Some unions are just destined to be. Friends of friends connected us back in 1995, and soon, Betsy Wellings, Lisa Marie Kuhlman and Aileen Denton had joined together in a well-blended 3-part harmony folk venture, performing throughout the Puget Sound at local venues, events, festivals, and on the radio. We chose the beautiful tri-petaled trillium from this lovely region as our theme, and emerged one Spring in the bountiful environs of Olympia’s folk music community, flowering into a well-known vocal group, Trillium, developing a musical and personal friendship that has endured over time, through years of joyful rehearsals and frequent performances, family transformations, careers, children, marriages and divorces — and then years of separation. Now we’re all in retirement and we’ve dusted off our old music sheets, pulled out new ones, and are back with a loving resolve, ready and excited to share our best with you: songs familiar and original; warm harmonies and musical tales of love, woe, confirmation, and an occasional errant relative or vehicle.
Lisa Marie Kuhlman grew up in a musical family where singing was a part of daily life, from helping make doing the dishes more fun to staving off the inevitable “When are we going to get there?” on road trips. This translated into performing at weddings, in coffee houses and lounges as a single act in college, and later in various duos and trios throughout the years. Music was also a wonderful tool during her 30+ years in public education as a way to build community while developing language patterns, performance and audience skills. Recently reunited with the other two petals of Trillium and currently a member of The Olympia Peace Choir, Lisa Marie continues to thrive on the food for the soul that is playing music with and for family, friends, and the community at large.
Betsy Wellings has been performing in local venues for more than 40 years, in various configurations of duos and trios, and as a solo act. She has always loved to sing, starting at home with family, later at summer camp, with choirs and in Mexican restaurants, and eventually at open mics, folk venues and even bars. Betsy has two full-length recordings to her credit and an online presence that includes international radio broadcasts and digital downloads. Her broad repertoire includes her own originals, children’s music, songs in Spanish, and her favorite selections from a variety of genres. Newly retired from primary music teaching, she is over the moon at collaborating again with her fellow members of Trillium.
Aileen Denton has been singing always. Originally from a tiny town in the High Sierras, she’s lived in the Northwest since 1985. She’s performed at weddings, funerals, in bars and taverns, countless open mikes, at festivals and house concerts, in community choir and on radio, an occasional Karaoke and around the campfire at a cowboy pack station. She’s sung in folk and country groups, blues bands, jazz ensembles, given solo performances, and teamed up with other vocalists and musicians as a lead and support vocalist, somehow ending up onstage with Masterworks Choral Ensemble, Merilee Rush, the Duffy Bishop Band, Seattle Women in Rhythm & Blues, and Mary Wells. Charmed and energized by the potential of one voice and the joyful work of developing harmonies and strong musical messages, she’s committed to creative musical teamwork and honoring the role of audiences. Back now with her “besties” in lovely 3-part harmony folk trio Trillium, she’s delighted to sing favorites and new songs wherever possible.