In the beginning there was a blacksmith shop, The Celtic Knot Forge, at the Bristol Renaissance Faire. Sold there, were the wondrous works of blacksmith Frank Garland. The Celtic Knot Forge, owned and managed by Karen & Frank Garland, was always filled with music and merriment with the blacksmith's hammer rheumatically chiming and cheerful hospitality.

At the Bristol Renaissance Faire, the crafters and performers can stay on site overnight. The Celtic Knot Forge was one of the hot spots to spend the evening; it was affectionately called the "Knot at Nite." The display room floor was cleared and chairs, those white, durable plastic ones, were set out in a circle. It was almost like logs around a campfire. There was almost an unwritten law that the chairs were reserved for those who had earned the right. Bill probably earned his right because of all of the songs he knew, or may be it was one of his jokes. Anyone was lucky if they found a place to perch on the front steps where they could hear the lively conversation or a song or two.

In 1992 Bill Masino and Kathleen Mullaly were two of the Knots's workers, there to sell goods and keep the blacksmith happy, sometimes with song. Many times, Bill would sing a song to a customer who had just bought a courting candle or fireplace set. We always learned to have a mug of fresh beverage with us at all times. It gets rather hot by the forge.

During the second year, at the Knot, in 1993, Bill & Kathleen, along with Gordon Lyons, then working for the faire as a lane musician, were invited to join the nightly gathering of the musicians at the Minstrel's Jam. The song they contributed was "Wild Mountain Thyme," sometimes called "Go Lassie Go," or "Blooming Heather."

While rehearsing, the three faced a problem: all three voices would sing the melody in about the same range, and no-one wanted to sing the melody. They were in agreement that people appreciate a tenor more than a soprano, so it was up to the men to decide.

Finally a contest was initiated: Which tenor could sing the highest? Bill hit a respectable D an octave above middle C. Gordon hit a beautiful high C. Bill lost, he sings lead; Kathleen sings an alto harmony; Gordon at high harmony (soprano). Because of this vocal arrangement, WMT has a unique sound, and the name of that first song, Wild Mountain Thyme, was adopted as the group name.

During the 1993 season, WMT volunteered for some unpaid music shows, but worked the rest of the weekends for the Garland's at the Knot. Maid in the Myddle visited Bristol for the weekend. They were musicians from the Kansas City Renaissance Faire. After speaking to Mark Clavey, we decided to visit Kansas City for vacation on Labor Day weekend that year and audition. Bill Masino proposed marriage to Kathleen Mullaly while driving to the faire on the last weekend of Bristol in 1993.

Joy Butler Mrkavicka, the Entertainment Coordinator for the Stronghold Castle, in Oregon, IL, had seen WMT perform at Bristol and hired them for their first year at the Autumn on Parade in October of 1993. Tours of the Castle are available that weekend and Kathleen instantly fell in love with the Castle. (See the pictures & information provided for Stronghold Castle. ) [link]

One night, a long time ago (Labor Day weekend, 1994), WMT left Milwaukee for the long nine hour drive to Kansas City. Arrival time, 5:00 a.m., and an uncomfortable two hour nap in the Kansas City Renaissance Faire parking lot.

Thank goodness, they were greeted with open arms. and allowed to sing in the lanes. Their was one spot that they chose as their favorite in a little clump of trees, now called Dunwoody Dell.