Cary Novotny was born in the Great Plains of South Dakota and later moved to the bluegrass of Kentucky at the age of twelve. In Kentucky, he began to explore the world of music via classical guitar lessons and absorbing the sounds of the region, namely, country, folk, and bluegrass music. After moving to the Columbia River Gorge in Washington State as a senior in high school, Cary attended the University of Portland, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Music Merchandising and Management. At the University of Portland he continued intensive study of the classical guitar, earning Outstanding Musician and Outstanding Instrumentalistawards during his senior year. Cary also began to learn the tools of musical arrangement and record production during his training at the University of Portland. During his final year of college, Cary began a career as a professional guitarist and singer in the folk and popular music scene at local venues in the Portland area. He later moved to Seattle, continued to perform professionally and worked for the Northwest Chamber Orchestra and the Seattle Opera. From 1995 to the present, Cary has managed and performed in “Cul an Ti,” one of the most successful traditional Irish bands in the Northwest. Cary continues to maintain an active schedule as a highly sought after guitarist in the world of Celtic music and has recorded and performed with many of the greatest Irish musicians in the world, including Kevin Burke, Brenda Curtin, and Maire Egan of Michael Flatley’s Lord of the Dance in the internationally renowned band “The Bridies.”