The Fiddler's Role

File: bernardalvin-oh-everycommunity.mp3

Speakears:

AB - Alvin Bernard

ES – Edwin Simmons

KP – curator Ken Perlman

ES: Well, every community seemed to have one or two people - if something went on in the community, they were the ones who were expected to show up with the violin and whatever it was.

AB: To make the music.

ES: It was more or less at those homes. And somebody from another district who did the same thing would get together. The news would come out or whatever. There'd generally be a bunch of people. They'd listen to it and dance or something at the end of it. And everytime there was a wedding they always had the bridal shower thing. Well the fiddler was always supposed to show up for that, and there was music there. Anything that went on in the community really. Somehow or other music generally evolved in before the night even was over.

AB: There was mostly one fiddler in every district, pretty well. I don't know why (laughs), but there's always seem to be one fiddler, eh. He played all the music.