Favorite fiddler

[scrubber]

Well, since we're throwin' in old timers, how about Bobby Hicks (an associate of Kenny Baker) and Benny Sims? I like their "double stop" approach to fiddlin'.

THIS JUST IN: Bobby HIcks has a free PDF at his website: ELEMENTS OF GOOD FIDDLE PLAYING. They're good pointers, AND THEY'RE FREE! (When is the last time you got free advice from a great fiddler?). The link is http://www.bobbyhicks.com.

[Mikeee]

I gotta say VASSAR
next to him in the vein of individuality and creativity is Stuart Duncan,
Not that Jason Carter or Bobby Hicks are any slouches.
Local fiddler: My favorite is the feller that fiddles with my group.
ERIC CHRISTOPHER..... (BTW It's not Christopherson)


Of course the finest that I know locally are two guys...
Tom Shafer<sik>never was sure how he spelt his name
And Ken Sherman ......WOW

You guys rock

I do not ABSOLUTLY DO NOT! mean to discount Lisa Fuglie/Anderson
or Deb Boeh...


GReat...just Great for freekin minnesotans!!!!!Way to show them guys how to fiddle yall!!

Best Dreams,
Mike

[Sonnyboy]

I've been hearing a lot of Vassar Clemens, who died recently (Aug 16th). He has such a fluid style and long breathless phrases. Not to mention he has played with nearly everyone who has impacted me musically! He's now a lead man in the angel band.

[H.A.Wagoner]

Hard to say- What type of fiddler are you talking about?
Bluegrass-old time-country- also, what style? Texas,Missouri,Appalachain,etc.etc,etc.
In my opinion, old time-Clark Kessinger
Misssouri style old time-Pete McMahan
Lyman Enloe
Bluegrass-Stuart Duncan
Michael Cleveland
James Price
Fact is, the way I see it- most fiddlers have their own "style" or trademark
if they are a good fiddler. They play different than other people, have their
own sound. Pretty hard to pick just one that is best, naturally-most people have their favorite (s).

[dmiller]

H.A.Wagoner -- Wow!! I haven't heard Pete McMahan's name mentioned in years!!! He used to be the chief judge up at the Cotton Fiddle contest back in the early '90's.

He and I had a few run-ins with each other about technique and styles of tunes, and a coupla other things -- and as chief judge -- he over-ruled me!!

(But that's another story!)

David

[H.A.Wagoner]

Hello dmiller
Pete McMahan and I were good friends, he had some definite ideas about what a fiddler should be, so do I. Maybe we all do. I used to judge a lot of
contests and have judged a few with Pete. We never had any disagreements
on judging that I knew of. There are certain things you should listen for in
a fiddler playing in a contest, judge him on those merits and it should all be
pretty fair.
I play Missouri style, Little Dixie, like Pete did, I play most of the tunes he
played, learned them from him. There were a lot of fiddlers in Missouri
that didn't like him, only reason I could ever see was jealousy.
I made a great many enemies years back when I wrote an article for the National Old Time Fiddlers magazine giving my opinions on "Texas" style fiddlers and the multitudes of young people all learning the same tune, played the same way, and thinking they were playing "old time" fiddle.
The majority of them don't have a clue or have never heard good "old time" fiddling and it is a pity. The average person doesn't know what it is either.

[dmiller]

I made a great many enemies years back when I wrote an article for the National Old Time Fiddlers magazine giving my opinions on "Texas" style fiddlers and the multitudes of young people all learning the same tune, played the same way, and thinking they were playing "old time" fiddle.

I couldn't agree more!! Texas style is just that, and NOT *old-time*.

Ok -- Here's my *Pete* story (as best as I can recollect it)

It was around the late 1980's, or the early 1990's and the Cotton contest was in full swing. I managed to make it past the Friday night preliminaries, and into the finals on Saturday night. Pete was the chief judge, and though I remember the other two, I can't think of their names now. One (I think) was named Dwight, and the other was a dentist from Canada. All were respected fiddlers in their own right, and all competant to judge by anyone's standards.

Well -- my turn came to play and I played the three tunes I had picked out, but I played them in the wrong order!



Pete knocked me down big-time for that blunder, even though I managed to play better than the others who placed above me in that division. I was a little miffed (though not as much as some others there), and I actually had the nerve to go to him afterwards and ask him why he gave me such a lousy score for what (I thought) was a decent performance.

He told me I played out of sequence, and then said "You young kids have got to
READ THE RULES!!

We were supposed to play a waltz, a hoedown, and a tune of choice other than a hoedown or waltz (and in that order). Turns out, I never understood (until then) that other than meant a different style.

The three tunes I did, would have been perfectly acceptable, had I done them in a different order, but me in my ignorance ---- well, it's all history now!

Pete was a crusty ole guy, but fun to listen to and to pick with. I never held it against him that he scored me so low that time. I came back next year, and took my list of 3 tunes to him, and asked if they were in the correct order!!

He looked it over, gave it back to me and said "Well -- I see ya read the rules!"



David

[H.A.Wagoner]

dmiller-That sounds like Pete- "rules is rules"
I wonder if the other judge you mention could have been Dwight Lamb.
He was also a friend of mine, left-handed fiddler from Onawa, Iowa.
I remember the first time he ever judged me in a contest. Came up to me after the contest and said, "you were three lines into that hornpipe and I had you in the number one spot". That was also the first time I had ever met him.
The tune was Garfields Hornpipe.
Memories are great!!!

[Dub Martin]

I got to meet Randy Howard at a little local festival once. What an amazing musician. I have his CD Survival of the Fiddlist.

Also Ralph "Joe" Meadows was always one of my favorites along with Buck Ryan.

___

[dmiller]

I wonder if the other judge you mention could have been Dwight Lamb.
He was also a friend of mine, left-handed fiddler from Onawa, Iowa.

Yes !!! That was the name. Now -- if I could remember the name of the man from Canada --- he played in a strong Canadian style, but loved bluegrass and old-time.

I'm starting to remember he was named Ken ------- ?????

[fadedlove'smyfavtune]

That would have to be my grandpa. 90 years old and still playing his first fiddle he got when he was 7 from Sears!

[leroyleroux]

Not trying to stir up trouble, but what is the reason for Mark O'Connor not being mentioned? There's no one better, in my opinion.

I used to know Pete McMahon, and loved his style (musically and personally).

I also used to know Dr. Tom Schaeffer, and (re)met him at the winter warmup a few years back.

You guys in Minnesota have a lot of real good players. I knew Bruce Hoffman, I hear he is still playing in some capacity. Also, Tom Weisenburger (or sometihing like that) was good.

I'm trying to recall the young fella' that wrote the Parson's Waltz, but for the life of me, I can't think of it. I think he gives lessons in the cities.

Anybody know what happened to Jim Price?

[scrubber]

I think I saw Jim Price at the MBOTMA 'Fall' Festival last December. He's easy to spot because of his high wrist bow grip -- there aren't too many fiddlers that use that. He was playing Washington County when I was passing by.

He's also listed as an instructor on the Young Fiddlers Association of Minnesota web site, with a short bio:

http://www.youngfiddlers.com/Teachers/YFA_000099.htm

(I don't think that is a recent photo!)

[Alchemical Banjo]

Having seen Rhonda Vincent's show recently, I've got to add her fiddler, Hunter Berry, to my list of favorites. That feller can play!!

Rick
==

[djcoffey]

So this is probably politically incorrect, but kindof funny.

I usually manage to catch one of the music oriented specials on Twin Cities Public Television during their fundraiser. Last year it was the Celtic Woman concert - some very nice vocalists and a fiddler were featured (I know the women are probalby all famous - with the Corrs or Cheftains or some such).

Anyway, we went to see the concert when it was in town live.

The crowd went wild over the fiddler - it might have been her incredible skill and musicality, or the long blond hair flinging about, the diaphonous gown, or her spritely leaping about the stage. By the time it was over, I was less enamoured of her, even though I'm usually wowed by any competent fiddler.

Perhaps that's traditional in Irish music - fiddler's leaping about like leprechans?

I'd hate to be that woman's hairdresser - I can only imagine the tangles!