In the spring of the 2000, shortly after my father died, my mother passed on to me one of my father’s fiddles. As it was the instrument I played from age 12 until I left home in my 20’s, it felt like finding an old friend. I hadn’t played if for almost 25 years, but having it around again brought me back to some of my early passion and enthusiasm. I started playing more often and in 2001 once again stepped into the Top 5 in the Grand Champion competition at Weiser’s National Oldtime Fiddlers’ Contest – the first time I’d been in the Top 5 since 1983.

Over the past few years, my style has continued to mature, I’ve learned new tunes, and I recorded a new CD “Seventeen Tunes" which was released in the spring of 2004. I also continue to compete at a local, state, and national level. I love seeing how fiddle competitions, workshops, and access to this great art form have raised the level of fiddling skills over the last 40 years. And I continue to enjoy the thrill of competing in that ever evolving and improving world.

In addition to competing, I am often asked to judge fiddle contests where I have a chance to step to the other side of the microphone and appreciate the talent and enthusiasm of others.

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