Biographical Information

Traveler’s Dream performs a spirited blend of Celtic, French-Canadian and early American music.  The band is comprised of Denise Wilson and Michael Lewis, and they are often joined by fiddler Deb Shebish.  The diverse backgrounds and talents of each member contribute to the band’s distinctive sound, its ability to play music from many cultural traditions, and to the dynamic and spontaneous character of its live performances.  Since it began touring in the year 2000, Traveler’s Dream has released two CD’s and will release its third in June of 2008.  The band has shared its music with audiences at many different types of venues including folk concerts, French and Celtic events, state and national historical celebrations, and international festivals. 

Raised in the heart of the Midwest, all members of the band feel a deep attachment to the landscape and history of the place they call home.  They have a keen sense of their dual roles as inheritors and purveyors of traditional music – particularly the songs and tunes from France and the British Isles which comprised such a large part of the early music of the Midwest. Though they draw deeply from this rich wellspring of traditional material, the members of Traveler’s Dream are actively engaged in the contemporary folk process of creating vibrant arrangements of old songs and writing imaginative tunes and songs of their own.

Denise Wilson
Denise is a musical jack-of-all-trades whose music has been strongly influenced by her family’s Celtic roots, her love of history, and her life-long interest in French language and culture. She contributes to the textured sound of Traveler’s Dream with her exuberant voice, Irish flute and whistles, fife and the concertina.  Denise’s first professional musical experience came during her college years when she sang with a French dance band while studying in Strasbourg, France. After returning to the U.S., Denise earned a solid reputation as a singer and first-rate entertainer with the band Bon Jolais.   She toured with that group for the next fifteen years, solidly establishing herself as one of the region’s finest interpreters of traditional music.   With a B.S. in French and a Ph.D. in American History, Denise has a broad knowledge of the culture and history surrounding the music she plays.  She has developed a variety of programs that use music to “teach” history which are enthusiastically received at schools and colleges, historical organizations, and living history events. 

Michael Lewis
Michael captivates audiences with his powerful voice and innovative guitar, bouzouki, and mandolin playing.  Though his technical skill is impressive, it is the art and emotion in his singing and playing that set him apart from others.  Using a variety of chord voicings, delicate finger-picking, and percussive strumming techniques, Michael is a master at choosing just the right instrument and style to enhance the mood of each song.  His skills as a musical composer, songwriter, and arranger give Traveler’s Dream a sound and style that are uniquely its own. With a poet’s ability to capture what is universal and enduring in human experience, Michael’s songwriting talents were recently recognized by the Indiana Arts Commission who awarded him a grant to research regional traditional music and write four original songs relating to midwestern culture and history.  When not on the road performing, Lewis enjoys producing and recording the music of other regional musicians at his recording studio, Middle Earth.

Deb Shebish
Deb began her musical career as a classical violinist and eventually received a Bachelors of Music in Violin Performance from Indiana State University.  While in college she expanded her musical horizons by learning different musical styles such as Celtic, old-time and jazz fiddle.   In the spring of 2000 she traveled to the Orkney Islands with folklorist Dr. Nancy McEntire to assist in a search for old ballads and while there got hooked on Scottish traditional music, particularly Orkney and Shetland tunes.  Two years later (2002) Deb had the opportunity to perform with the touring group "The Three Irish Tenors" on their Christmas and St. Patrick Day tours.  In 2007 she completed a Master's degree in Scottish Studies at the University of Edinburg and presently lives in Indianapolis where she teaches violin and fiddle, leads Irish music sessions, provides music for contra dances, and performs with several other Indianapolis-based old-time and Irish bands.