Festival Waltz – Fiddle Tune a Day – Day 30

Festival Waltz is a beautiful waltz that I have long enjoyed playing, and have played at many fiddle contests. My happiest memory of this tune was playing it at the High Plains fiddle contest when I was fourteen or so along with Sally Johnson and Beaumont Rag. It was the first time I won first place at a fiddle contest, and boy it sure felt good.

Festival Waltz according to the Fiddler’s Companion

FESTIVAL WALTZ. Bluegrass, Waltz. USA, Missouri. A Major. Standard tuning. AA (Brody): ABB’ (Matthiesen). Composed (copyrighted 1972) by Kenny Baker, longtime fiddler for Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys. It has become a popular “contest” waltz, prone to embellishment. Source for notated version: Bo Bradham (Charlottesville, VA) [Matthiesen]. Brody (Fiddler’s Fakebook), 1983; pg. 103‑104. Matthiesen (Waltz Book II), 1995; pgs. 18-19. American Heritage 516, Jana Greif‑ “I Love Fiddlin.’”  County 736, Kenny Baker‑ “Kenny Baker Country.” County 2705, Kenny Baker – “Master Fiddler.” Missouri State Old Time Fiddlers’ Association, Lyman Enloe (b. 1906, Mo.).  Rounder 0046, Mark O’Conner‑ “National Junior Fiddle Champion.” Ruthie Dornfeld – “American Cafe Orchestra.” Pete Jung & Bo Bradham- “Moving Clouds.”