Fiddlers! 31

Fiddlers! is a music festival that has been honoring long-standing folk music traditions for 31 years and counting. Experience the timeless and toe-tapping rhythms and dynamic performances from old time music groups to Appalachian to New England folk music. Come early compete in (or judge!) our chili and apple pie cook- offs, planned again this year! This year’s festival features:

THE PINE TREE FLYERS!

From festival stages and concert halls to raucous August nights at fiddle camp, the Flyers are here to make sure New England music has a seat at the table as a distinct and vital American tradition. All residents of Portland, Maine, Katie McNally (fiddle), Emily Troll (accordion), Owen Marshall (guitar), and Neil Pearlman (piano) cut their teeth playing for contra dances and learning from the greats. Individually, they’ve toured the world playing Irish, Scottish, and Quebecois music and they bring this wellspring of knowledge and technical prowess to the American music that was born from these traditions. 

THE DOWN HILL STRUGGLERS

The Down Hill Strugglers is an old time string band. Their music reflects and extends the strong feeling and diversity of sounds found on old commercial and field recordings from as early as the 1920s and 1930s.  The band formed while hanging out at the home of their mutual friend Peter Stampfel of the Holy Modal Rounders, where they also met bandmate and mentor John Cohen of the New Lost City Ramblers. They have released albums on Smithsonian Folkways Recordings and Jalopy Records and are featured on the soundtrack to the Coen Brothers film, “Inside Llewyn Davis” produced by T-Bone Burnett as well as other films and video games. 

The band was co-founded by John Cohen (1932-2019)

The Down Hill Strugglers are:
Walker Shepard – fiddle, banjo, guitar, harmonica, voice
Jackson Lynch – fiddle, banjo, guitar, voice
Eli Smith – banjo, guitar, mandolin, harmonica, Jews harp, pump organ, voice

STODDARD HOLLOW STRING BAND

The Stoddard Hollow String Band is based in the upper Catskills and is known for its mix of Appalachian old-time tunes, traditional and original music, and some tunes you wouldn’t expect from an old-time band. The band consists of Marvin Zachow on fiddles and vocals, Ed McGee on clawhammer banjo , Frank Frazzitta on guitar and vocals, and Tom Ives on bass. Zachow was born and raised in Otsego County and learned to play with some of the old-time fiddlers in the area, learning their style of music. Over the past 20 years he has played with many local musicians and the bands Unclaimed Freight and Iron Kettle String Band. After a chance meeting with Ed McGee in 2002, the band began to take shape. McGee was not from this area, but was well-versed in Appalachian music, which made a good fit. Frizzatta joined the group in 2006, bringing a great respect and influence of Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan to the band.