A Tune Catcher in the Midwest & Beyond
Many of these recordings were made at spontaneous or serendiptous
musical occasions. Others are from regular, organized events.
Highlighted names link to selected recordings by that artist
from one or more events.
Highlighted IDs link to stories or field notes.
Individual Artists
Recordings from my Detroit and Bloomington Years, 1976-86. (See also Grant Projects.)
| ID# | Date | Artist | Hometown | Instrument | Style / Ethnicity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GL001 | 12/3/1977 | Al Purcell & Friends; Barry O'Neill at Lizard in the Spring coffee house in Berkley, Michigan | Detroit, Michigan | uillean pipes; vocals | Irish |
| GL002 | 12/17/1977 | New American Swinette Orchestra at Lizard in the Spring coffee house in Berkley, Michigan | Detroit, Michigan | fiddle & hammer dulcimer | Anglo-American |
| IH306 | 1977 | Francis Geels with Carl 'Tuffy' Schafer (caller): Wedding Anniversary Dance at Quixote Hills in Hoagland [Original tape has been misplaced.] | Decatur; Fort Wayne | fiddle; square dance | Anglo-American |
| GL003 | 7/5/1977 | Hugh Sowers & Herman Fox | Arcola & Fort Wayne, Indiana | fiddle; concertina | German; Anglo-American |
| GL004 | 1978 | Paul Gifford | Ferndale, Michigan | fiddle & hammer dulcimer | Anglo-American |
| GL007 | 1980 | Jimmie Campbell | Dolan, Indiana | fiddle | Anglo-American |
| AF064 | 1980 | Helen Gross & Ray Shepherd w/ Bob Hubbach at the 3rd Tyler-Mahaffee Gathering | Saline, Michigan | fiddle | Anglo-American |
| GL005 | 1981 | Paul Gifford & Wm. T. White; Bob Hubbach at the 4th Tyler-Mahaffee Gathering | Ferndale & Okemas, Michigan | hammer dulcimer | Anglo-American |
|
Indiana University Folklore Department concerts for Introduction to American Folklore classes in Bloomington. The artists were sponsored by a Frontiers in Learning grant. I assisted Gary Stanton with the recording, but I was not yet enrolled in IU's Graduate School. |
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| GL007 | 1980 | Cas Wallin w/ Blanton Owen | Tennessee | ballads & folksongs | Anglo-American |
| HT001 | 1980 | Lionel Leleux w/ Barry Ancelet | Leleux, Louisiana | fiddle | Cajun |
|
Lark Productions concert series in Bears' Back Room (and other venues) in Bloomington, Indiana) |
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| PO001 | 1982 | Frank Gillis; Eclectricity | Bloomington, Indiana | piano; ensemble | Jazz; Folk |
| HT002 | 1982 | Kevin Burke & Michael O'Domhnaill; & Mick Hanley | Portland, Oregon; Ireland | fiddle; guitar & vocals | Irish |
| GL027 | 1982 | Ted Bogan & Howard Armstrong; Yank Rachell & Peter Roller | Chicago; Detroit; Indianapolis | fiddle; mandolin; guitar & vocals | Afro-American; Blues |
Indiana Fiddlers Gathering
From 1980-82, I contributed to the booking and production of the Gathering in Battle Ground, Indiana. From 1983-86, I was a performer: first with the Knott Brothers and then with Lotus Dickey & Friends. In ensuing years, I performed occasionally, most often with the Volo Bogtrotters. Then in 2022, I became active on the Program Committee again, as the Gathering reached its 50th year. But I made no recordings after 1986.
| ID# | Year | Artist | Hometown | Instrument | Style / Ethnicity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GL006 | 1980 | Herman Fox & Paul Tyler | Fort Wayne, Indiana | concertina & fiddle | German; Anglo-American |
| GL006 | 1980 | Ervie Burge; Gene Wilhite; Easy Street String Band; & others | Champaign, Illinois; Brazil, Indiana &c. | fiddle | Anglo-American |
| GL008 | 1981 | Les Raber & Bud Pierce (guitar) w/ Paul Gifford & Wm. T. White | Hastings, Michigan | fiddle & hammer dulcimer | Anglo-American |
| GL008 | 1981 | Harold Zimmerman w/ Paul Tyler | Fort Thomas, Kentucky | fiddle | Anglo-American |
| GL008 | 1981 | Lotus Dickey; & Friends | Paoli, Indiana | fiddle | Anglo-American |
| GL008 | 1981 | Hector Phillips; Al Purcell; & others | Petersburg, Indiana; Detroit | fiddle; uillean pipes | Anglo-American; Irish |
| GL025 | 1982 | John McGreevy & Kevin Henry; Julian Cramer; Lotus Dickey & Friends | Chicago; Martinsville, Indiana; Paoli, Indiana | fiddle & flute; mandolin; original songs | Irish; Anglo-American |
| GL028 | 1983 | Lotus Dickey & Friends; Knott Brothers | Paoli & Bloomington, Indiana | original songs; hillbilly | Anglo-American |
| GL028 | 1983 | National Barn Dance Reunion with Captain Stubby; Evelyn Lang Perry; Bob & Bonnie Atcher; Johnny Frigo; & others | Anglo-American | ||
| GL029 | 1984 | Rocky Stone;
Lotus Dickey & Friends; Knott Brothers |
Syracuse, Indiana; Paoli & Bloomington, Indiana | swing fiddle; original songs; hillbilly | Anglo-American |
| GL029-030 | 1984 | National Barn Dance Reunion with Captain Stubby; Dolph Hewitt; Gabe Ward; & others | Anglo-American | ||
| GL032 | 1985 | Rocky Stone; Lotus Dickey & Friends | Syracuse & Paoli,Indiana | swing fiddle; folksongs | Anglo-American |
| GL032 | 1986 | Lotus Dickey & Friends | Paoli,Indiana | fiddle; folksongs | |
University of Chicago Folk Festival
This winter weekend festival has been another annual reunion for Midwest's old-time revival community. Nearly every year the daytime workshops included a Fiddle Workshop with festival participants and locals exhibiting diverse styles. DrDosido's tape recorder was one of many that tried to capture the sounds in the echo-filled big hall or the more intimate library in Ida Noyes Hall. The two concert performances included here were recorded off the sound board for my daughter, who was then a young volunteer.
| ID# | Year | Artist | Home State | Instrument | Style / Ethnicity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HT017 | 1997 | Milton Melancon; J.P. Fraley; & unknown bluegrass fiddler | Louisiana; Kentucky | fiddle | Cajun; Anglo-American |
| HT020 | 1998 | Art Stamper; Benton Flippen; Verlin Clifton; Chirps Smith; Paul Tyler; Rhys Jones; Vince Coombs | Kentucky; North Carolina; Chicago | fiddle; mandolin | Anglo-American |
| HT021 | 1998 | Art Stamper | Kentucky | fiddle | Anglo-American |
| HT224 | 2008 | Chirps Smith; Genevieve Harrison; Joe Samojedny; Paul Tyler | Illinois | fiddle | Anglo-American |
| HT225 | 2008 | Chirps Smith & the New Bad Habits | Grayslake, Illinois | fiddle & banjo | Anglo-American |
| HT207 | 2008 | Paul Brown | North Carolina | fiddle & banjo | Anglo-American |
| HT241 | 2012 | Jesse Wells; John Harrod; James Bryan; Paul Tyler; & others | Kentucky; Alabama; Chicago | fiddle | Anglo-American |
| HT242 | 2012 | James Bryan w/ Carl Jones | Alabama | fiddle | Anglo-American |
| HT266 | 2015 | Charlie Walden; Grainne Murphy; Andy Edmonds; & others | Illinois; North Carolina | fiddle | Anglo-American; Irish |
| HT288 | 2020 | Jamie Fox | Montana | fiddle | Métis/Assiniboine & Gros Ventre |
Bluff Country Gathering
Another annual pilgrimage for the Midwestern old-time scene is the Gathering held in Lanesboro, Minnesota each May and hosted by folk musicians Gail Heil (RIP) and Bob Bovee. Daytime workshops, which are intimate and intensive, precede an evening concert and square dance. A highlight every year is the Fiddle Showcase held on Saturday afternoon.
| ID# | Year | Artist | Home State | Instrument | Style / Ethnicity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HT202 | 2001 | Melvin Wine | West Virgina | fiddle | Anglo-American |
| HT205 | 2007 | Ken Keppeler & Jeannie McLerie | New Mexico | fiddle/Native | Anglo-American |
| GL230 | 2008 | Tom Sauber; Brad Leftwich; Alice Gerard; Chirps Smith; Stephanie Coleman; & Mac Traynham | California; Illinois | fiddle | Anglo-American |
| HT236 | 2011 | Tracy Schwarz; Ron Kane; Meghan Merker; Bruce Greene; Paul Tyler; Tim Foss; & Liz Amos | West Virgina; Utah; North Carolina | fiddle | Anglo-American |
| HT255 | 2013 | Paul Brown & the Mostly Mountain Boys | North Carolina | fiddle, banjo & guitar | Anglo-American |
| GL275 | 2013 | Paul Brown; Dan Gellert; Genevieve Harrison; & Chirps Smith | North Carolina; Ohio; Illinois | fiddle | Anglo-American |
| HT261 | 2014 | Bruce Molsky; Vesta Johnson; Steve Hall; Emily Schaad & Suzy Thompson | Virgina; Missouri; California | fiddle | Anglo-American |
| HT269-270 | 2015 | Dwight Lamb; Roger Cooper; Joseph Decosimo; Scott Miller; & Eryn Marshall | Iowa; Kentucky; North Carolina | fiddle | Anglo-American |
| HT282-283 | 2018 | Rafe Stefanini; Clelia Stefanini; Al Murphy; Tom Sauber; Mac Traynham | West Virgina | fiddle | Anglo-American |
| HT285-286 | 2019 | Claire Millener; Walt Koken; Earl White; Skip Gorman; Kate McLeod; & Paul Tyler | Pennsylvania; Virgina; New Hamphire; Utah; Illinois | fiddle | Anglo-American |
| GL317-318 | 2022 | Geoff Seitz; Dan Gellert; Henry Barnes; W.B. Reid; Bonnie Zahnow; & Liz Amos | Missouri; South Carolina; Ohio; Washington; Pennsylvania | fiddle | Anglo-American |
Other Festivals, Camps & Jamborees
Some I attended as a workshop participant. At some I was a performer/instructor. At others I was there to observe.
| ID# | Year | Artist | Home State | Event | Style / Ethnicity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HT004-005 | 1982 | Lisa Ornstein; George Wilson; Mario Loiselle; Danielle Martineau | Quebec; New York | Fiddle & Dance Workshop (aka Root Camp) in Ashokan, New York | Quebecois; Anglo-American |
| HT003 | 1982 | Don Davis; Bob Dalsmer (square dance callers) | North Carolina; Maryland | Christmas Dance Week at John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, North Carolina | Anglo-American |
| HT008 | 1994 | Canray Fontenot | Louisiana | Augusta Heritage Workshops jam session at Davis-Elkins College in Elkins, West Virginia | Afro-American/ Cajun |
| HT014 | 1994 | Mel Durham w/ Tom Sauber | Illinois to California | California Traditional Music Society New Year's camp in Malibu | Anglo-American |
| GL171 | 1994 | Brad Leftwich | Indiana to California | California Traditional Music Society New Year's camp in Malibu | Anglo-American |
| HT012 | 2/28/1995 | unknown musicians | Mamou, Louisiana | Mardi Gras procession entering Mamou in early evening after perambulating the rural district, begining in the early morning | Cajun |
| GL151 | 1996 | Les Raber; & others | Michigan | Original Michigan Fiddlers Association Jamboree & Square Dance in Hart, Michigan | Anglo-American |
| GL156 | 1997 | Les Raber; Lloyd Kilt; & others | Michigan | Original Michigan Fiddlers Association Jamboree & Square Dance in Hastings, Michigan | Anglo-American |
| HT013 | 1997 | Frank George | West Virginia | Appalchian String Band Festival workshop at Camp Washington Carver in Clifftop, West Virginia | Anglo-American |
| GL160 | 1997 | Les Raber; Paul Gifford; & others | Michigan | North Central Regional Fiddlers Convention jam session & square dance in Hillsdale, Michigan | Anglo-American |
| HT018 | 1997 | Dwight Lamb; Nile Wilson; Pete McMahan; & others | Iowa; Missouri | Bethel Fiddlers Gathering in Bethel, Missouri | Anglo-American |
| HT019 | 1997 | Dwight Lamb; Nile Wilson; Pete McMahan; Bill Eddy; & Leroy Canaday | Iowa; Missouri | Mid-America Fiddle Contest in Bethel, Missouri | Anglo-American |
| GL168 | 1998 | Paul Dahlin; Liz Carroll; Les Raber; & Garry Harrison | Minnesota; Michigan; Illinois | Festival of American Fiddle Tunes at Centrum in Port Townsend, Washington | Swedish; Anglo-American |
| HT023-024 | 1998 | Eric Corrigan & Eddie Whalen; Glen Berry & Roger Cooper | Quebec; Washington; Kentucky | Festival of American Fiddle Tunes at Centrum in Port Townsend, Washington | Quebecois; Anglo-American |
| HT303 | 2009 | D.M.T.(A); Clayhill Boys; Kaisa Pudas; | Chicago; Finland | Rootsinpyhtää Festival in Ruotsinpyhtää, Finland | Bluegrass; Anglo-American |
| GL245 | 2009 | Bavarian Brass & unknown band | Defiance, Ohio | Hoagland Oktoberfest in Indiana | Polka/ German |
| GL258 | 2011 | Los Pichardo; Grease Gravy; Monroe Swiss Singers; Tuba Dan; Tani Diakite; Mai Zong Vue; & others | Illinois; Wisconsin; Minnesota | Midwest Folklife Festival at Folklore Village in Dodgeville, Wisconsin | Swedish; Anglo-American |
| GL259 | 2011 | Charlie Walden; & unknown players | Illinois | Illinois Fiddlers Association annual contest in Effingham, Illinois. (The contest was judged blind.) | Swedish; Anglo-American |
| HT262 | 2014 | Dwight Lamb; Fiddler Nelson; Renee Vaughan; Wayne Cathers | Iowa; Minnesota; Mannitoba | Minnesota Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Association festival | Anglo-American |
Individual Artists
Recordings from my Chicago Years, 1986-present. (See also Folk Schools.)
| ID# | Date | Artist | Hometown | Instrument | Style / Ethnicity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GL173 | 4/8/1994 | Sark Antaramian (interview) | Niles, Illinois | clarinet | Armenian |
| GL141 | 7/16/1994 | Les Raber (informal jam at Original Dulcimer Players Club Fun Fest in Evert, Michigan) | Hastings, Michigan | fiddle | Anglo-American |
| HT011 | 2/25/1995 | Aldus Roger; Marc Savoy; &c. (Saturday jam at Savoy Music Center in Eunice, Louisiana) | Breaux Bridge, Louisiana | accordion; fiddle | Cajun |
| GL164 | 1995 | Volo Bogtrotters (at Esperanza Barn Dance) | Chicago | string band | Anglo-American |
| HT015 | 10/01/1996 | Bruce Greene (informal jams in Chicago) | Burnsville, North Carolina | fiddle | Anglo-American |
| GL157 | 10/6/1996 | Bob Holt w/ Chirps Smith; Paul Tyler &c. (jam at Lake County Folk Club in Wauconda, Illinois | Ava, Missouri | fiddle | Anglo-American |
| GL158 | 7/21/1997 | Edgar Hursey | Ligonier, Indiana | fiddle | Anglo-American |
| GL161 | 8/10/1997 | Les Raber (interview at Hillsdale jamboree) | Hastings, Michigan | fiddle | Anglo-American |
| GL165 | 2/27/1998 | Les Raber w/ Paul Gifford | Hastings, Michigan | fiddle | Anglo-American |
| GL166 | 4/19/1998 | Lloyd Lalamondiere w/ Jim Nelson | Festus, Missouri | fiddle | French |
| GL167 | 5/11/1998 | Joe Dawson w/ Junior Fleener & Frank Hall | Bloomington, Indiana | fiddle | Anglo-American |
| HT022 | 10/16/1998 | Bruce Molsky (house concert in Chicago) | Arlington, Virginia | fiddle & banjo | Anglo-American |
| HT201 | 7/11/2002 | John Cohen w/ Chirps Smith; Joe Samojedny; Paul Tyler & Tony Scarimbolo (concert in Chicago) | Putnams Valley, New York | banjo; folksongs | Anglo-American |
| GL223 | 2007 | Frank Hall & Lena Ullman w/ Paul Tyler (jam in Chicago) | Ireland | fiddle & banjo | Anglo-American |
| GL232 | 6/14/2008 | Lee Sloan (interview) | Traverse City, Michigan | fiddle | Anglo-American |
| GL233 | 1980 | Ruby John w/ Lee Sloan, Jim Chesney & Paul Tyler | Traverse City, Michigan | fiddle | Odawa |
| GL234 | 1948-49 | Bill & Lucille Misner (found recordings digitized) | Traverse City, Michigan | fiddle; piano | Anglo-American |
| GL237 | 2008 | Chirps Smith & Paul Tyler (Warrenville Barn Dance) | Grayslake, Illinois | fiddle | Anglo-American |
| GL234 | 2010 | Gail Heil & Bob Bovee w/ Paul Tyler (Lanesboro Barn Dance) | Spring Grove, Minnesota | fiddle; guitar & harmonica | Anglo-American |
| GL243 | 5/20/2009 | Juan Rivera con Los Pichardo (concert at Colibri Gallery) | Chicago | Son Planeco | Mexican |
| HT305 | 6/12/2009 | Polka Chicks; JPP; & others (Kaustinen Folk Festival preview on Helsinki Day) | Finland | string band | Finnish |
| HT306 | 6/13/2009 | Patrik Weckman; Kaisa Pudas; & Paul Tyler (Saturday session at Old Anchor Inn in Helsinki) | Finland; Chicago | fiddle | Finnish; Anglo-American |
| HT308 | 6/14/2009 | Patrik Weckman; Ville Karinen; Anna Pudas; Paul Tyler; & others (Sunday session at Old Anchor Inn in Helsinki) | Finland; Chicago | fiddle | Finnish; Anglo-American |
| HT309 | 7/11/2011 | Ouch Savy (concert at Cambodian Association of Illinois in Chicago) | Cambodia | chapei dang veng | Khmer |
| GL264 | 3/24/2012 | Sean Cleland &c (set dancing at the Irish-American Heritage Center) | Chicago | fiddle | Irish |
| GL270 | 9/23/2012 | Chicago Spelmanslag; Arto, Antti & Mauno Järvelä; Maria McCullough & Yahvi Pichardo; Paul Tyler; & unknown others (jam at Estonian House in Deerfield, Illinois) | Chicago; Finland | fiddle | Nordic; Finnish |
| GL278 | 9/23/2012 | Chicago Spelmanslag (jam in Wheeling, Illinois) | Chicago | fiddle | Nordic |
| HT312 | 10/28/2012 | Patrik Weckman; & Paul Tyler (first Sunday session at Old Anchor Inn in Helsinki) | Finland; Chicago | fiddle | Finnish; Anglo-American |
| HT315 | 11/4/2012 | Tejia Niku; Vidar Skrede; Antti Järvelä; & Paul Tyler (jam at Musta Kissa in Helsinki) | Finland; Chicago | fiddle | Finnish; Anglo-American |
| HT314 | 11/7/2012 | Eeva Talsi; Villu Talsi; & Karoliina Kreintaal | Tallin, Estonia | fiddle | Estonian |
| HT316 | 11/11/2012 | Patrik Weckman; Ville Karinen; Wasel Arar; Kaisa Pudas; & Paul Tyler (last Sunday session at Old Anchor Inn in Helsinki) | Finland; Chicago | fiddle | Finnish; Anglo-American |
| GL285 | 3/9/2013 | Volo Bogtrotters (house concert in Batavia, Illinois) | Chicago | string band | Anglo-Amerca |
| HT317 | 2013 | Paul Hoglund (interview in Chicago) | Rattvik, Sweden | nyckleharpa | Swedish |
| GL278 | 8/28/2013 | Chicago Spelmanslag (jam in Wheeling, Illinois) | Chicago | fiddle | Nordic |
| GL287 | 11/8/2014 | Volo Bogtrotters w/ Pop Wagner (square dance at Urbana Folk & Roots Festival) | Chicago; Wisconsin; Minnesota | string band | Anglo-Amerca |
| HT318 | 5/13/2015 | Chicago Spelmanslag (workshop for Chicago Spelmanslag in Wheeling, Illinois) | Denmark | fiddle | Danish |
| GL264 | 2015 | Tom O'Malley; Mark Gunther; &c (Wednesday jam at the Irish-American Heritage Center) | Chicago | fiddle | Irish |
| GL301 | 7/30/2015 | Don Ricardo Ibarra & friends (at a backyard party in Cicero, Illinois | Chicago | fiddle & guitar | Mexican/ Son Caletano |
| HT319 | 3/20/2016 | Vidar Skrede w/ Paul & Maddy Tyler (session at the Captains Quarters in Haugesund) | Haugesund, Norway | fiddle | Norwegian; Anglo-American |
| HT321 | 7/23/2017 | Arne Anderdal; Vidar Skrede; Rebecca Brooke; & Paul Tyler (session at Gideon Welles in Chicago) | Norway | hardingfele; fiddle | Norwegian; Irish; Anglo-American |
| GL306 | 9/3/2018 | John Hall & Tim Anderson (jam in Wheeling, Illinois) | Chicago | nyckleharpa; mandolin | Swedish |
| GL316 | 2021 | Chicago Spelmanslag (jam in Glen Ellyn, Illinois) | Chicago | fiddle | Nordic |
| GL319 | 7/24/2022 | Dave Prine w/ Fred Campeau & Paul Tyler | Maywood, Illinois | oral history | Anglo-American |
| GL320 | 7/24/2022 | Chicago Spelmanslag (jam in Wheeling, Illinois) | Chicago | fiddle | Nordic |