Esther Golton

about

Esther Golton is a clear-voiced Alaskan singer-songwriter who accompanies herself with a mountain dulcimer. She plays it in her own individualistic, non-traditional way, perching it on a home-made stand, crossing genres from gentle folk to pop to blues and jazz, coaxing out interesting chords, and meddling with texture in order to add dimension to her lyrics. Esther's debut studio production, Unfinished Houses, encompasses her varied life and musical experiences. It’s unconventional. The dulcimer surprises you, sometimes playing jazzy chord progressions that seem impossible for a non-chromatic 4-stringed instrument. The flute improvs are both lush and spare. Her voice is vivid, pretty, and pronounced. The song content ranges from heartfelt stories to poetic soundscapes to quirky philosophical musings. The CD contains contributions from a variety of musicians including a moving harmony and layered guitars by Karen Savoca and Pete Heitzman on “Keli Mahoney”... a song memorializing a well-loved Talkeetna bush pilot with whom Karen and Pete flew around Denali. Originally from the suburbs of Philadelphia, Esther attended Penn State to study agriculture and ended up with a degree in flute performance, jazz and composition in 1989. She subsequently hiked the Appalachian Trail, busked in Japan while teaching English there, worked on a commune called East Wind in Missouri, lived the "simple life" in the backwoods of Maine, then moved to Alaska in 1997. Esther spent a year with her p

top songs

albums

Unfinished Houses

Aurora Borealis: Conversations with Alaska's Northern Lights

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Stay Warm

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Talkeetna Roadhouse Live

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pre-release from upcoming CD

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Talkeetna Roadhouse LIVE #1

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Whole Wheat Radio Archives

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WWR Live 5-16-03

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Aurora Borealis - Conversations With Alaska's Northern Lights

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Talkeetna Roadhouse -- Live #1

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Whole Wheat Radio Campfire After Jack Williams Concert - 7-31-2004

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Live Hope, Alaska Bootleg

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