Cecilia Kirtland is a Huntington, LI-based singer/songwriter/guitarist with a unique pop/folk/blues style. She was born in Manhattan and raised on Long Island, the daughter of a Chilean poet/writer/teacher and a lawyer (and passionate competitive sailor).

Cecilia expressed an interest in playing music at the age of four and started with piano lessons at five. Influenced by the "British invasion" and the American folk movement, she later dropped the piano in favor of playing guitar.

She appeared on CBS-TV's "Camera Three" with folk legends Jean Ritchie and Oscar Brand while still in high school. (She also contributed background vocals to Ritchie's "None But One" on Sire Records, which was awarded Best Folk Album of the Year by Rolling Stone magazine). She also performed for New York City's bicentennial celebration at South Street Seaport.

Cecilia has opened shows for Kenny Rankin, Dr. John, Buzzy Linhart, Tom Paxton, and Holly Near among others. She has performed at many benefits for listener supported WUSB, Stony Brook and WPKN, Connecticut, She composed music for a New York production of Tennessee Williams' "Tiger Tail" starring Shae D'Lynn (Jane on "Dharma and Greg") and directed by Harry Mastrogeorge ("The Mary Tyler Moore Show", "Hart to Hart", and "Miami Vice").

Cecilia appeared on the Chapin Rainbow Stage in Heckscher Park for the Huntington Fall Festival this past fall. She was a recent featured guest artist on "Wes Houston Presents" on Cablevision channel 71 (Nassau and western Suffolk.)

"Small Comfort", her debut CD has been enthusiastically received by her fans and favorably acclaimed by the critics.

THE NEW YORK TIMES " ... a voice of considerable range and varied texture, she manages to communicate the lyrical essence of a song in a way that is rare even among today's best-known performers..."
"... she approaches each song as if it were a precious jewel capable of yielding previously unrecognized shades of meaning and color..."

" ... a sure-handed guitarist who brings crisp technique and a sophisticated ear to her stark, imaginative arrangements. Many were clearly moved..."

SUN STORM " ... music that is at once rich with rhythm and funk, yet soothing to the ears and soul..."
"... She has absorbed the styles of a range of blues, jazz, rock and Appalachian singers..."
" ... she succeeds in such diversity because of a truly personal style..."

LONG ISLAND ENTERTAINMENT " ... anybody from a fan of CD-101 to Parrotheads to Cajun pop aficionados is going to find something they like in Miss Kirtland, a woman with a rich, mature voice that's a refreshing change of pace from the rock diva angst queens and over-dramatic pop icons like Celine Dion or Mariah. Kirtland would be in the peer group that features a Bonnie Raitt or a Melissa Ethridge...

"[On "Small Comfort" ] "...Cecilia Kirtland has surrounded herself with players that complement her distinctive and full-bodied voice. The lesser tracks on the album could only be categorized as delightful background music, the better songs are memorable and won't need any time to grow on you. Those that like their music gentle and sophisticated will find this a worthy addition..."

GOOD TIMES "...This modern folksinger, guitarist and songwriter has a great look, wonderful attitude, talent and schtick...a solid singer, songwriter and soloist who obviously loves her craft ... a true and honest performer..."