Prairie Hill Contra Dance with Patt & Possum - March 3, 2016

Highlights from the Prairie Hill Contra dance at Pewaukee, Wisconsin, on March 3, 2016. Music by Charlie Walden - fiddle & Patt Plunkett - piano with Roger Diggle calling.

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.

Valentine's Day Dance 2015 with Patt & Possum

Here's a little excerpt from the Valentine's Day Dance 2015 at Fizz in Chicago. The event was the brainchild of Old Lazarus Harp - Folk Collective.

University of Chicago Folk Festival 2015 with Patt & Possum

From the Sunday afternoon square dance at the 55th Annual University of Chicago Folk Festival. February 15, 2015. Music by Charlie Walden - fiddle & Patt Plunkett - piano (aka Patt & Possum) with calling by Bill Sudkamp. Here renditions of Buck Fever Rag, Lucky Trapper, Jimmy Walker Two-Step and Forked Deer. PnP are joined on Forked Deer by a whole gaggle on fine Midwestern fiddlers - Genevieve Koester, Cliff Harrison, Megan Greene and the inimitable Chirps Smith.

San Diego Contra Dance 2015 with Patt & Possum

At the San Diego Contra Dance on January 24, 2015. Charlie Walden - fiddle and Patt Plunkett - piano. The tunes are Sherbrook Reel and St. Anne's Reel. Martha Wild calling.

Palo Alto Contra Dance 2015 with Patt & Possum

Patt & Possum play the Palo Alto Contra Dance, January 31, 2015. With our pal Barb Rosner on bass.

Patt's Piano Workshop

Examples of piano accompaniment for Midwestern and Canadian fiddle tunes by Patt Plunkett.

September 2014 Child Grove Dance

Great fun at this Child Grove dance at the Monday Club on Sunday (Sept.28th, 2014) in St. Louis, MO. With Tres Buckhannonos (Emily, Dennis & Cuzzin Curt - piano, guitar and mandolin) and Andy Gribble on bass.

2014 St. Louis Folk & Roots Festival Square Dance

Square Dance in conjunction with the KDHX St. Louis Folk & Roots Festival held at the Stage at KDHX on September 26, 2014. With Charlie Walden - fiddle, Emily Buckhannon - piano and Dennis Buckhannon - guitar. Patt Plunkett calling.  Tunes in the list include Old Fort Smith, Jeff City, My Little Home in West Virginia and Country Waltz.

Pittsburgh Contra Dance 2014

Patt and Possum at the Pittsburgh Contra Dance on August 22, 2014.  What a great time we had.  Hotter than heck, but an energetic bunch of dancers and great calling by Cindy Harris!  Thanks Pittsburgh!

Earl & His Melodiers at Square Dance Kalamazoo (November 11, 2013)

The Melodiers live at Bell's Brewery in Kalamazoo on November 11, 2013. Patt Plunkett - piano, Marilyn Branch - bass, Nate Myers and Mike "Wichita" Miller - guitars and Charlie Walden - fiddle.


Fantastic energetic calling by Mike Clark of Kalamazoo!

Praire Hill Contra Dance February 1, 2014

Prairie Hill Contra Dance in Delafield, WI, February 1, 2014. The band is Edward Wallace & Charlie Walden - fiddles and Patt Plunkett - piano.  The caller is Jo Mortland.

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.

September 2013 Child Grove Dance - Charlie Walden with the Buckhannon Clan

Child Grove Country Dancers Sunday night contra dance.  September 29, 2013 in St. Louis, MO.  Patt Plunkett calling. The band is Cuzzin Curt Buckhannon on mandolin, Emily Buckhannon on piano, Dennis Buckhannon on guitar and Charlie Walden on fiddle.

May 2015 Child Grove Dance With Geoff Seitz & Charlie Walden - fiddles

From the Child Grove regular Sunday dance and the Monday Club in Webster Groves, MO, May 3, 2015. With Geoff Seitz & Charlie Walden - fiddles, Dennis Buckhannon - guitar, Patt Plunkett - piano and Andy Gribble on bass. Lauren Peckman calling.

Charlie Walden Birthday Bash - THE MAIN EVENT

Video of the entire stream from my birthday bash on January 14, 2017.

Patt & Possum in Edinburgh

March of 2015 saw us in Scotland and spending a few days in Edinburgh before heading north to the Niel Gow Festival in Dunkeld and Birnam. It was a overcast most of the time we were there with drizzle and a stiff breeze, but still better than Chicago in March. Needless to say you need to layer-up, wear wool socks and good walking shoes as this is a walking town if there ever was one. Enjoy the pics below.

Patt on the Royal Mile looking up hill to Edinburgh Castle

Night scene on the Royal Mile

All bundled up!

View from the Castle

Edinburgh Castle (next several)

There is a really nice military museum in the Castle, 

which is still an active military post.

Duke of Earl

Sir Walter Scott Memorial

National Museum of Scotland - Worth the Visit

Jackie Stewart's Formula Car!

Head Removal Devices

Steam Engine - Invented by Scot James Watt

Niel Gow Exhibit

Made in Scotland Motor Car

Curling Stone

Scottish Parliament Building - Very Interesting Architecture

 Holyrood Palace - at the other end of the Royal Mile

Arthur Seat - the trudge

Charlie Walden's Fiddlin' Tip #4

Tip #4   The "Tennis Ball Trick" Improve Bowing

Novices tend to play stiff armed when bowing.  Also, there is tendency to play out of the shoulder when really most action should be in the fingers and wrist.  If you are experiencing this try putting a tennis ball in your right armpit and holding it there while you play.  If you are playing from the shoulder the ball will fall out. This tip is one of the I got from Taylor McBaine of Columbia shortly after I started playing. It works!