Sophie Wellington at Offbeat Roadhouse
By WTJU
Date: 05/08/2026
Time: 8:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Sophie Wellington will pull into Offbeat Roadhouse Friday night, May 8, for a concert which will also be broadcast on WTJU. From old time fiddle tunes to jazz singing, from flat-picking guitar arrangements to Appalachian flatfooting, Sophie brings a unique and spontaneous approach to making music.
This is a free event, open to all. You can also listen to Offbeat Roadhouse on the radio (91.1 FM) or on our web player, and even video stream it at WTJU’s YouTube channel. But concerts always sound better with you as part of the studio audience. WTJU is located at 2244 Ivy Rd in Charlottesville, right next door to Vivace. There is plenty of parking, both in our lot as well as the Sentara lot next door. Do please note that you should not park in the lower lot by Shenandoah Joe and Pico Wraps as they enforce towing. You can check out the Offbeat Roadhouse schedule to see concerts past, present, and future.
Offbeat Roadhouse is supported by Plan 9 Music, now in their new expanded location at 188 Zan Road, in Charlottesville’s Seminole Square Shopping Center, and in Carytown, Richmond, or online at plan9music.com. Plan 9 – supporting the independent music community for over 40 years.
Sophie Wellington is a Boston based old time fiddler, flatpick guitarist, percussive dancer, and jazz vocalist. Originally from Staunton, VA, Sophie grew up immersed in music and was brought up by dance caller, musician, and storyteller Bill Wellington and concert pianist Lynne Mackey. Sophie parents dedicate their lives to music professionally and through their community with gatherings, dances, and festivals. Sophie studied music from a young age in choirs and concert bands alongside her love for social dancing and Irish step dancing. In 2021, Sophie earned their bachelor’s degree from Berklee College of Music. Sophie majored in Professional Music with concentrations in vocal jazz performance (specifically in vocalese writing and improvisation) and the American Roots Music Program, led by Matt Glaser and taught by Bruce Molsky, Darol Anger, Paul Rishell and Annie Raines.
Since graduating, Sophie recorded and released her debut solo record Roving Jewel. This collection of various genres and instrumental settings offers a review of her influences, arranged with her signature and inspired sound. These old time fiddle tunes, percussive dance duets, and vocal jazz standards mimic the eclectic energy reminiscent of the many festive gatherings Sophie grew up attending, where every room hosts a session of a different genre. Improvisation and expressive musical intuition are at the heart of Sophie’s approach to playing. By using this spontaneous element to interpret rhythm, harmony, and melody, Sophie engages the listener – and the music itself – in a conversation.
Since 2021, Sophie has been on faculty at a wide variety of festivals and camps including the Acadia Festival of Traditional Music and Dance, the Blue Ridge Old Time Music Week at Mars Hill University, Earful of Fiddle in Rodney MI, Augusta Heritage Center’s Old Time Music Week and Fall Old Time Retreat in historic Cass, WV, Oly Old Time Gathering in Olympia, WA, CDSS camps including Harmony of Song and Dance, Family Week, and Cascade of Music and Dance.
Sophie is a passionate performer with an innate sense for movement and play. As a solo performer, their program incorporates old time fiddle tunes in a variety of settings, including fiddle and dance duets, ballad singing, and flat-pick arrangements of fiddle tunes. Sophie also plays in songwriter and contemporary bard Willi Carlisle’s band. Since 2023, Sophie has toured extensively with him for his albums Welcome to Critterland (2024) and Winged Victory (2025). Sophie also plays guitar and sings with Boston-based country band The Talking Hearts, and Sophie fiddles in old time super group Dumpster Debbie.
“Sophie Wellington’s full-bodied music-making picks right up from the lineage of Algia Mae Hinton and John Hartford in their seamless coordination of hands, feet, and voice. As a percussive dancer, Sophie’s innovations are the most important since the 1970s popularization of the now-widespread flatfooting walking step inspired by Robert Dotson. Bridging a background surrounded by both fiddle tunes and classical music growing up in Virginia with deep jazz listenership honed at Boston’s Berklee College of Music, Sophie darts between genres and instruments with dexterity and heart. Here, on this guitar-focused offering, Sophie sings, dances, and paints flatpicked lines integrating gesture and sound with impeccable groove and poise.” –Nic Gareiss
“Sophie Wellington moves the needle to 10 out of 10 with her fresh interpretations of old time music on fiddle, guitar, vocal and dance.”
-Cathy Fink, GRAMMY Award Winner
