If you are in the neighborhood of Greeley, Colorado the weekend of July 26th, 2014, you might want to come out to the Weld County Fair to enjoy (or participate in) the Weld County Fair Fiddle Contest. I will be judging along with 5-Time National Grand Champion Fiddler, Tony Ludiker and Katy Buckbee. I will […]
Northern Colorado Fiddle Camp 2014
It’s time to register for the Fifth Annual Northern Colorado Fiddle Camp! Registration is now open for one of my favorite teaching events of the summer. Cody Stadelmaier and I will be teaching fiddlers of all ages for 5 days at Magnolia Music Studio in Old Town – Fort Collins, CO. Students will receive lessons […]
Essential Improvisation – Workshop Notes
I just taught a workshop in Denver last weekend for the Scottish Fiddle Club of Colorado, and I thought that the subject matter would be useful to the rest of the world as well. We covered these topics in a lot more detail, but I think that you can get some use out of the […]
Homestead National Monument Fiddle Contest May 26, 2012
Fiddle Contest May 26th 2012 flyer (PDF) Monumental Fiddling Championship Facts The Monumental Fiddling Championship is on May 26, 2012. It is held the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend at Homestead National Monument of America’s Education Center. The day will begin with three free workshops John McCutcheon shares his songwriting talent at 10 a.m. Debbie Greenblatt […]
Lover’s Waltz – Fiddle Tune a Day – Day 121
I really like Jay Ungar’s fiddling, and his song writing. He has a unique style that resonates with me, and obviously with lots of other people. Jay’s biggest hit was Ashokan Farewell, which was picked up as the them song for the Civil War Series that Ken Burns did on PBS. Lover’s Waltz, is his […]
Northern Colorado Fiddle Camp – 2012
THIRD ANNUAL NORTHERN COLORADO FIDDLE CAMP with champion fiddlers Vi Wickam and Cody Stadelmaier Three options this year for ALL AGES- 7 to adult: MONDAY-FRIDAY July 9-13 9am-10:30am Beginner/Intermediate fiddlers, all ages $95 10:45am-12:15pm Intermediate fiddlers, all ages $95 9am -noon Intermediate fiddle intensive, all ages $150 Final performance for family/friends Friday […]
Cotton Patch Rag – Fiddle Tune a Day – Day 85
Cottonpatch Rag is one of my old-school contest fiddle tunes. I originally learned it from Tony Ludiker, and there are parts in there from me, Terry Ludiker, Roberta Rast, and others. And, I didn’t even put That’s one of the cool things about fiddling, is that learning a tune is just the beginning. Even if […]
Cincinnati Hornpipe – Fiddle Tune a Day – Day 36
When I was 15, I had an opportunity to study fiddling with Dale Morris. It was my first time travelling on my own, first time to fly on an airplane, and Texas was a foreign land. Everybody drove Lincolns, Cadillacs, or pickup trucks, and everybody called each other “hun”. I learned a lot from Dale […]
Saint Anne’s Reel – Fiddle Tune a Day – Day 32
When I think of Saint Anne’s Reel, the first person I think of is Tony Rothrock. Tony is a great Guitarist, Mandolinist, and instrument repair guy in southwest Indiana. Tony founded the Indiana State Picking and Fiddling Championships, which I had the opportunity to run with for a few years as well. Tony really is […]
Grain Valley Waltz – Fiddle Tune a Day – Day 18
I have judged a lot of fiddle contests, and one of my favorite characters to have met at a fiddle contest is J.C. Hounshell. I had the opportunity to judge the Grand Lake National Fiddling Championships with J.C. a few years back. After the contest, we went back to the Grand hotel with Gayle and […]