Rachel Hilton

With inspiration from her sisters and parents, Rachel developed an eclectic taste in music early on in life. Growing up in the foothills of North Carolina, Rachel often enjoyed going to concerts and listening to all kinds of music--new and old.

While working towards her undergraduate degree in history at UNC Asheville, she discovered her fascination and passion for music history while researching Earl Scruggs and his impact on Bluegrass music. Shortly after discovering WNCW’s “Going Across the Mountain,” Rachel heard an episode of Celtic Winds by chance one Sunday afternoon and immediately fell in love with the music. She has been a long time fan and avid listener of Celtic Winds ever since.

With Richard Beard and Tom Fellebaum’s knowledge and variety of traditional and contemporary Celtic Music guiding her, Rachel became captivated by the sounds of these instruments and wanted to learn more about the history behind the music of the Celtic lands. Some of her favorite artists include Patrick Street, Silly Wizard, Kim Robertson, Shelley Phillips, Clannad, Luka Bloom, William Coulter, Mick Moloney, Gaelic Storm, Fling, The Bothy Band, The Cranberries, and many more!

Rachel has been teaching high school history in West Asheville, North Carolina since 2015. As of December 2021, she began her journey learning to play the Celtic Harp.

rachelh@wncw.org