The Quiet American is husband and wife duo, Aaron and Nicole Keim. In Hood River, Oregon, they live an artistic life: making music, building musical instruments, teaching music, writing books, crafting folk art,and raising their 10-year-old son Henry. Their connection to folk tradition is undeniable, even as they find new ways to sing old songs and incorporate music and art into their teaching and performing. Influenced by Depression era string band music and the folk revival, they use ukulele, banjo and accordion to accompany their harmony singing, old time tunes and audience sing-alongs.

Aaron and Nicole have multiple degrees in Music Education and have taught in public schools and at ukulele festivals around the world. They also enjoy teaching adult music classes and private lessons. The duo has self- published several ukulele and banjo instructional books, using Nicole’s handwritten notation and Aaron’s YouTube videos to help folks learn at home.

Aaron is also a luthier who builds ukuleles and banjos as Beansprout Musical Instruments, while Nicole helps run their multiple businesses. They have been the artistic directors for Menucha Ukulele Band Camp in Corbett, OR since 2022 and are the newly appointed artistic directors for the Port Townsend Ukulele Festival in Port Townsend, WA.