Description

Born in 1914 in Gallia, Lawrence County, near the Ohio River in southern Ohio, Arnold earned his living as a dairy farmer near Jackson, Ohio. His grandfather, “Fiddling Andy” Sharp, came to Lawrence County from England in the mid-19th century. Arnold’s father, George Sharp, was also a dance fiddler as well as an accordion and fife player. Arnold also had 8 uncles and three brothers who played the fiddle. Arnold was a contemporary of fiddler Jimmy Wheeler of nearby Portsmouth, Ohio (FRC401) and grew up surrounded by many of the same southern Ohio and Kentucky fiddlers, including Asa Neal, Jess Large, and Forest Pick. Arnold’s style and repertoire differ from Wheeler’s, with more emphasis on rhythmic dance tunes, perhaps a result of strong family musical traditions. A couple of the tunes Arnold remembered coming from his family include “Hound Chase” (in AEAC# tuning), and Fine Times at Our House. These recordings were made at Arnold’s home in Oak Hill when Arnold was in his late 60s. Jeff Goehring accompanies him on guitar.