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About the Contributors

Dan Accardi (the “Irish Fiddling with Dan Accardi” column) hails from Warren, Rhode Island, where he began learning fiddle from Jimmy Devine. Upon moving to school in Boston, he studied with East Clare fiddler Seamus Connolly. His music is heavily influenced by the strong, yet subtle bowing styles and highly expressive ornamentation of Sliabh Luachra and West Clare musicians such as Denis Murphy, Padraig O’Keeffe, John Kelly, and Ellen Galvin.

Paul Anastasio is the author of the “On Improvisation” column and other articles and reviews. He was also Fiddler Magazine’s Review Editor for many years. A former student of Joe Venuti, he is a veteran of the bands of Merle lHaggard, Asleep at the Wheel, Larry Gatlin, and Loretta Lynn. For information on opportunities to study with Paul, and his “Swing Cat” recording company and “The Impressionist” chin rest, email him at panastasio@w-link.net.

Peter Anick is co-author of Mel Bay’s Old Time Fiddling Across America. He plays fiddle with the Massachusetts bluegrass band Wide Open Spaces (www.wideospaces.com).

Mark Armstrong, a cartoonist and illustrator, is the creator of the “Fiddle-toon” cartoon in each issue. For more information on Mark’s work, please see http://markarmstrongillustration.com.

Bob Buckingham fiddles, teaches and writes in the Upstate of South Carolina. He performs bluegrass and old time music with various bands, teaches at the 5th String in Greenville, SC, and at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, NC. He writes for this and other fine periodicals.

Pete Clark writes the “Scottish Fiddling with Pete Clark” column. He lives in highland Perthshire, where the famous fiddler Niel Gow lived two centuries ago. Pete runs a weekly fiddle class and his own “Dunkeld Bridge Fiddle Weeks” in May and Sesptember. For information on his book “The Dunkeld Bridge Collection,” recordings, and the fiddle weeks, visit pete-clark.com.

Gus Garelick, author of interviews with Laurie Lewis, Tom Paley, Ken Keppeler & Jeanie McLerie and others is a fiddler, mandolin player, and music teacher.

Andrew Kuntz writes the “Fiddle Tune History” column and is also the author of a book of old time songs and tunes called Ragged But Right (1987) as well as the on-line tune encyclopedia “The Fiddlers’ Companioin” (www.ibiblio.org/fiddlers). When not researching tunes, he enjoys playing in Irish music sessions.

Mary Larsen is the Editor of Fiddler Magazine, and enjoys all styles of fiddle music. Her Stainer-copy lion’s head fiddle is shown at the top of this website!

Michael Lohr is a professional musician and music journalist. He has worked on several projects with the likes of Celtic singer/harpist Gabrielle Angelique, bestselling Icelandic folk singer Ósk Óskarsdóttir, Icelandic guitarist Numi Björnsson and gold/platinum-selling Icelandic Post-Rock group Sigur Rós. He plays in separate Gypsy Punk and Punk Blues bands. He is a member of, and coordinates radio programing for, the Renaissance Artists and Writers Association (RAWA) radio (http://www.rawaradio.com/). He is an active, voting member of several music organizations including the Country Music Association, Americana Music Association, the International Bluegrass Music Association, The Blues Foundation and the Nashville Old Time String Band Association. He is also a contributor to Bluegrass Unlimited and several global perspective Roots, Blues and Punk zines.

Caoimhín Mac Aoidh writes “The Hidden Note” column. He is the author of “Between the Jigs and the Reels: The Donegal Fiddle Tradition,” “The Scribe: The Life and Works of James O’Neill,” “From Mazovia to Meenbanad – The Donegal Mazurkas,” and “From Dunkeld to Dunkineely – The Highlands and Strathspeys of Donegal” (avail. from ceoteo.net). He was featured in the Summer 2006 issue of Fiddler Magazine and is a founding member of Cairdeas na bhFidleiri. He is the founder of World Fiddle Day (worldfiddleday.com).

Matt Merta has been writing for various music magazines for the past 20 years. He teaches guitar and bass in Detroit, Michigan, as well as performs and writes songs under the pseudonym Mitch Matthews.

Ed Pearlman, author of the “Notes on Learning” column, has been teaching and performing fiddle since 1980. His fiddle-online.com website features innovative online live classes taught by himself and guest instructors with expertise in various fiddle styles. For more information on Ed, his family band Highland Soles, and his summer walking/music tours of Scotland, visit edpearlman.net.

Paul Shelasky writes the “Bluegrass Fiddling” column. He has performed and recorded with Laurie Lewis, The Good Ol’ Persons, David Grisman, and others. He was the California State Fiddle Champion in 1975 and 1981. He currently plays jazz, bluegrass, and Irish music. His latest album is called Fiddle Crazy.

Jody Stecher, author of the “Cross-Tuning Workshop” column, lives in San Francisco, where he plays and teaches fiddle and a variety of other instruments. Jody has numerous recordings on the Appleseed, Acoustic Disc, and Rounder labels and has twice been nominated for a Grammy.

Music Editor Jack Tuttle has performed professionally in the U.S., Canada, and Japan as a member of numerous bands playing bluegrass, old time, and swing. Based in Palo Alto, California, he has taught more than a thousand students in over thirty years. He is the self-publisher of the Traditional Fiddle Collection and theBluegrass Fiddle Collections Volumes 1 and 2, available at tuttlefiddle@gmail.com. Jack’s fiddling can be heard on his CD with his daughter Molly, calledThe Old Apple Tree.

Jay Ungar contributes the “Waltzes and Airs” column. He has been performing, recording, and teaching fiddle since the 1960s. Best known for his tune “Ashokan Farewell,” heard throughout Ken Burns’ PBS series The Civil War, Jay’s music can be heard in numerous films by Burns and others. Jay founded Ashokan Music & Dance Camps in 1980 and still runs them with his wife and musical partner Molly Mason. Jay and Molly have appeared on CBS Good Morning, All Things Considered, A Prairie Home Companion, Performance Today, Transatlantic Sessions, and more. For more information, visit jayandmolly.com.

Jim Wood, author of the “Practicing Fiddler” column, is a five-time Tennessee Fiddle Champion who performs on fiddle, mandolin, banjo, and guitar with his wife Inge. He also directs the Tennessee Fiddle Orchestra in Lynchburg, Tennessee.  For information on recordings, concerts, and workshops, please visit Jim’s website at www.JimWoodMusic.net.