Old Time Folk Music For Modern Times
The Quiet American is husband and wife duo, Aaron and Nicole Keim. In Hood River, Oregon, they live an artistic life making music, building musical instruments, teaching music, writing books, crafting art, and raising their son Henry. Their connection to folk tradition is undeniable, even as they find new ways to sing old songs and incorporate music and art into their teaching and performing. Influenced by Depression era string band music and the folk revival, they use ukulele and banjo to accompany their old-time tunes, harmony singing and audience sing-alongs.
Aaron and Nicole have multiple degrees in Music Education and have taught in public schools and at ukulele festivals around the world. They have been the artistic directors for Menucha Ukulele Band Camp in Corbett, OR since 2021 and the Port Townsend Ukulele Festival in Port Townsend, WA since 2025.
Aaron is also a luthier who builds ukuleles and banjos as Beansprout Musical Instruments. Nicole teaches a local women’s ukulele class, leads a female gathering called Sister Sing and gives private piano lessons. The duo has published several ukulele and banjo instructional books using Nicole’s handwritten notation and Aaron’s YouTube videos to help folks learn at home.