Cynthia Chitko

   Cynthia Chitko is a singer-songwriter and musician who is passionate about music. She grew up in Racine, Wisconsin and loved music from the start.

   Cynthia recalls, “I’ve always been fascinated by music. When I was a child, I would take all of my mother’s records out of the old wooden buffet. I would sit there and spend hours looking at the cover photos. My mother would play them on the record player while she was ironing and I would sing along. 

   “Music has been like a Guardian Angel for me as I have endured many tough situations. I have found great comfort in listening to other’s music as well as writing my own. As a stay-at-home Mom in my early 20’s in Eau Claire, WI, I developed ‘cabin fever’ – I needed some ME time! So I decided to venture out to North Side Music where I met Colleen Hannafin who became a life-long friend. I took guitar lessons from one of her instructors, Richard Reich, who I found out was from my hometown. He taught me how to play fingerpicking style by reading tablature. That was the beginning of developing my own creative style. I began to write my own songs and Richard would accompany me. Soon I was singing and playing with other musicians and it grew into my first gig at Déjà Vu, a pub and restaurant on Water Street in Eau Claire. Eventually I moved back to Racine and became the lead singer in the band, Critix. We played a lot of gigs in the Midwest. One gig I’ll never forget was at the Great Lakes Naval Base. They were one of the best audiences - so grateful and appreciative. 

   After playing with a cover band for several years, I felt the need to get back to performing acoustically and playing original material. I enjoy the rapport with audiences at art fairs, coffee houses, private parties and concerts and find that we share many life stories. 

   “Many of my experiences, both good and bad, have found their way through my music. For instance, the title song for my first album, “The Moon Goddess” came to me as I drove home from northern Wisconsin. It was a beautiful night, the moon was full and bright and a shooting star flashed across the sky. There it was, right before my eyes: the beginning of my first album. Ironically, I found out at a later time after I had written that song, that the meaning of my name, Cynthia, in Greek, is Moon Goddess! On my CD, “Knowing Love Is Near”, the songs that I wrote between the years of 1995 and 2011 intertwine the idea of realizing and accepting the different facets of love. 

   “My aim in creating music is to touch people of all generations by expressing honest emotions. I also believe in the adage, ‘To thine own self be true.’ Although I enjoy playing solo, I love collaborating with other musicians. When I write music, I start out simple, with an honest approach and then enjoy having other musicians and instruments embellish it. It’s like I create the outlines in the coloring book and other musicians fill in the spaces in their unique way. Together we blend into a colorful work of art. 

   “I am fortunate to work with many fine musicians, including long time friend and Grammy nominated world flute player and recording artist/producer Peter Phippen, internationally acclaimed composer, conductor and oboist Ivar Lunde Jr., as well as Randy Sabien, Brian Reidinger, Howard Luedke and Jason Introwitz.”

    In Cynthia's most recent album, "Days Gone By Remembered" we are reminded to embrace our past, live in the moment and look forward to the future. She continues to write and play passionate music.