Eleanor Fell (1944-2013) was a famous harpist, and one of the first to play “pop” music on the harp.

Eleanor was born to Irving and Rose Fell in Chicago on July 1944. She attended pre-school through high school at University School in Bloomington, Indiana. After a year at Stephens College, she graduated in Harp Performance from Indiana University, where she trained with Susan McDonald. Her professional life as a harpist took her to South Africa, where Eleanor moved away from classical repertoire and became one of the first “pop” harpists. She began transcribing and arranging music from the Beatles to Broadway. She married Lamar Peterson, and together they formed Vanderbilt Music Company, that has served to employ young harpists, and publish harp music – including many of her own arrangements. Eleanor was a star, taking harp outside of the realm of classical music, sharing top billings with Frank Sinatra Jr. and Dave Burbeck (among others). She passed away from leukemia on June 16, 2013.