Draggin' The Bow CD with Charlie Walden & John Stewart

All 31 tracks from my Draggin' The Bow CD. 


 Recorded in 1985. Download this track and the entire album from:

https://charliewaldenmusic.bandcamp.com/


When I was coming up as a fiddler in Central Missouri the older gentlemen I learned from played a wide variety of music. In addition to the standard hoe-downs and waltes, I heard lots of great rags, swing numbers, schottisches and 6/8 tunes. John and I have attempted to put together a program on this recording that includes some of that "other" music. 

One of the exponents of these other types of tunes was a fine player from Jefferson City named Jimmy Gilmore. We enjoyed hanging out with Jimmy because you never knew what he was going to play (or say) next. He was one of the few old-time fiddlers I ever met who would admit to being able to read music and was equally comfortable playing Sweet Georgia Brown as he was The Grey Eagle. Jimmy had a vibrato on waltzes you could drive a Mack truck though and a great sense of humor to boot.. This recording is dedicated to Jimmy Gilmore. --- Charlie Walden 


Thanks to my long-time musical collaborator John Stewart for providing the up-town and hillbilly guitar work on this recording.

Learn to play Red Fox Waltz with Patt & Possum

This set of videos will teach you to play a basic and then a fancier version of Red Fox Waltz. This was one of the first tunes I learned from Taylor McBaine when I started playing. In keeping with that, I've also included a video of Taylor playing this classic waltz.

KDHX Folk School Fiddle Workshop - April 2016 with Patt & Possum

Highlights of a fiddle workshop given by Charlie Walden at the KDHX St. Louis Folk School on April 9, 2016. The taught included Red Fox Waltz, Kentucky Waltz and Valse Gisele. Go get the sheet music for these tunes at http://www.charliewalden.com/Dots.htm.

April 2016 Childgrove Contra Dance

Highlights of the April 10, 2016, Childgrove Contra Dance with Charlie Walden on fiddle and Patt Plunkett on piano. Ted Steels calling the figures.

Bethel Missouri 1989 Main Stage Performances (audio only)

Performances of traditional Midwestern fiddling and other music recorded on the main stage at the 1989 Mid-America Old Time Fiddlers Convention. June 8-11, 1989. At Bethel, Shelby County, Missouri.

Vesta Johnson - Missouri Fiddler

Video clips of veteran Missouri fiddler Vesta Johnson.

Learn to play Fever in the South with Charlie Walden

Charlie Walden teaches this great old hoe-down from Vee Latty, which originated Callaway County in Central Missouri and is likely part of the old repertoire from Black fiddlers in Missouri.

Gryphon Strings - Palo Alto Fiddle Workshop 2015 with Patt & Possum

Excerpts from a Missouri-Style fiddle workshop held in Palo Alto, CA, on January 31, 2015, at Gryphon Strings. Tunes incles Norma Lou's Waltz, Lamplighter's Hornpipe, Harrington Valley Two-Step (by Calvin Vollrath), and Casey's Hornpipe. Presented by Charlie Walden - fiddle and Patt Plunkett - piano.

San Diego Fiddle Workshop 2015 with Patt & Possum

Excerpts from a fiddle workshop held in San Diego, CA on January 24, 2015. Charlie Walden - fiddle & Patt Plunkett - piano. Several tunes were chawed on including Bear Creek Hop, Polk County Breakdown and Walking in My Sleep. A demonstration of "fancy" bowing tricks was also provided.

San Francisco Workshop - 2015 with Charlie Walden & Patt Plunkett

Video excerpts from a workshop in San Francisco on January 30, 2015. We ran through four good ol' tunes including: Old Ladies Pickin' Chickens from Dwight Lamb, Pike's Peak, which originated with Sharp, Hinman &Sharp, Shoal Creek Breakdown from Casey Jones and Turkey in the Pea Patch from the repertoire of Buddy Thomas of Kentucky via Bob Holt of Ava in the Missouri Ozarks.

St. Louis Folk School Fiddle Workshop (October 31, 2015)

From a workshop presented at the KDHX St. Louis Folk School on October 31, 2015. With Patt & Possum - Charlie Walden (fiddle) and Patt Plunkett (piano). The workshop focused on tunes that can be attributed to African American fiddle players of the early 20th Century from Callaway and surrounding Central Missouri counties.

Callaway County in Mid-Missouri, in addition to once being a hotbed of Civil War secessionists, is known for its many great old-time fiddlers.  Among these was legendary African-American Bill Katon of Tebbetts, the namesake of Katon’s Hornpipe. While I never knew Katon, as he passed away in 1934, I heard many stories about him and a lot of the old-timers could play his tunes or tunes referenced to other Black musicians in Callaway County. So we’ll explore this tradition with tunes I derived from Jake Hockemeyer, Taylor McBaine and Keith Orchard.

Patt & Possum St. Charles House Concert

From a house concert in St. Charles, MO, on January 26, 2014.  Patt  Plunkett - piano and Charlie Walden - fiddle.

2012 Missouri State Fair Fiddle Championship

Participants in the 2012 Missouri State Fair Fiddling Championship. The contest is held every year in August on the last day of the fair.

2014 Missouri State Fair Fiddle Championship

Participants in the 2014 Missouri State Fair Fiddling Championship. The contest is held every year in August on the last day of the fair.

St. Louis Folk School Fiddle Workshop September 27, 2014

When I was growing up one of my biggest influences was Pete McMahan of Harrisburg, MO.  Pete was without question the top fiddler of his generation.  He could play more types of tunes, had more technical command of instrument, won more contests and arguably had more DRIVE than anyone else back in those days. I’ll show you some of the tunes and techniques I picked up from Pete and let you in on some great field recordings of Pete that I’ve had squirreled away.

Patt & Possum House Concert - Australia 2013

House concert in rural Victoria, Australia in October 2013.  Our favorite gig from the tour.  Great hosts and only friends in the audience.  A real treat.  Thanks Leonie, Richard, Linda and Ian for such a great time!

Bethel Youth Fiddle Camp - 1988

Collection of twenty videos from the Bethel Youth Fiddle Camp 1988.  The camp has been going strong for almost 30 years.  Its focus is regional style and repertoire of Missouri and the Midwest.  The camp takes place every June in Bethel, Shleby County, in North Central Missouri.  These videos feature mostly teaching sessions by old-time Missouri fiddlers Vesta Johnson, Taylor McBaine, Bob Walsh, Kelly Jones and Dean Johnston and represent regional Missouri fiddle styles from the Ozarks, Little Dixie and North Missouri. All videos were recorded by folklorist Amy Skillman.

KDHX Folk School Fiddle Workshop (April 19, 2014)

We’ll play some signature tunes from National Heritage Award winners, the late Lyman Enloe.  Lyman was from the south central part of Missouri and learned his craft from another famous old time fiddler, Tony Gilmore of Jefferson City.  Primarily a dance player, in later life he moved to the Kansas City area became known as a Bluegrass fiddler.  His playing was very smooth and melodic.

January 2014 Child Grove Dance - Charlie Walden with a Gaggle of Great M...

Contra dance at Child Grove, St. Louis, MO. January 26, 2014. Band members: Patt Plunkett - piano, Cuzzin Curt Buckhannon - mandolin, Dennis Buckhannon - guitar, Andy Gribble - bass, Charlie Walden - fiddle.  Wade Pearson calling the sets.

St. Louis Folk School Square Dance 24-Jan-2014

Monthly square dance at the KDHX Folk School in St. Louis, MIssouri. Patt Plunkett calling. The band is Cuzzin Curt Buckhannon on mandolin, Emily Buckhannon on piano, Dennis Buckhannon on guitar and Charlie Walden on fiddle.