Elkins and Greater Randolph County
Fiddle Support Group

How the Fiddle Support Group Works

Let's say that you are interested in learning how to play the fiddle. So, you start taking lessons from someone. As a beginner, you feel lonely and isolated (boo hoo) because no one wants to hear a beginning fiddler practice or play for very long (if at all).

You hear about us! You come to one of our jams. We welcome you and ask you to suggest a tune. If you can play the tune or have a CD of the tune, we will try to play it with you, slowly. Then, someone else will suggest a tune and we will play that tune. If you do not know the tune and if you read music, we will offer you sheet music if we have it. If you play by ear only we will offer you a recording of the tune if we have it. Over time, a bunch of tunes will develop that the group will know and can play together.

Where and When do We Meet

Meetings take place on Monday evening from 7:00 PM until 9:00 PM. We will meet at the house of one of the members. We are not restricted to meeting in Elkins or Randolph County. We welcome everyone interested in coming. But in the interest of travel time for most attendees, we want to keep the driving time down to about thirty minutes. This is relative.

The Monday night meetings are not to replace the Wednesday night Pickin' meetings. We will attend these as well.

Another thing - the Monday night meetings are not fiddle lessons. We are there to play and not to teach although learning will happen.

How Do You Join?

This is not a club. We have no dues or any official organization. All you do is show up. The only activity of the Fiddle Support Group is to play tunes. We will keep an email list to inform folks where the next meeting will be held and this web page will also contain that information.

What Kind of Music is Played?

We play fiddle tunes. We emphasize American traditional fiddle tunes especially Appalachian fiddle tunes but also welcome other types of fiddle music such as -- well, that other stuff. We play square dance tunes, waltzes, and vocals both secular and gospel.

Sample List of Tunes

Here are some of tunes we might play at our jam.

The inaugural meeting of the Fiddler's Support Group was a great success. The list of tunes we played can be viewed at this link. March 17th Song List

Directions to Les Caraher's House

For directions my telephone number is: (304) 636-4451.

Directions to Paul Wood's House

Directions to Joe Biola's House

For directions his telephone number is: (304) 637-7820.