“Natalie Padilla is a highly accomplished fiddle player – and also an established classical violinist”
-Americana UK
Born into a family of acclaimed folk musicians in Montana, Natalie Padilla was immersed in fiddle and classical violin at a very young age. She has grown into a musician of astounding depth as a performer, educator, composer, producer and recording artist, fluent in a wide variety of folk genres on various instruments.
Natalie initially studied Texas-Style and bluegrass fiddle under the tutelage of her mother Nancy Padilla. She was lucky to attend many bluegrass festivals and fiddle contests with her bluegrass-playing parents growing up. Some of her contest wins include National Small Fry (1994), National Young Adult (2015), RockyGrass (2015), and Kentucky State (2022). She also has deep roots in classical violin, graduating magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Music Performance degree from the University of Northern Colorado. She has been a member of the National Repertory Orchestra, Colorado Bach Ensemble, Greeley Philharmonic and Bozeman Symphony.
In 2007 Natalie was introduced and deeply pulled into traditional Irish music, with flute player Blayne Chastain to thank. After four years of meeting weekly and leading an Irish session together, they collaborated with pianist Peter Romero in 2011 to make the album “Fiddle & Flute”. Traditional Oldtime fiddle music has also found a large place in Natalie’s musical heart as an adult. She recently joined forces with Tyler Andal and Casey Campbell in Nashville, TN to make the record “Hell Broke Loose”.
Stemming from her roots in folk and classical music, Natalie has found her own voice in writing and recording original music. In 2017 she released her debut album “Paths & Places” produced by Joe K. Walsh, second in 2019 “Fireweed” co-produced with Ben Winship, and most recently in March of 2023 “Montana Wildflower” with Quinn Bachand. Her work has been featured in Strings Magazine, Folk Alley, Fatea, Folkworld, Bluegrass Situation, Americana UK and Bluegrass Today.
As a performer, Natalie is a seasoned sideman and band member, an occasional band leader and solo artist. She can currently be found playing with Vermont based trio Low Lily; they have a new album out, “Angels in the Wreckage” produced by Dirk Powell. She is a founding member of Colorado new acoustic band Masontown, with albums “Masontown EP”, “In This time” and “Age” all featuring her original music. She enjoys producing shows of her original music, playing anywhere from solo, duos to 5-piece bands when the opportunity arises. She has also played and toured with Elephant Revival, FY5, Thunder and Rain, Big Chimney Barn Dance and The Lyons Bluegrass Collective.
Throughout her deep and diverse musical career Natalie has been a devoted educator and has maintained an active studio of private students since her early teens. She has taught at acoustic music camps around the country, for several years at the Montana Fiddle Camp, Targhee Bluegrass Camp, Wicklund’s Fiddle Pal Camp, Rustic Roots and Nashville Acoustic Camps among others. As an adjunct fiddle professor at the University of Northern Colorado’s Folk & Bluegrass Program, 2017-2022, she taught privately and led ensembles alongside revered local Colorado talents Eric Thorin, Martin Gilmore, Dusty Rider, Jordan Ramsey and Ron Lynam.
Natalie currently makes her home in Williamsburg, MA with her beloved Sharpei Mooshi.