A fairy ring, also known as fairy circle, elf circle, elf ring or pixie ring, is a naturally occurring ring or arc of mushrooms. The rings may grow to over 10 metres (33 ft) in diameter, and they become stable over time as the fungus grows and seeks food underground. They are found mainly in forested areas, but also appear in grasslands or rangelands. Fairy rings are detectable by sporocarps in rings or arcs, as well as by a necrotic zone (dead grass), or a ring of dark green grass. If these manifestations are visible a fairy fungus mycelium is likely to be present in the ring or arc underneath.

Fairy rings also occupy a prominent place in European folklore as the location of gateways into elfin kingdoms, or places where elves gather and dance. According to the folklore, a fairy ring appears when a fairy, pixie, or elf appears. It will disappear without trace in less than five days, but if an observer waits for the elf to return to the ring, he or she may be able to capture it.

There are two theories regarding the process involved in creating fairy rings. One states that the fairy ring is begun by a spore from the sporocarpus. The underground presence of the fungus can also cause withering or varying colour or growth of the grass above. Mushrooms, the fruiting bodies of fungi that poke their heads up out of the soil after rainstorms, tell only part of the fungi's story. Hidden in the soil is a huge network of threadlike mycelia. Mushrooms are not individual organisms. Rather, they are just one part of the mycelia lurking beneath the ground.

Singh Kaur (1955–1998) was a new age music composer, vocalist and instrumentalist, who had a prolific career that lasted from the early 1970s to the late 1990s, releasing 23 albums. With her angelic voice and haunting melodies, Singh Kaur was a pioneer in the growing genre of Western interpretations of Indian chanting music.

Singh Kaur initially lived at the Tucson ashram, and it was there she began to flower as a musician. Although she had arrived with 'St. Francis' already complete, she was exposed to the eclectic musicians of the 3HO community and a new, spiritually-focused, way of living. She later moved to the Espanola, New Mexico 3HO community, where her musical talents expanded and she found her footing as a composer and singer of inspiring devotional songs. It was at Espaniola that she met, and later married, Gurucharan Singh. Not long after their marriage, they moved to Denver to open a health food restaurant. From there, they moved to St. Louis for the purpose of opening a yoga ashram. During their years in St. Louis, Gurucharan and Singh Kaur had two children, Guru Shabd and Guru Ardas.

Gary Stadler is an American New Age pianist, composer, songwriter and producer, specializing in contemporary Celtic-influenced themes and atmospheres. Stadler's six albums generally focus on imaginative concepts loosely based in Celtic mythology, especially stories of the realm of Faerie. His music combines melodic elements of rare world instruments, mastery of synthesizer orchestrations and studio techniques. Three of his albums feature collaborations with vocalists Singh Kaur, Stephannie and Wendy Rule.

Gary Stadler's third album, Fairy Heartmagic was listed on Billboard's New Age Top 25 chart for four weeks in year 2000. Several of his songs have been featured on compilations on multiple record labels in the USA and Europe.

Gary Stadler is the brother of professional golfer Craig Stadler.

Gary Stadler knew at an early age that music would play a major role in his life. In school, in his hometown of San Diego, he learned to play the piano and most of the other instruments in the orchestra. When asked what he wanted to be when he grew up, he always replied, "I want to be an orchestra conductor!"

David Arkenstone is an American New Age musician. His music is primarily instrumental, with occasional vocalizations. He was born in Chicago, Illinois on July 1, 1952. He has three children—Quillon, Dashiell and Valinor—with his first wife, Julie. His second wife was Diane Arkenstone, also a musician.

After moving from Chicago to California at the age of ten, he was involved in various high school bands playing guitars and keyboards, playing baseball in his spare time. He studied music in college and started a progressive rock band named after himself, but he soon discovered the music of Kitaro and was heavily influenced by it. Arkenstone was influenced by writers such as J. R. R. Tolkien and Ian Fleming, and grew up listening to bands like Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Deep Purple and Yes, as well as listening to classical music.

Arkenstone went solo and found his own sound in New Age music. Arkenstone says that has been greatly aided by technology: "Technology has produced some wonderful tools for making music. The computer allows me to fully orchestrate my pieces and really fine tune them." His music is primarily instrumental. His albums, often fantasy themed, often come packaged with literature and art. He worked with fantasy novel writer Mercedes Lackey on a few of his albums. Arkenstone and his ex-wife, Diane, created their own record label called Neo Pacifica. In addition to releasing their own music on the label, they have included other bands such as Earth Trybe, Enaid, and the Marquis Ensemble.