Champion Fiddler, Inspired Performer
June 6, 7, 8, 2013, the place to be is the Grand Lake National Fiddle Fest in Grove OK! Spread the word, it’s a great area for a family vacation, and you could go home with enough prize money to pay for your trip! Nationally certified, with five judges: Marty Elmore, TX; Mark Ralph, AL; Louis Brandin, LA; [...]
Event: 2013 Colorado Scottish Fiddle (Violin) Competition for kids grades 3rd through 12th in four categories Date: Saturday, October 5, 2013 Time: 1:00 to 5:00, performance times will have to be scheduled. Students will perform for a judge. Location: Kirk (Church) of Bonnie Brae (United Church of Christ), 1201 South Steele Street (Steele and Arizona), [...]
Crafton Blues is what I would call a country blues tune. It mostly fits the blues chord structure, but it’s not what most people would consider bluesy. Crafton Blues is a popular fiddle contest tune of choice. Here Matthew plays a Texas-Style fiddling arrangement of it that he is improvising on the spot. Because he [...]
Chancellor’s Waltz is one of the prettier waltzes I know. It was written by Jim “Texas Shorty” Chancellor’s Dad. It’s not easy, but there are quite a few Waltzes that are more difficult. And, as I tell my students, the purpose of a waltz is to be beautiful, not to be difficult. I like how [...]
Waltz for Bridget Bridget’s Waltz is another one of those stunningly beautiful “Contest Style Fiddling” Waltzes. It’s kind of difficult, but the difficulty is not just for the sake of difficulty. It’s just all kinds of silky smooth and awesome. Tonight is the first time I have ever played it all the way through, but [...]
I learned Smash the Windows at the Mulligan’s Irish Session, and it was Richard Jones that suggested it. It’s an Irish jig, and when I play it, it makes me smile. Today, I directed the Rocky Mountain Irish Festival Best of the Feis Fiddle Contest (now that’s a mouthful.) Richard Jones was one of my [...]
Pete’s Waltz was written by Pete Martin. I first heard Pete’s Waltz when Pete Martin played it at Weiser in the early 1990′s, but I didn’t work it out until about 10 years later when one of my fiddle students learned it from Daniel Carwile. Pete’s Waltz is a beautiful tune that is as tough [...]
I know that this post is coming a little late, but we had a great time at the 2009 Indiana State Picking and Fiddling Championships. We had record numbers with 144 entries (up from 91 last year). Thank you to all of the Contestants, to the Labor Day Association, our Awesome Judges, Insulators Local 37, [...]
I know I’m a little late in this post, but I wanted to let everyone know what a great time the Grand Master’s Fiddle Contest is. I also want to give a special thanks to Ed Carnes, Howard Harris, and the rest of the GMFC board who have worked so hard to bring this great [...]
The Murray Kentucky Fiddle Festival was a great time this year. The contestant turnout was decent, and the judging was excellent. And, I had a great time jamming with Tyler and Joel. The Judges were: Megan Lynch Tyler Andal Gail Rudisill-Johnson Roland White I ended up in third place in the Junior (17-49) category. Joel [...]
