The Independence Chamber of Commerce Convention & Visitors Bureau is pleased to announce The National Fiddler Hall of Fame Induction Gala will be held at the Historic Memorial Hall in Independence, Kansas April 9, 2016 at 7:30 PM. The National Fiddler Hall of Fame has just released their 2016 list of inductees. Master of the Cajun fiddle, Doug Kershaw will be headlining the event.
The National Fiddler Hall of Fame will induct a diversified and distinguished group of fiddle players into their class of 2016 inductees. This year’s inductees include:
Doug Kershaw – The Ragin’ Cajun himself has taken fiddle playing beyond what most people think possible. Kershaw was playing fiddle professionally by the time he was 13. Kershaw is an American fiddle player, singer and songwriter from Louisiana. He has recorded fifteen albums and charted on the Hot Country Songs charts. Kershaw’s signature song, Louisiana Man, which he wrote and sold in the millions of copies, became the first song broadcast back to Earth from the Moon by the astronauts of Apollo 12. Kershaw is well known for other hits such as, Diggy Liggy Lo, Hello Woman and Cajun Baby. He continues to dazzle audiences with his high-energy fiddle playing, sometimes wearing out two to three bows per song.
Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown – Best known for his work as a blues musician, he embraced other styles of music, having spent his career fighting purism by synthesizing old blues, country, jazz, Cajun music and R&B styles. His work also encompasses rock and roll, rock music, folk, electric blues, and Texas blues. He was an acclaimed multi-instrumentalist, who played an array of musical instruments such as guitar, fiddle, mandolin, viola as well as harmonica and drums. He won a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album in 1983 for his album, Alright Again! He is regarded as one of the most influential exponents of blues fiddle and has had enormous influence in American fiddle circles.
Stephane Grappelli – Best known for his work with guitarist Django Reinhardt in the founding of Quintette du Hot Club du France, one of the first all-string jazz bands. Grapelli has been called the grandfather of jazz violinist. His longevity and consistently enthusiastic playing did a great deal to establish the violin as a jazz instrument. Grappelli
has played on hundreds of recordings, including those with Duke Ellington and recorded a solo for the title track on Pink Floyd’s album, Wish You Were Here.
Joe Holley – James C. “Joe” Holley, the left-handed fiddler for Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys, is known for his energetic western swing fiddle playing. Holley was born on a farm outside Stephenville in West Texas. Joe started playing mandolin at the age of 5 before he learned the fiddle eight years later. Bob Wills arranged for Holley to move to Tulsa to play for his brother’s band, Johnnie Lee Wills and His Boys, where they toured throughout Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri and Arkansas.
Terry Morris – Known as the king of contest fiddling, Terry advanced “Texas Style Fiddling”. He started singing in public at the age of 2, and then became interested in the guitar and fiddle, mastered both, and went on to win innumerable contests and was truly “King of the Hill”. Born to a great family, he took that talent to another level. Terry is a premier “fiddler’s fiddler,” admired by all.
This year’s event travels to Independence Kansas at the historical Memorial Hall. Independence has a rich history of top-level events and concerts. Memorial Hall is the largest performance venue in the area. Built in 1922, the venue has recently undergone several upgrades, which include new sound and lighting. Impresario, Jim Halsey, who is from Independence, promoted his first concert at Memorial Hall in 1949. Most of Halsey’s artists performed at Memorial Hall over the years, including; Roy Clark, The Oak Ridge Boys, Reba McEntire, Merle Haggard, Jana Jae and many others.
Independence Chamber of Commerce Tourism Director, Mike Flood states, “the community of Independence is honored to host this celebrated event that will pay tribute and showcase so many illustrious and talented musicians.”
The gala has been planned with many amenities including a pre-show reception and after show Fiddle Jam. Located just under 2 hours from Tulsa, Independence is a historically rich community with great hotels and restaurants to accommodate guests from all over the region. The pre-show will be held at the Independence Historical Museum and Art Center and the Fiddle Jam will be held at the historic Booth Hotel.
Doug Kershaw, who is headlining this year’s gala will be joined by several other outstanding fiddle players and musicians to be announced in upcoming weeks.
Tickets go on sale February 15 at 9 a.m. at www.nationalfiddlerhalloffame.org and Get Independence on Facebook. Reserved seating: $19.50, $29.50, and VIP $49.50. VIP tickets include exclusive seating, pre-show reception and post-show Fiddle Jam.
For more information call (800) 882-3606. The National Fiddler Hall of Fame is headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma and is dedicated to honoring individuals for their contributions to fiddling, to preserve, educate and promote the art of fiddling and it’s historical and social significance.