Fiddle Me This

Descended from a family that brought their square dance fiddlin from Colorado to the Spokane, WA area for logging jobs, today’s guest continues a family tradition that goes back at least 3 generations. She plays a lot of tunes familiar to me, including ones my Grandpa played like Snow Deer and Roxanna Waltz. Her longtime friend from just across the river, Dianne Allen provides some piano backup rarely heard anymore.. It is kinda like stepping back into time..just coming off the boat in the Columbia Gorge, stopping at Hood River for a night cap and catching some music at the local pub. This is my friend, Donna Reuter.

Fiddle contests can be a strange world to navigate to the average listener. Young hot shot fiddlers come and go, making their mark and disappearing for other pursuits once they win the titles they were after. Years of lessons from top fiddle teachers and the application of said lessons can give a person a track to stardom..at some contests.. Then, there are the ones who learn from the recordings, hunt down their heroes, who may or may not offer lessons and absorb all they can. This path is not the direct path to win the title, but over time, and to a dedicated listener of fiddle music, the difference is pure gold. Forged from deep dedication, studying the music until they get as close as their ear tells them, or until they find the person who made it up. This is how gold is formed, and this is the story of why a California fiddler keeps going back for that Texas gold.

Remember a few episodes back when we heard about a couple fiddlers from a-cross the country who changed the fiddle scene in the Pacific Northwest? Today, we come full circle and hear from an old friend who has been fiddling in Oregon since he was a kid and learned from his Mom, who was inspired and got to learn directly from one of those fiddlers when he was here all those years ago. Many of the tunes in today’s episode come from that source, Big Wheel is keeping that tradition alive and adding his own voice to it, which is why I love him so much! Yup, every tune in this episode is in cross..Enjoy!

Reminiscing on midwest tunes became a theme as we hear the story of a Kirkwood, Missouri fiddle icon from a local who moved half-way across the country before she learned of her accomplished neighbour.. We also hear a little bit about Minnesota fiddle music and how it could have ties to Norway and the Metis tradition as well. Tune in for some fun tunes and tales from my friends, Steph Noll and Kate Sheie!

This week, Vi Wickam joins us from his home in Colorado..yea, they got Squatch sightings in Colorado.. Anyway, Vi is a Colorado fiddler who has been entertaining for years and music runs deep in his family. We also hear a couple gems from other episodes that did not get released, so tune in and get up!

Back by popular demand...another porch session! The weather in Portland has been too amazing to pass up the opportunity and y’all seem to love the vibe as much as we do, so here is another porch jam. This time it is two of JTs oldest friends in Portland, Doug Fleener and Luke Price. Mostly we played breakdowns, but we also answered one of your questions..what is the difference between a breakdown and a rag? Tune in and find out…

What is Oregon fiddle tradition? This guy grew up immersed in the diverse fiddle scene available in the Pacific Northwest. A standout talent, Kian Dye has performed with local legends from Chick Rose to Larry Wilder and everyone in between. Tune in as Kian shares great stories from the PNW fiddle scene and hear some really strong and rooted fiddling. 

Who knew Rod Stewart had a whole room for model trains? I guess if you worked for him, you would know.. Her music is known up and down the West Coast, but she lives right here in Portland. You may already know her from her every Thursday livestream with her partner John, but if not, join us right now on her porch for some tunes and tales. Maybe she’ll even sing one for us..This is Annie Staninec.

This fiddlin’ lawyer from Spokane reveals all from the early days of the National Fiddle Championships in Weiser, Idaho. At 7, he won the accompanist division. In his 20’s, he saved a handful of farm workers from drowning after missing the cut. Also, how did a couple fiddlers from Texas and Oklahoma change the whole fiddle scene in the Pacific Northwest? Tune up and listen in to find out.

United by Fiddling these two fiddlers grew up on completely opposite ends of the United States. Lilly is from Sarasota, Florida on the Gulf Coast while Andy was born in Salem, Oregon, grew up in Pendleton, Oregon and now lives in Portland, Oregon. Just how different is the fiddling coast to coast? Listen in as these two discuss fiddle heroes and influences and bravely play tunes they may have never heard before..or have they..

Our St. Patrick’s Day Special features a Portland native who moved to Limerick to learn traditional Irish fiddling. As you know, we typically look at American fiddling tradition on Fiddle Me This, but this holiday gives us an opportunity to share something different. Listen as Erik Killops shares authentic Irish tunes and how we were first introduced in Ireland, even though I’ve never been there.. Fiddle nerds will enjoy Erik’s description of how hornpipes are played on this one. Tune in for a great discussion on American vs. Irish fiddling traditions. 

Apparently, traditional American fiddling can be found even in the far reaches of the Olympic Peninsula.. There is even a contingent of Celtic fiddlers in the area and this Squim, Washington native learned from all of them. Michael Cullinan now lives in Portland, Oregon where he performs locally and regionally with various bands, adding his own brand of fiddling to the area sound. He plays some obscure tunes and familiar ones like Liberty while working as a machinist...just like Oklahoma fiddle legend, Herman Johnson.

Another Bay Area native moves to Portland and turns into an internationally touring fiddle player..There must be something in the water up here! With a multitude of musical influences and a deep rootedness into the Portland local original music scene, Marilee Hord has a sound all her own and uses her voice to inspire others. Tune up and listen in as we sit down with this sweet Northwest musician.

A Northeast Washington fiddle bubble exists and this guy grew up in it. Known by just about everyone in the Pacific Northwest fiddle scene and in pockets across the country, Gary Schuh has friends everywhere, and it’s all because of that dang fiddle! Tune on up and listen in...

JT Sits down for a good old fashioned jam session with two of his favorite past guests Andy Emert from Episode 3 and Doug Fleener from Episode 5. The Fellas play tunes tell stories and by all amounts have a gran'ol time. Tune in tune up and join in on this episode of Fiddle me this.

Sit back and enjoy the fiddling of 3 time Grand National Champ, Luke Price. Originally from Idaho, but loved even in Texas, this guy is rooted and original. His wife Rachael also joins us on tenor guitar and even sings one for us. Aren’t they just the cutest!?

How does a Utah fiddler connect with an Oklahoma fiddle legend? Hear this story and more as we chat with Ogden, UT native, Jeanine Orme and learn how her heroes are not so different from mine. I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve gotten to pick with Jeanine, but every time it feels like home. Enjoy the tunes!

Today we take a slightly different angle with special guest, Austin Quattlebaum. A modern day troubadour rooted in American culture and music. His banjo playing and songwriting has been heard all over the world and today, he shares it with us.https://www.austinquattlebaum.com/

Old Ozark melodies, haunting originals and terrifying tales will grace your ear in this one. 3rd generation Ozark musician and normally your Fiddle Me This host, JT Trawick pulls his fiddle off the wall for this one. Backed by his friends, Olivia and Doug, you might consider this a screwball episode...maybe baseball and fiddling have more in common than you thought…

SPECIAL EPISODE: When Dan Levenson started talking about his favorite dead fiddlers back in the first episode (Bare Naked Banjo Man Plays Fiddle Too), we knew we had the perfect theme for a Halloween Special. Since then, every guest has been asked, Who is Your Favorite Dead Fiddler? After two months of compiling answers, we have some answers..and maybe some interesting costumes to figure out.. Tune up and join in for the Fiddle Me This Halloween Special!