Fiddle News

We are all trying to play music with others via Zoom and Facetime, with poor results. The problem is the lag in time between musicians. We can live with a lag time less then 30 milliseconds. Well , the scientists at Stanford have created a free software called JACKTRIP that makes it work ! Its not simple- you need really good computer lines and someone with Computer knowledge to make it work, but check out Jacktrip/CCRMA /Stanford University Thank you Stanford!

Bob Warner videotaped the entire program May 5, 2018 It is posted on his Youtube Channel Go to YouTube and enter Bob Warner to get his channel , then choose OMFA 5-5-18 You'll see a series of videos, # 1, 2, etc pick one and enjoy the show! Many Thanks Bob

Hills dale Fiddlers Convention is on for 2022 Aug 12,13 Hills dale Fairgrounds Admission $10.00 Camping $20 per day Lots of outdoors music Inside too if you want Fiddles and dulcimer

BUCKLEY is back in 2022 Aug 18,19,20,21 Fiddlers and other musicians are needed for the hilltop hall where daily square dancing will happen! Call 231-269-3669 Cost $10 per person daily But musicians used to get a break, and get to camp free and get in one day early It doesnt hurt to ask, eh?

Do you know Michigan has a Championship Old-Time Fiddlers Contest? Check out the great article written by Matt Merta in the Summer 2015 issue of Fiddler Magazine . The Michigan State Fiddle Contest happens at the Huron Twp Applefest in New Boston, MI outdoors on the Applefest stage.. The 2022 Contest is Saturday, Oct 1 at 3 PM Fiddlers register at 2 pm and draw for places at 2:30 pm There is a $10.00 registration fee Contestants must play a waltx, schottisch, a jig, and a reel, all in a manner suitable for Michigan-style old time dancing. The time limit has been 6 minutes. Check with T.M. for current time limit. Contestants will be judged on timing/tempo, intonation, expression and repertoire . First Prize: $200 Second Prize: $100 Third Prize : $50.Contact Tommy McKinney at tsm1325@gmail.com Be Sure to check the Huron Township Applefest website for updates and cancellations. Complete rules are also posted on that website.

Michigan has two great fiddler clubs, and The Michigan Fiddlers are the Southern group contact Judy Moore 18022 Moore Rd Thompsonville,Mi 49683 to join- send check for $8.00 MFA Schedule 2022. (Michiganfiddlers.com) May 7 Piki’s Cafe Main St Hopkins Aug 12,13 Hillsdale Fairground Fiddlers Convention Oct 8. Barry County Com on Aging ,Hastings KEEP ON FIDDLIN!

Three fiddlers approaching 90 years of age played at the Oct 8,2016 Jam at Coral! Bud,Art,and Don Keep on fiddling guys!

We attended a presentation by Dave Langton, a fellow member of OMFA at Evart this Summer. He was teaching some songs he learned from Karl Byarski , a fellow from Kinde,Mi who recorded Thumb area fiddlers as a hobby beginning in the 1950 's until his passing in 2016. Dave organized these recordings and passed them on to the University of Michigan /Flint where Paul Gifford , the archivist at the Genesee Historical Collections Center at the Francis Willson Thompson Library at UM Flint organized the program featuring Karl Byarski's recordings. Paul is one of the founders of the Michigan Fiddlers, the original group that split later into the Original Michigan Fiddlers (the North group) and the Michigan Fiddlers (the South group). The Byarski collection of some 260 recordings are available for you to listen to , as well as Paul Gifford's collection. Just go to http://digitalarchives.umflint.edu , and look for the Karl Byorski collection and the Paul Gifford collection . Browse All at the top lets you walk through all the songs, giving all of us fiddlers many songs to hear. Thanks a million Dave for seeking these out , thanks Paul for setting them up for us to explore! A nice article on the Internet from Nov 30,2017 at MSU Michigan Traditional Arts Program gives the story of Dave's work to access these songs.

This season we have lost seven great fiddlers --- Don Dunham -----Edna Johnson ------Danny Johnston --------Dale Pridgeon ---------Gerru Parker ----------Joe Webber

We lost Joe Webber on Dec 7, 2020 Joe was 100 and doing ok but the virus done him in!