Description

These recordings are among many unexpected treasures that came my way as Gus Meade, Mark Wilson, and I were making field recordings of old traditional fiddlers in Kentucky. During the 1970s, 80s, and 90s we sought out and recorded every one we could find, mostly in the central and eastern parts of the state, and were able to get a glimpse of the old regional fiddle styles that predated the bluegrass music that was thriving at that time in these rural areas. Although the old fiddlers we recorded were still playing with skill and vigor, we often wished we could hear what they had sounded like when they were younger. We then discovered that many of these players had made use of recording devices as they became available in their own communities. These home recordings, in contrast to the field recordings we had made, capture many of the same performers when they were much younger. They show that the local players were conscious of the tradition they were part of, they knew what they were doing, and they took it upon themselves to see that it was preserved. The story of how this collection came into our hands from several different sources can be read in the accompanying notes on the FRC website. – John Harrod

Kentucky Fiddlers Home Recordings, Vol. 1 – Track Notes by John Harrod