Fiddle Tunes at Centrum

A Foot in Both Worlds: An Interview with Dirk Powell

We're pleased to be able to reproduce an interview with Dirk Powell that appeared in our first issue of Experience magazine in May, 2006. It it, Dirk talks about his heritage in the Appalachian style of fiddling, the uniting of roots music with modern sensibilities, and cultural racism.

Dirk Powell, the Artistic Director of Fiddle Tunes, has expanded on the deeply rooted sounds of his Appalachian heritage to become one of the pre-eminent traditional American musicians of his generation. In addition to acclaimed releases on Rounder Records, he has recorded and performed with artists such as Loretta Lynn, Sting, Jack White, Levon Helm, Jewel, T-Bone Burnett, Ralph Stanley, and Linda Ronstadt, among others. His ability to unite the essence of his culture with modern sensibilities has also led to work with such film directors as Anthony Minghella, Spike Lee, Ang Lee, Victor Nuñez, Steve James, and Edward Burns. The interview is featured after the jump. 

A Pretty Good Fiddler: Jerry Holland

In 1965, Jerry Holland's father saw a fiddle for sale in the window of a local laundromat. Thinking that it looked like "a pretty good fiddle," Jerry Sr. bought it for fifty bucks as a present for his son. Years later, Jerry Holland discovered that the instrument was actually an extremely rare violin crafted by Leopold Widhalm, an Austrian luthier who worked in Germany in the 1700s. To this day, no one knows how such a rare violin wound up for sale in the window of a laundromat. "I still play that same fiddle today," Jerry says. "If I were to lose it, that would be the end of my playing. It does what no other fiddle has done for me, and coming from my dad, it's something I want to leave to my son."

Jerry has released over a dozen recordings. He has also published two collections of fiddle tunes. Strongly rooted in the Cape Breton, Scottish, and Irish traditions, Jerry grew up with some of the last generation's greatest Cape Breton Scottish fiddlers.

Because of the remoteness of Cape Breton, its fiddle music and dancing kept to the old Scottish style, a tradition that Jerry was raised to respect and support. And as an active performer and recording artist, many of Jerry's turnes have entered the traditional repertoire around the world. 

Jerry Holland will be at the 2007 Festival of American Fiddle Tunes teaching, and jamming. He'll perform in a mainstage concert at McCurdy on July 6. Click here to read an interview with Jerry; here to hear a sample of his music.

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Fiddle Tunes Performance Lineup

A piece of wood, a few strings, and a pair of hands. From these simple ingredients, entire musical traditions emerge.

One of America’s grandest celebrations of roots music, the Festival of American Fiddle Tunes brings authentic bearers of musical traditions to the stage, connecting you with the communities and cultures that make up the quilt of American music.

The 4th of July Afternoon Show
McCurdy Pavilion, Fort Worden State Park
1:30pm; Reserved seats $16; 18-under price: $5
Purchase tickets (starting May 1)

1) Mac and Jenny Traynham - Songs and Tunes from the Southern Mountains. 2) Nightingale - New England Contra Dance Music. 3) The Carolina Chocolate Drops with Special Guest Joe Thompson - Southern Stringband Music. 4) April Verch - White-Hot Canadian Fiddling

Friday Evening, July 6
McCurdy Pavilion, Fort Worden State Park
7:30pm; Reserved seats $16; 18-under price: $5
Purchase tickets (starting May 1)

1) John White with Kenny Applebee - Missouri Fiddle Tunes. 2) Jerry Holland with Daniel Lapp - Cape Breton Fiddle Tunes. 3) Bon Soir, Catin - Cajun Party Band. 4) Liz Carroll with John and Sean Doyle - Irish Fiddle Tunes

Saturday Afternoon, July 7
McCurdy Pavilion, Fort Worden State Park
1:30pm; Reserved seats $20; 18-under price: $5
Purchase tickets (starting May 1)

1) Bertram Levy - Tango Fiddle. 2) Paul Dahlin and Family - Swedish Fiddle. 3) Randy Wilson - Southern Banjo. 4) Paul Anastasio with Doc Denning - Western Swing and Cowboy Music. 5) Jesse and Jamie Wells - Southern Fiddle. 6) Denis Maheux with Sans Ages - Quebecois

All shows subject to change.