The Flint Hills Fiddler

The Flint Hills Fiddler Unedited Interview!

How'd you get into bluegrass/old time music?

       I guess I got into bluegrass in high school. I had been playing traditional fiddle tunes since about 13 and played with some folks in the area where I lived. Some friends at the church where I grew up played music and we got together and formed a ‘bluegrass’ band. Our banjo player was from Virginia so was pretty well familiar with Ralph Stanley and Bill Monroe. Our guitarist once played in a rock band. So, we weren’t really a traditional bluegrass band, but more of a folk band. But we tried. The Threshing Crew, as we called ourselves, won first place at the Melvern Sunflower Days in 2001 or 2002, so I guess we weren’t awful. I always enjoyed bluegrass music but was never really satisfied with the attempts to create a bluegrass band. I guess I was too much of a purist and our vocals and instrumentals didn’t meet the standards of Monroe and Stanley. Eventually, I may have become weary of those failed attempts at creating the bluegrass sound I really desired and began focusing more on old-time music which I think has more flexibility, and not as much pressure as bluegrass.

Where are you from and what was the roots or bluegrass style music exposure like where you grew up?

       I grew up in Osage County, KS, on the family farm between Quenemo and Lyndon. There didn’t seem to be much of a presence of traditional music in the area, at least we didn’t know of many who played. But I did grow up listening to a lot of music on the radio, record player, 8-track, and cassette tapes. When I started learning to play fiddle, there really wasn’t anyone around we knew of that could help me out. Eventually, we found an older guy near Vassar who played. Gene Robinson. He became my first mentor, and I’d go over to his house and we’d play music together. Gene played with a group called the Vassar Polecats, and I got to play with them.

Who are your influences, local and professional?

       There are so many influences, there’s just no way to list them all. My earliest influences include artists like Flatt and Scruggs, Bill Monroe, Mac Wiseman, Jimmy Martin, Roy Acuff, Grandpa Jones, Marty Robins, the Dillards (Andy Griffith Show) and so many others, even the Beetles, Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Eagles, and all those ‘70s rock bands, thanks to my mom. I never did get into playing rock though, thank goodness. Locally, my grandpa played guitar, though I don’t remember him playing it much. I had an uncle who played accordion and keyboard. Certainly, the most influential locals when I started playing were my friends in The Threshing Crew and The Vassar Polecats. Ben and Gladys Streeter, and Gene Robinson were major forces who influenced my interest, repertoire, and direction. Today, all of my friends that I get together with at jams are my inspiration and they influence what I play and how I play it. I’ve learned tunes from many of them, and so I always think of them when I play their tunes. It’s a wonderful gift that you get to carry with you through life. In the last 25 years, some professional influences for me have been Rhys Jones, Foghorn Stringband, Uncle Earl, The Stairwell Sisters, Norman Blake, Aaron Jonah Lewis, and so many recordings from the ‘20s and ‘30s.

What do you consider your music style to be?

       It’s difficult to put a label on the style of music I play, since I play a wide range, but also because folks don’t always agree on descriptors. I generally refer to the music I play simply as traditional, which is a broad umbrella term. Sometimes, I may refer to it as folk, which is equally accurate, though it usually projects the wrong idea to people. Most people think of 1960s folk music. To get more specific about the styles I play, let’s take the banjo, I play what is commonly known today as ‘classic style’ banjo. Essentially finger-style, the precursor of Scruggs-style bluegrass playing. This style was widely used from before the 1880s up until bluegrass emerged. Back then, it was called Spanish Guitar Style, because it was the guitar method applied to the banjo. In the 1930s-50s some called it ‘old-time’ banjo, considerably different from what we think of as old-time banjo today, e.g. clawhammer, frailing, two-finger, etc. I also play ’stroke-style’ banjo, which is the early technique of playing, and from which clawhammer, drop-thumb, frailing, etc. is derived from.

When it comes to fiddle, I generally refer to what I play as traditional American, or old-time music. Though there are multiple subsets of traditions within that. I also play in, and direct, the Manhattan Mandolin Orchestra. The music we play is from about 1890-1920 and could be called BMG Club music (Banjo, Mandolin, & Guitar). That also covers a lot of things, ragtime, marches, two-steps, polkas, waltzes, light classical, jazz, popular, and traditional tunes.

What kind of struggles have, or do you currently face as a local artist?

I think the biggest struggle, for me, is convincing myself I’m an artist. I don’t feel like an artist, though I understand that music is art. At a recent concert, the audience was visiting with us during intermission. A lady said something to me that really stuck. Speaking of my mandolin and fiddle solos during songs, she said it was a narrative. It was part of telling the story, its own verse, and conveyed emotion and ideas. Those maybe weren’t her exact words, but that’s what she expressed. And for the first time, I think I really understood music as art, and felt something like an artist. I’m thankful she took the time to express that thought with me.

What is your day job and what challenges does it pose for your musical conquests?

       At one time, my day job was barbering. I ran my own shop in Council Grove for about 12 years. In 2020, my family moved to Manhattan, where my wife took a position at K-State. I had planned to go back into barbering at a shop in Aggieville at that time. As you may recall, covid happened. That shut everything down and put a damper on the barbering plan. In the meantime, after having debilitating back issues for several years, which at times made it difficult to walk, move around, get up or down, or causing me to be bed bound for periods, I went to the chiropractor. They took an x-ray, and found I had a degenerated disc. If not caused by, at least worsened from years of standing in the barber shop. After giving it some serious thought, I decided I was done with barbering. Why continue in an occupation that will cripple my body? Seeing one of the old barbers in Aggieville who was all hunched over and looked terrible, may have helped cement the decision.

Now, my day job is music! I teach privately out of my home and also teach at the Flint Hills Academy of Music in Wamego. In addition to that, I’m also a Humanities Kansas Speaker, and get paid to travel the state and share with folks about our incredible musical past! I also play with a couple bands, so that keeps me busy as well. For the first time in years, I love what I'm doing!

Do you write and how long have you been writing music?

       I do write music, not a lot, but I did publish a book of fiddle tunes and songs I composed back in 2011. I started writing tunes and songs in high school. Mostly, I spend a lot of time arranging music for the Mandolin Orchestra or writing music for students. I have dabbled in songwriting though I don’t often sing any of my material. I enjoy making arrangements, it gives an opportunity to be creative. I made an instrumental arrangement of Annie Wilson’s Prairie Prayer, which is on our latest album "Out on the Tallgrass Prairie." I’m pretty proud of what our band, Tallgrass Express, accomplished with that project. I understand you do a lot for the old-time music world and are quite the historian.

What are some things you are passionate about and would like the public to be aware of?

       I would like for the public to be more aware of what an amazing and rich history Kansas has musically. It’s a story that doesn’t get the press it deserves. Not only do we have an interesting musical story to tell, but there are also so many Kansans who went on to make it pretty big nationally, some even internationally, influenced our music traditions nationally, and most folks today are totally unaware of these people and their music. I’d also like for folks to be inspired to pick up an instrument and become a part of continuing the tradition of homemade music.

What can you tell me about your song writing process?

       I’m not sure I have much of a process in song writing. It’s infrequent, it’s not something I’m focused on. When it comes, it comes. A couple of the songs I’ve written in the past 5-8 years are historical works. They’re about true events and people. One is the Ballad of Gus and Maud. Maud seems to be the most well known today as the first lady tattooer in America. But their story is incredible. I wrote an essay about the Wagners for the annual Olive Ann Beech contest in 2023, and it won first place. At the same time, I wrote this song about the Wagners. Another song, Homestead Cyclone, is about some of my wife’s ancestors who lived out where Gus and Maud lived near Homestead in Chase County. So, I guess if there’s a process, it’s generally inspired by a story, and I want to preserve that story and convey it others.

What advice would you give aspiring musicians?

       Be patient with yourself, play every day, and take lessons with various instructors because everyone has something different to share with you.

What kind of pick do you prefer?

       I prefer a bow. But seriously, the mandolin and guitar are the only instruments I use a pick on. If you’re expecting great insight, I’m afraid you may be disappointed. The picks I use are typically of medium thickness, no particular brand, no Blue Chip. When I first started playing mandolin, I bought these old-fashioned style mandolin picks. They were worthless, they broke all the time. Now, of all the picks that I use, I don’t believe I bought a single one. Some are antique faux tortoise shell picks my grandpa used 40-50 years ago. Most, and probably my favorite picks, are the ones we used to get at KBA Winterfest, and also some Winfield picks. They seem to last forever and never break, and I like their thickness.

What make and model is/are your instruments?

       OH boy. Well, my fiddle is probably an old mail order instrument from the early 20th century. My stepdad got it from a friend, it was their mother’s, and it’s been my regular fiddle for over 25 years, and I’ve not found one I like better. The bow that I have used for the past 25 years is my great grandfather’s bow. I have his fiddle too, but it doesn’t get as much play time since I keep it strung with gut. The guitar I play is actually my wife’s wedding gift that her dad made for her. It’s a triple-o Martin style, curly Bubinga back and sides and spruce top. For about 15 years I played an 1883 Fairbanks & Cole banjo as my regular instrument, love it. But about a year ago or so I picked up a J. E. Henning banjo was probably made around 1895. Henning lived in Kansas in the 1880s and developed his banjo in 1890. It’s a fun piece of history I enjoy playing and use for my Humanities Talks on Kansas music history. In the mandolin orchestra I usually play the Henning banjo or a 1916 Gibson style U harp guitar. I also play a 1906 Gibson A model mandolin. There’s been many instruments that have come and gone through the years, both new and old. I tend to prefer the older instruments, but one of my first mandolins was a Fender F style that I thought was an excellent player, probably better than a 1990s Gibson Flat Iron I once owned.

Do you have kids? What would you like to see in the community for promoting bluegrass music to local youth?

       I have two boys, 10 and 14. The youngest seems the most musically inclined, he has so many fiddle tunes in his head from listening to me play, and songs, weird stuff for a 10-year-old to know. He plays the mountain dulcimer and likes to play around on the keyboard ‘writing’ his own music. And he shows fair promise on the violin but hasn’t quite caught the bug yet. The oldest plays trombone in the school band and sometimes plays around on the guitar. Currently, I think both the bluegrass and old-time communities are doing exactly what they should to encourage the youth to become involved and play an instrument. There’s lots of family events, jam opportunities and workshops directed toward the youth. And not just in Kansas, but all over the country. We just need to continue providing as many of these opportunities as we can for young musicians.

What shows or projects are up next for you for the rest of the year or perhaps the next year?

       There are plenty of Humanities Kansas talks scheduled, and no doubt more to come through the year. Tallgrass Express is in its 21st year and we’re trying to play a bit less since some of us are getting older, I won’t point fingers but it’s not me! I’m booking more gigs this year for Bodarc, which is Bob Atchison and me. We’ve been playing more as an old-timey duo and featuring our unique if not odd repertoire of tunes and songs. As for projects, I hope to continue building the Manhattan Mandolin Orchestra, its repertoire, and get more musicians involved. If you want to keep posted on where and when I’m playing you can follow Flint Hills Fiddler on Facebook.

Where can people listen to you or contact you if they want to book you for a gig?To learn more, folks can visit flinthillsfiddler.wordpress.com and also contact me through the site or Facebook.

Interview written by Archer Hawke