Tekla Waterfield & Jeff Fielder
Decorated singer/songwriter Tekla Waterfield and acclaimed long-time internationally touring guitarist Jeff Fielder (Mark Lanegan, Indigo Girls), are a husband and wife duo based in Seattle, WA. Their music has been described as poignant, emotionally soaring, (No Depression) lush, slow-burning and rich with Americana-folk textures (R-mas). The duo have been recognized for their work by arts orgs like Sonic Guild, 4Culture, SMASH, Artist Home, Doe Bay Artist Retreat and One Reel; with film placements, national and international radio play.
Together the duo present lush, harmonic, thoughtfully developed & playfully artistic Contemporary American Roots.
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The duo released their second LP, "Mother Mind", September 5th, 2025. Music from “Mother Mind” has been played on Folk Alley, KEXP, KBCS, KRNN, KZUM, KSJD, KMRE, WFHB, WSPN, KVMR, WGDR, KTAL, KKFI, KTNA, KHNS, WDCB, KVRF, WPPM, KMUZ, KAOS, WKYW, KSVU, KSVR, KUGS, KCPB, WETS Americana, KGLP, KNVC, WHCB Wildflowers & Weeds on XRAY.fm, with reviews with American Songwriter, Americana UK, R-mas (Italy), Willamette Week, inclusion in Top Ten Alternate Root Weekly, with features on King 5 New Day NW, Couchriffs Podcast, Art Zone with Nancy Guppy, No. 1 Most streamed and No. 2 Most downloaded album on the Music Meeting Directory 9/9/25 by NACC reporting stations.​
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Waterfield & Fielder recorded and self-released “Trouble In Time” in 2021, to national and international acclaim, radio play throughout the US, most notably on NPR’s World Cafe, Seattle’s KEXP and in the UK, Scotland, Wales, Australia, England & Korea. Described as “poignant and emotionally soaring” by No Depression, with favorable reviews in American Songwriter, The Alternate Root, Sing Out! Radio Magazine, & glowing international reviews in The Netherlands, Croatia & Spain.
Waterfield’s September 2021 solo release, “New Skies”, with production by Fielder, landed in the #3 Most Added at NACC Folk for the week of its release.
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The duo are honored to have received a 2023 Sonic Guild Artist Grant for their work.
Jeff and Tekla happily welcomed their first child in October of 2022.
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Waterfield and Fielder have performed on stages such as:
The Moore Theater, Seattle, WA
The Crocodile, Seattle, WA
The Triple Door, Seattle, WA
Tractor Tavern, Seattle, WA
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They have opened for:
The Drive By Truckers
Ben Morrison
Alain Johannes
Alice Howe & Freebo
Ian Moore
Jeremy Enigk (Sunny Day Real Estate)
Fink
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They have played at such notable festivals and events as:
Timbrr Music Festival, Leavenworth, WA
CHOMP, Marymoor Park, WA
Doe Bay Artist Retreat, Orcas Island, WA
Orcas Island Summer Concert Series, Orcas Island, WA
Rambler Arts Summer Concert Series, Indianola, WA
Volume Inlander Music Festival, Spokane, WA
NW Folklife, Seattle, WA
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Shared stages with:
The Amy Ray Band
The Indigo Girls
Nancy Wilson
Pete Droge
Ayron Jones
Eva Walker
Shaina Shepherd
Stephanie Anne Johnson
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Music placement in:
Beverly Hills Bandits
Undeserved
Dakota
Praise for 'Mother Mind' (2025)
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This is an album about making sense of it all, and having that conviction of hope: that it will, finally, make sense as one continues alternately to plod, stumble, glide, then dance along. Omar Willy, Seattle Star
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Jeff and Tekla are the full real deal. They have something to say, and they have the artistic chops to say it, in an interesting, compelling, elegant way. Nancy Guppy, Seattle Channel
‘Mother Mind’ is a gorgeous distillation on marriage and parenthood through an unflinchingly honest lens. Parenthood is maybe really not a groovy pop theme or a gritty Americana topic, yet this album does groove. Iaan Hughes, KBCS
Waterfield’s voice in particular is a powerful, expressive instrument. Americana UK
Seattle-based duo Tekla Waterfield & Jeff Fielder blend heartfelt songwriting with rich Americana-folk textures. Waterfield, a decorated independent singer-songwriter, and Fielder, an acclaimed multi-instrumentalist and longtime touring guitarist (Mark Lanegan, Indigo Girls), create deeply personal and socially conscious music. Their upcoming album ‘Mother Mind’ continues their exploration of identity, longing, and resilience with lush, slow-burning arrangements. R-mas (Italy)
Praise for 'Trouble In Time' (2021)
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​AMERICAN SONGWRITER “TROUBLE IN TIME STANDS PROUDLY IN LINE WITH THE MANY GREAT PACIFIC NORTHWEST AMERICANA ALBUMS AND ARTISTS LIKE BRANDI CARLILE AND COURTNEY MARIE ANDREWS.”
INDEPENDENT MUSIC REVIEW “THIS IS A BRILLIANT RELEASE.”
KUTX AUSTIN MUSIC EXPERIENCE “WATERFIELD & FIELDER’S UPCOMING DEBUT AS A DUO, TROUBLE IN TIME, FINDS THE COUPLE COALESCING ELEMENTS OF SOFT ROCK, INDIE FOLK AND SOUL INTO A SEAMLESS SOUND.”
SEATTLE WAVE RADIO “TROUBLE IN TIME IS ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS.”
A&R FACTORY “THIS IS INDIE FOLK AT ITS BEST.”
AUDIOFEMME “THE TENDER MUSICAL CONVERSATION BETWEEN HUSBAND AND WIFE GIVES THE WEARY LISTENER JUST ENOUGH TIME TO PAUSE, PONDER, AND LOOK TO THE HORIZON FOR HOPE.”
AMY RAY, INDIGO GIRLS “TROUBLE IN TIME IS A RECORD WITH WINGS.”
NO DEPRESSION “POIGNANT AND EMOTIONALLY SOARING SONGS THAT NOT ONLY CAPTURE THE JAGGED DESPAIR GROWING OUT OF SOCIAL AND CULTURAL DIVISION BUT ALSO EVOKE THE RESILIENCE OF THE HUMAN SPIRIT.”
DE KRENTEN UIT DE POP “AN ALBUM YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS. UPPER LIMIT NOT YET IN SIGHT.”
THE ALTERNATE ROOT “TROUBLE IN TIME IS A RECORD BEGGING A QUIET AND IN DEPTH LISTEN. LOADED WITH LAYERED INSTRUMTATION BURIED DEEP, PEEKING OUT LIKE HIDDEN TREASURE, ONLY TO REVEAL THEMSELVES IN SHORT BUT NECESSARY, PERFECTLY PLACED BURSTS.”
Music from Trouble in Time has been played on World Cafe, KEXP, KBCS, Radio Phoenix, KNBA, KFAI, WIOX, KSER, WEVL, KDUR, KDNK, Space 101.1, KRBX, KFCF, KBFG, KBOO, KXSF, KEBF, KZSR, KAFM, WTSR, High Plains Public Radio, Radio Boise, WGLT, Minnesota Public Radio, The Wave Show on Voice of Vashon, Arctic Cactus Hour Radio Show airing throughout Alaska, Mostly Folk with Artie Martello, Strummers & Dreamers on 105 Radio from Cambridge, UK, Acoustic Routes in Wales, Folkal Point on Dunoon Community Radio in Scotland with airings across the UK, Last Night in Town Radio in Australia, Northern Sky Vaults Radio in England and The Drop with Danno on GFN Radio Korea, was featured on American Songwriter, No Depression, The Alternate Root, Audiofemme, Independent Music Blog, A&R Factory, De Krenten uit de pop (Netherlands), Dirty Rock Magazine (Spain), The Record Department (Portland, OR), Nine Volt Heart, York Calling, Americana UK, was selected as Song of the Day on KUTX Austin Music Experience, was included in "Top Ten Songs of the Week" on The Alternate Root, is included in Sing Out! Magazine’s “Best of 2020” with interviews on nationally syndicated radio program, Art of The Song, A Juneau Afternoon on KTOO in Juneau, AK, and on Wake Up Call on KSFR in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and performances on New Jersey’s Folk Project Staycation, Inside Live with Alice Howe and Freebo, Vashon Live and The Art Zone on the Seattle Channel.
Waterfied's song, "Better Days" was a national finalist in the 2021Great American Songwriting Contest.
