Yodeling: from the Old West to the Alps
Kerry Christensen, one of the world's best Alpine yodelers, was raised on a potato farm in Grace, Idaho and had to wander quite a distance to discover his passion - yodeling! It was during his travels to Austria in 1976 that he discovered the folk music that would be his life. Armed with recordings of the great yodelers, Kerry returned from Europe, determined to master this ancient art--and he did. While driving the family tractor around and around the potato fields, he practiced many hours a day. He drove his father crazy and was banished to practicing in the garage, but to no avail, as yodeling carries very well.Kerry's career really soared when Disney World in Orlando, Florida hired him to work at the German Pavilion of the Epcot Center in 1984 . He was the Disney World Yodeler from 1984 to1990 and the leader of Biergarten band for several years.After his experience at Disney, Kerry headed out on his own and has had great success as one of only two or three professional, full-time yodelers in the United States. You will find him now at various folk festivals around world.