Supertrad brings together three of the most talented and in-demand musicians on the contra dance circuit: Sam Bartlett, Eric Schedler, and Owen Morrison. In their own words, “Supertrad is the kind of contra dance band you would like to have with you in the zombie apocalypse.” Well, let’s not go there yet. The 2025 Whirl is a more immediate and welcoming destination.

Sam Bartlett is known for his mandolin, banjo, and guitar playing as well as his original music. His compositions have been profiled on NPR’s All Things Considered and his playing has been featured on the Thistle & Shamrock, and in two Ken Burns documentaries: Prohibition and The Dust Bowl.  Sam grew up in the contra dance world of rural Vermont, was an early member of Wild Asparagus and the Clayfoot Strutters, and now also plays with the New England “supergroups” Stringrays and Notorious.

Sam lives in Bloomington, IN, where he gigs frequently with Eric Schedler, who plays accordion, banjo and piano. With his playing firmly rooted in traditional Irish music, Eric has performed and taught at camps and festivals around the country, and currently serves as program director of CDSS's Cascade of Music and Dance and the all-ages Cumberland Dance Week, a project of the Lloyd Shaw Foundation, of which Eric is also a member of the board of directors. Eric also plays with the Cosmic Otters and Brazenkeys (who played at the 2024 Whirl), the Bloomington-based band he formed with Tadhg Ó Meachair (piano and accordion) and Joanna Hyde (fiddle).

Owen Morrison, known for his “fiercely rhythmic” guitar playing and foot percussion, grew up in a musical family surrounded by English, Irish, American, and Canadian folk music and traditions and began playing professionally at the age of 15. Owen draws on his background in traditional music and training in classical and jazz guitar to create a uniquely danceable style. Currently based in Washington, D.C., he performs with bands including Elixir, The Figments, The Morrison Brothers, Night Watch, and House Red. Owen’s playing is featured on numerous recordings, and he has performed at the National Folk Festival, the Country Music Hall of Fame, and dozens of other festivals and venues. As a composer, Owen is known for his sweeping melodies and evocative chord progressions. His tunes run the gambit from waltzes to jigs and reels and incorporate his traditional, classical, and Flamenco training.

The Michigan-based Johns have been delighting dancers with their driving melodies and rock solid rhythms for over ten years. Ruby John (fiddle), John Warstler (guitar) and Budd Greenman (fiddle, mandolin, tenor banjo and percussion) bonded while teaching at the Earful of Fiddle, a dance and string instrument camp in northern Michigan.

The Johns have performed at concerts and festivals, but their first love is playing for dances. They’ve played for dances at the Wheatland Festival, Blissfest, and Hiawatha Traditional Music Festival and for the Ten Pound Fiddle's largest dance on New Year’s Eve for eight consecutive years. Caller Darline Underwood counts them among her favorite bands!

Ruby is a member of the Odawa (Ottawa) tribe. She learned her hard-driving fiddle style and repertoire from mentors coming from a range of traditions--Old-Time, Métis, Irish and Canadian. Ruby teaches fiddle and works as a motivational speaker for indigenous children.

Budd is an accomplished multi-instrumentalist and luthier. He is also a tunesmith—some of the best dance tunes played by The Johns were composed by Budd.

John’s guitar provides a solid foundation for the two younger members to work their magic.