A floor full of fiddlers

August 13, 2014 · 0 Comments

The Brewery Boys kept the music playing throughout the evening at the Rotary’s newest edition to Fiddlefest, the Barn Dance at the Shelburne arena, on August 6th. The band comprised of Greg Holmes on guitar and vocals, Brent Eby on base and vocals, Ian Leith on the fiddle, Warren Snell acoustic guitar and vocals, and Larry Johnston on drums, moved smoothly from number to number as each quest musician took their turn at the jamboree.
About 130 people from the area and as far as Barrie, Caledon, Grand Valley, and Inglewood came out to enjoy a night of dancing, listening and socializing to kick off Fiddlefest activities. Kevin Fell, an announcer from Classic Rock 945, sister station to CKNX radio in Wingham, was master of ceremonies for the evening and Ernie Shoebridge was caller for the square dance.
Sandra Gallagher, Chair of the Fiddle Contest Committee, said the Committee was very happy with the turnout to the first time event and that tickets to all the shows had been going as expected. Reports from Bill Waite, in charge of contest registration counted 65 contestants registered for the competition Wednesday night. Sandra Gallagher noted that the Beckett concert tickets had sold exceptionally well, and that everyone was looking forward to the popular brother and sister duo, Lindsey and Tyler Beckett, both previous winners of Shelburne’s fiddle competition.
Highlights at the Barn Dance included the Shelburne Fiddlers with Joan Wallace, Jean Cameron, Carol Beatty, Greg Holmes and Donna Aldcorn. Teen performer, Melissa Mouke sang a lovely rendition of “Jealous Heart” and brought the dancers to the floor with “Crooked Stove Pipe” on the fiddle.
Greg Holmes was also the organizer, Master of Ceremonies and back up piano player at the Friday morning Jam Session at the CDRC. A faithful crowd of fiddle fans arrived at the Town and Country Room by 9:30 am Friday. Fiddlers and fiddle lovers continued to trickle in as the morning drew on and join the group to play and listen as the individual musicians took to the stage with their favourite tunes.
Two local teen step dancers joined the fun, 19 year old Brianna Brown of Mulmur, who has been seen dancing on the Grace Tipling Stage with the Scott Wood’s Band, and 13 year old Darcey Baker from Riverview, one of Brianna’s former dance students. They treated the audience to a step dance duet, Ottawa Valley style, choreographed by Chanda Leahy of Chanda’s School of Dance in Orangeville.
The Shelburne Fiddlers Jean Cameron, Carol Beatty, Greg Holmes, Donna Aldcorn and Alex Aldcorn were all on hand. Donna and her Dad, Alex, from Badjeros brought some diversity to the musical morning with a couple of Country favourites on both fiddle and guitar, with Donna singing a lovely rendition of “Paper Roses.” Other fiddlers included Siggy Dobrowolski from Shelburne and Anne Marie Regeher from Niagara on the Lake. Anne Marie, who also accompanied the fiddlers on the piano, has attended Fiddlefest since 1976. She learned to play piano at 30 years old and fiddle at 48. She won the first fiddle contest she entered near Tilsonburg, Ontario, “I won $100 and never quit after that,” she laughed.
Competition judge, Webb Acheson, a regular at the early morning jam session, delighted the audience with “Crooked Stove Pipe” and accompanied the step dancers with “Devil’s Dream” and Mason’s Apron.” Webb, who is 84 years old, has been a judge at the Shelburne Fiddle Contest for 38 years and says he “knows all the fiddlers accept the very young ones.” Other than Pembroke, Webb has been a judged at every competition in both Ontario and Quebec and has composed over 450 popular fiddle tunes. As a teacher, Webb tells his students that the most important thing “is to practice every day whether they are young or old.” All in all, about 50 people were at the event, and by the end of the morning the stage had a floor full of fiddlers.

By Marni Walsh

There was a stage floor full of fiddlers on hand to entertain at the early morning jam session on Friday at the Town and Country Room at the CDRC. The event was led by Greg Holmes seen accompanying on the piano.