Cathy Britell passed away on the morning of August 13, 2026.

During the 1980s, 90s, and 2000s, a true renaissance of autoharp playing emerged. As instrument craftsmanship improved, communities of like-minded players began connecting across the globe through the early internet. A few exceptional individuals stood out as true troubadours of the instrument—teaching, performing, and composing. Among these standouts, Cathy Britell was a shining light. A complete list of her accomplishments could easily fill a book.

Cathy initially earned a degree in music, mastering the clarinet and performing at a high level, primarily in symphonic music. Seeking a different path, she returned to school and became a medical doctor during an era heavily dominated by men. She experienced many adventures in medicine and dedicated most of her adult life to working as an MD.

However, a chance encounter watching Bryan Bowers play the autoharp reawakened her musical longing, sparking a passion that bordered on obsession. Cathy threw herself into the autoharp world so rapidly that even Bryan was amazed.

Cathy became a pillar of the community, helping to create and sustain the Willamette Valley Autoharp Gathering alongside Les Gustafson-Zook and others. She authored a popular beginner’s method book, a children’s autoharp book, and built a website packed with instructional materials. She seized every possible opportunity to play. She produced a collaborative album with William Lumbach, recorded a wealth of instructional YouTube videos, taught lessons both in person and online, and helped organize and run the long-standing Seattle Autoharp Week.

Her mastery was recognized at the highest levels: Cathy won the prestigious International Autoharp Championship, placed highly in the Mountain Laurel Autoharp Championship, and was officially inducted into the Autoharp Hall of Fame in 2012. Her teaching career took her across the United States to numerous festivals and venues, and even across the Atlantic to instruct at the Sore Fingers Summer School in England.

One could write pages summarizing her accolades, but her true legacy lies in how she treated people. Cathy consistently encouraged and brought out the absolute best in everyone she met, both musically and personally. People became better musicians and better human beings simply by knowing her. When she performed, she played with the precise dynamics of a classical musician paired with the free spirit of a folk artist.

Cathy’s beloved husband, Jon, passed away just a few months before her, and she deeply longed to be reunited with him. The world—and the autoharp community—is a far better place because we were graced with her presence.