Wild Mercy, an Indianapolis-based eclectic Celtic band, is composed of Barry Childs-Helton (guitars, bass, vocals, original pieces), Sally Childs-Helton (drum kit, bodhran, world and classical percussion), Debbie Gates (keyboard, vocals, percussion) and Jennifer Midkiff (harp, bass, vocals). Their music is rooted in traditional and contemporary Celtic musics, with excursions into folk-rock, jazz, blues, indie, and world musics, and is marked by strong vocals and tight harmonies.

As a band composed of avid SF readers, WM was fated to start playing cons. Barry and Sally had been playing at conventions since 1983, had won several Pegasus Awards for filking, and been named to the Filk Hall of Fame before joining Wild Mercy. Soon Jen and Debbie began asking just what they were doing at these SF and filking things they were going to. It wasn't long before the whole band began going, beginning with InConJunction in 2004. Multiple con appearances followed, including ConClave, DucKon, CapriCon, Marcon, ConText, Ohio Valley Filk Fest, MidSouthCon, Conterpoint (Barry and Sally's second East Coast Science Fiction Filk Festival since Concertino in 1995), and the 2007 North American Science Fiction Convention. And as the fannish audience's high-quality attention spoiled the entire band rotten ("They listen to the words! They sing along! We want all of this there is!"), their filk repertoire grew apace, even as their style continued to sprout more rock, jazz, and choral elements. Unsurprisingly, now Jen and Debbie are both doing solo concerts and workshops at conventions as well, and the band has been nominated twice for a Best Performer Pegasus Award.

So, just what is "eclectic Celtic"? Well, it's Celtic! It's folk (except when it's rock)! It's sultry fairytale blues! It's lounge lizards unleashed! It's beautiful harp and vocal textures. It's bitter Jacobite protest songs. It's jazz played on a lever harp. It's bodhran-driven rock. It's tight vocal harmonies. It's way too many instruments for four people!