Christine Fraser Ramsey was raised in New England, and was greatly influenced by her Scottish grandparents, who had emigrated to the U.S. from Glencraig, Scotland. From an early age, she heard the old Scottish tunes (vocal and instrumental), but particularly those from the bagpipe, fiddle and tenor banjo traditions. As an adult, she moved to Mallaig, Scotland and while living there, studied the harp with the Scottish composer, performer and recording artist Savourna Stevenson. Chris has won three first place prizes in Scottish Gaelic National Mod harp competitions, and the 1992 U.S. National Amateur Clarsach (Scottish harp) championship in Alexandria, VA. Since 1993, she has served as a harp judge for regional and national amateur and professional harp competitions under the auspices of the Scottish Harp Society of America (SHSA). In 1998, she began to study the Scottish fiddle and attended the Ohio Scottish Arts school as a fiddle student for five seasons.

Chris has had a 25-year music career both as a solo artist and as a band member in the following bands:

• Son Strings (Christian contemporary) - San Francisco, CA, 1980-1983;
• Raphael House Madrigal Singers (Renaissance) - San Francisco, CA, 1981-1983;
• Sound of Sleat (Scottish Folk), Mallaig, Scotland, 1983-1987;
• Innisheer (Traditional Irish, Scottish) - Columbus, OH, 1987-1995;
• Strings in the Glen Celtic, folk, classical, Christian and contemporary) - Columbus, OH, 1992-2000;
• Begley's Braes, with duo partner multi-instrumentalist Randy Clepper, 2002-present.

She has also served as a guest with several local Celtic bands (Yankee Celtic Consort, Heartstone, the General Guinness Band, and Hammer On!), and has appeared with other musical groups in the following formats:

• Magpie Consort in a series of concerts featuring original compositions by Ron Cook, as well as selections of Medieval music;
• as a guest with the Columbus Women's Chorus for their spring program "Voices of the Drum--Honoring the Rhythms and Songs of Women's Lives";
• as an accompanist to a Shamrock Club Glee Club fundraiser.

• Glasgow, Kentucky Scottish Games,
• Ligonier, Pennsylvania Highland Games,
• Fort Wayne, Indiana Highland Games (2 seasons),
• Scottish National Harp Competition in Loch Norman, NC with fellow judge William Jackson;
• presented workshops on Scottish harp music at all of these events;
• presented a workshop on Scottish music at HarpCon 2003 in Bloomington, Indiana.

Within the framework of these bands and other performance opportunities, Chris has worked with a number of Celtic, Christian, and classical musicians/instruments, including violin/fiddle, viola, cello, guitar, bozouki, keyboard, hammer dulcimer, banjo, accordion, uilleann pipes, Highland bagpipes, flute, penny whistle, mandolin, viola da gamba, recorder, percussion, and vocalists. Her volunteer work includes playing the harp in the James Cancer Hospital's MusiCare Program and at Riverside Hospital's pastoral care department as a volunteer harpist.

Her appearances have included folk festivals, Irish Festivals and Scottish Games, fundraising efforts, and private functions such as weddings, church services, receptions, library presentations, and art gallery showings. She has also presented Scottish programs at elementary schools, cultural organizations, and libraries, as well as harp workshops on Scottish style and accompaniment (1-4 hour programs). For the past 18+ years she has appeared in the Dublin (Ohio) Irish Festival as a solo and group performer, and for four seasons (2000-2003) served as a member of the Entertainment Committee and as stage manager for the Harps & Chords Stage. Through her work as a harp teacher she has mentored several students who have progressed over time to win competitions in both Scotland and Ohio, and several tropies in the Ohio Scottish Games Clarsach Competition (beginner, novice, and journeyman classes).

Innisheer released the first band album in 1992 - "Innisheer, Sounds from the Atlantic" and the second album was released in 1993 - "Rainbands". Both albums featured Chris's performance skills and received good reviews from regional and national media. Her solo album "Lang a' Comin'" was released in 1995, and her second solo album "Tailgated by the Moon" was released in November, 2000. She has a companion booklet for her second album, entitled "Tailgated by the Moon, Arrangements For Lever Harp". Currently, she is playing mostly solo engagements, occasional guest events and events with Randy Clepper (hammer dulcimer, guitar, bouzouki) as part of Begley's Braes.

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