Willy Claflin is a one-man festival. Spanning historical sagas, intergalactic yarns, Mother Moose Tales, and counter culture misadventures, he covers the full spectrum of spoken word entertainment.

A headliner and master of ceremonies at the National Storytelling Festival, Willy is a favorite at festivals throughout the U.S. He offers stories for families as well as adults, often weaving music into his performances. An accomplished guitar player and narrative ballad specialist, Willy is sometimes joined by his son Brian for performances of In Yonder’s Wood—a celebration of traditional music from the British Isles and Appalachia.

His tributes to departed tellers, especially Gamble Rogers, revive wonderful talent that might otherwise be forgotten. Festivals love sidekick Maynard Moose. Original, traditional, historical, personal, comic—regardless of genre, Willy fits any playbill.

Maynard Moose, Willy’s famous comic sidekick, is the author of three award-winning children’s books: “The Bully Goat Grim”, “Rapunzel and the Seven Dwarfs”, and “The Uglified Ducky”. He can also be heard on a variety of audio CD’s, most notably “Maynard Moose Live From the National Storytelling Festival”.

The only authentic Native American Moose currently on the festival circuit, Maynard is the last known teller of ancient Mother Moose Tales. Preserving this oral tradition has been his life’s work. Maynard and Willy have been traveling and working together since 1977.