They were founding members and past presidents of the Spokane Songwriter’s Organization (which had a near 10 year run of monthly events including open mics and songwriter showcases) plus founding members and past presidents of the Gonzaga University Photography Club.  They coordinated “Folkies at the Fox” and shared the stage with Dan Maher, the Celtic Nots, and other regional folk musicians to help promote awareness for the Fox Theater renovation project; they hosted numerous house concerts; and nearly every 4th Friday for 15 years they opened their home for musicians and friends to gather.  They are members of American Federation of Musicians Local 105 where Kathy currently serves on the Executive Board.

Oh… and just where did the name Blue Ribbon Tea Company come from?  As you might guess – a photograph (the tea tin on the banner).  Needing a name to apply for their 1^st folk festival Bill looked up, saw his print, and said “how about The Blue Ribbon Tea Company?”  Kathy replied “OK.”