Tim DeMarte (vocals, bodhrán, cajon, and guitar) has traversed the realms of music since childhood, born to musician parents.  His cradle was rocked by the beats and tunes of their practices and gigs, and this early exposure fostered a lifelong passion for music as he absorbed bits of lore and dreamed of standing aside those musical wizards one day.  As a vocalist, percussionist, and guitarist, Tim has found joy in every note and rhythm in a life filled with a multitude of musical styles, from traditional rock and roll to traditional Celtic folk, with classical, jazz, and as many other styles as he could try along the way.

 

Tim’s formal percussion studies began at 11, laying the foundation for a lifetime of exploring the endlessly complex and satisfying sounds that can come from beating on inanimate objects.  During his teenage years, his participation in band, choir, orchestra, and various ensembles earned him the Kaufman Departmental Music Award in 1987.  Meanwhile, throughout those same years, Tim helped spark the punk-rock pulse of Marquette as the lead singer of The Regulars (https://www.the-regulars.com/).  

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His undergraduate college years further honed his vocal and percussion skills in NMU’s Percussion Ensemble, University Choir, Arts Chorale, Swing Jazz vocal ensemble, as well as the Marquette Male Chorus, all preparing him for a pivotal summer in Vienna, Austria in 1992.  Already a great lover of Celtic music, it was here that he had the immense fortune and honor to meet, learn from, and be inspired by traditional Irish singer Eamonn Donnelly of Keady, County Armagh, currently of the traditional Irish band Boxty (https://www.boxty.at/band/eamonn/).  This encounter would guide Tim towards the enchanting world of Celtic music through the unadorned beauty of Eamonn’s a capella performances and the mesmerizing beat of the bodhrán.

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Tim’s passion for Irish and Celtic music flourished over the next several years, influencing his vocal work with the alternative rock band Factory in 1994-95, inspiring a series of solo projects and gigs, and eventually finding Tim making a guest appearance singing two tracks on the Keltones’ Ledge of Love album.  During his Master’s Degree and teaching assistantship, from 1997-1999, a serendipitous chapter sparked to life when he joined the Celtic band Foreign Born Irish (aka. FBI) with bandmates Dan and Jill Mahoney.  The only thing they were missing was a fiddle player, and soon after envisioning this, Tim had a fated Halloween meeting with Barbara Rhyneer, his future wife and musical partner ever since.  FBI’s album Dancin’, Drinkin’, and Not Much Fightin’ was the culmination of their time together, and though that band eventually dis-banded, Tim continued to play with Barbara as a duo in Otherworld for several years as often as they could while raising their kids together.

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During the later 2000’s, Tim and Barb began occasionally joining forces for gigs with Tim Clancy (flute and accordion player formerly of the Keltones), usually at the Hiawatha Music Festival or at St. Patrick’s Day shows or dances.  From 2012-2015 they had the magical Dan Truckey joining them as well, officially forming The Knockabouts by 2016.

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Tim formerly taught English at Northern Michigan University for 18 years and has been teaching Karate and Self-Defense at the Northern Lights Dojo since 1997.  Currently, he is also working on writing a novel series, and of course, sharing the joys of playing traditional and original music as a member of The Knockabouts as they explore the infinitely intertwining spells of rhythm and song.