A Life in Music

Gail Dreifus began writing songs at age 14, drawing inspiration from protest, love, nature and history. Living in Yosemite National Park inspired her to create an original musical program about the park that she performed for more than 25 years with the Recycled String Band.

Gail has produced seven CDs for National Parks across the United States, and her work in musical interpretation earned recognition from the National Park Service in Washington, D.C. She has performed at festivals and venues throughout California and has been part of numerous musical projects, including Meltwater Bridge Band and 2 Pisces.

Her commitment to music extends well beyond the stage. Gail is the creator and director of the Yosemite Songwriting Retreat, teaches guitar and ukulele through Beat Harvest, and has worked with Guitars in the Classroom to help educators bring music into public-school classrooms.

At the heart of it all is songwriting—using music to tell stories, connect people and celebrate the places we call home.