Earthshine

Biographical Information, Kris and Scott Prinzing

Kris Prinzing, songwriter and player of acoustic guitar (and flute! Who knew?!)...

Kristen "Lottie" Carlotta (Rickels) Prinzing grew up spending every summer in the Beartooth Mountains of south central Montana and the school year in Minnesota. She has roots connecting her to Montana that date back to a 1913 homestead by her great uncle Kent Moats. Her father’s family made annual trips to Montana as a result of this connection.

In the early 50’s, her then very young father purchased property in the mountains of southeastern Montana, and as a result Kris has spent every summer of her life at this special place. In 1990 she and Scott were married there, and a few years later they relocated to Montana permanently, joining Kris’s parents and other family. Montana’s wild and beautiful landscape is responsible for her intense passion for the environment, which has led her to professional, academic and volunteer work in conservation.

Kris has also nurtured a lifelong interest in music and the arts. During college, after several years of flute, voice, classical dance and some piano, Kris made an effort to pursue singing as a career. She recorded a demo tape and sang lead on some sessions for a local jazz producer. But after a few years, Kris chose to finish her bachelors degree instead of pursuing music further.

In 1990 Kris married Scott Prinzing, who is also a musician, though it was not until 1997 that they began to collaborate and pursue music together. In 1999 Kris began playing the guitar seriously, and soon after began to write songs.

After completing a masters degree in February of 2000, she recognized that she had developed a serious repetitive strain injury - tendonitis and thoracic outlet syndrome. This has permanently reduced her endurance for computer-related work and forced her to exercise particular caution and mindfulness in her guitar playing.

Not to be deterred, she has continued to play and to date, has written over 100 songs and continues to work on her music daily.

Kris is currently the director of MusEco Media and Education Project in Billings, Montana, an educational non-profit she co-founded with Scott in August of 2003. The organization is dedicated to providing information to the public on topics relating to environment, music, visual arts and Native American issues.

Scott Prinzing, bass, vocals, mandolin and more...

Scott Steven Prinzing was born in Connecticut to parents from the midwest, but moved a number of times during his childhood, ending up in Portland Oregon at age 11.

Interested in music from the very beginning, Scott took up the acoustic guitar in 5th grade and then the bass guitar in 7th grade. Scott formed his first band in the 8th grade. At church, in school singing groups and in the bands he sang and played in, Scott developed a strong baritone voice. In 1982 and 1988 he played and sang on studio recordings with his band Glacier. Throughout high school and college, Scott played in a total of six different bands (some concurrently.) Over the years Scott has learned to play several other instruments competently but continues to concentrate on the bass guitar.

During college Scott became involved peace and justice issues, multicultural student activities and political campaigns. Scott majored in Sociology/Cross-cultural Studies in the small private college where he began his education and had the opportunity to travel and study in Israel, the Philippines, Rome, Mexico and elsewhere. His interest in politics and social justice also gave new depth to his life-long interest in the environment.

After marrying Kris Rickels in 1990, Scott transferred to the University of Minnesota to complete his college education and there chose to major in American Indian Studies – another life-long interest. In 1997, Scott and Kris finally began to work on music together, culminating in the collaborative efforts that have created the music they now perform together.

Scott is now the Director of Education for MusEco Media and Education Project, an educational non-profit he co-founded with Kris in August of 2003. Scott is also a Montana certified elementary teaches and substitute teaches and tutors part-time. He is also a music journalist with a specialty in contemporary American Indian Music. His current projects include contributing a chapter to a textbook on American Indian Music that will be published in 2011, contributing reviews to Music Street Journal online and a variety of freelance assignments.

Last Updated by Earthshine November 2013