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About Tekla Waterfield
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2024 Sonic Guild Artist Grant Recipient, 2021 US Songwriting Competition finalist, 2020 & 2021 Doe Bay Resort & Retreat Artist Resident recipient, 2019 Jack Straw Cultural Center recording grant recipient, and 2018 Allied Arts Listen Up! Women in Music grant recipient, Alaskan-born Seattle-based singer/songwriter Tekla Waterfield incorporates elements of folk, country, roots, rock and soul creating a wide-ranging sound unified by dynamic vocals and point-of-view storytelling. Waterfield is often paired with her husband and musical partner, accomplished internationally touring guitarist, Jeff Fielder, known for his work with Mark Lanegan, Amy Ray, Stone Gossard, Duff McKagan, Sera Cahoone and the Indigo Girls. Together the duo present lush, harmonic, thoughtfully developed & playfully artistic Contemporary American Roots.
Waterfield & Fielder recorded and self-released “Trouble In Time” in 2021, to national and international acclaim, radio play throughout the US, most notably on NPR’s World Cafe, Seattle’s KEXP and in the UK, Scotland, Wales, Australia, England & Korea. Described as “poignant and emotionally soaring” by No Depression, with favorable reviews in American Songwriter, The Alternate Root, Sing Out! Radio Magazine, & glowing international reviews in The Netherlands, Croatia & Spain.
Waterfield’s most recent September 2021 solo release, “New Skies”, with production by Fielder, landed in the #3 Most Added at NACC Folk Chart, and made its way into the NACC Top 25 Folk Album Chart.
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Waterfield's 2018 album, "The Curtain Falls" saw song placement in the indie film, "Dakota", for the song, "Rock and Roll Man", with the music video for Waterfield's song, "Nice Try" being selected by the Seattle International Film Festival and One Reel for screening at the 2019 Bumbershoot Music Festival.
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The Longer Story​
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The daughter of a folk musician born and raised in Alaska, Tekla Waterfield started singing at a young age with her mother and sister, performing at folk festivals throughout her home state.
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Waterfield began writing poems and songs as a child, but it wasn't until she picked up the guitar and joined her first band, "Blvd Park" in Sacramento in 2009 that she discovered her love for putting lyrics and melody together.
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Tekla was a long-time open mic host at the historic Columbia City Theater in Seattle's Columbia City. She's a selected member of 4Culture's Touring Artist Roster, and a 8yr veteran of the Experience the City of Music Project; performing regularly at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport for travelers from around the world.
Tekla curated, produced, hosted and co-created the popular music series, The Great Women of Country Tribute series at Seattle’s Royal Room, and up until recently, volunteered at 91.3 KBCS as the live in-studio producer for daytime performances from local and regionally touring bands.
Tekla has been a teaching artist on occasion, most recently working with children in grade school helping them craft their interests into song. She previously taught with Songwriting Through Youth Literature Education, Rain City Rock Camp and has plans in motion to teach her first songwriting retreat in 2024.