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.

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.

Bob Holt - Ozarks Fiddler

Various clips of Ozark fiddle great Bob Holt, of Ava, MO.

Chirps Smith Fiddle & Mandolin

Various clips of Chirps Smith playing at Bethel, MO in the 1980s and 90s.

1997 Bethel Fiddle Youth Fiddle Camp and Contest

Highlights of the annual Bethel Youth Fiddle Camp held in June each year in Bethel, Shelby County, MO.

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.

Jam @ Dwight Lamb's (October 3, 2015)

Tunes from the Missouri Valley recorded at a weekend jam session in Western Iowa on October 3, 2015, with Dwight Lamb, Liz Amos & Charlie Walden on fiddle, Patt Plunkett on piano.

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.

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.

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.

Learn to Play Back in '89

From a workshop held in Effingham, IL, on October 17, 2015 and sponsored by the Illinois Old Time Fiddlers Association. The workshop focused on tunes from midwestern fiddler Lyman Enloe.  Tunes taught included Back in '89, Cowhide Boots and Lost Indian (or Lonesome Indian as Lyman called it).

Patt & Possum - 2010 Australian National Folk Festival

Performances at the 2010 National Folk Festival of Australia. Featuring Patt & Possum with Mike "Wichita" Miller - guitar, Patt Plunkett - keyboard, Charlie Walden - fiddle, Mike Bing - mandolin and Valerie Mindell - vocals.

Clifftop 2011 Jam Sessions

Great jams at Clifftop 2011.  Featuring: Mike Resnick on mandolin, Sean Ruprecht-Belt on banjo-uke, Ian Alexander, Steve Arkin, Rich Hibbs and Wayne Erbsen on banjo, Wayne Erbsen and Gerry Hale on mandolin, Doug Smith on guitar, Patt Plunkett on ukelele, Nick Lloyd and Kim Wheeler on bass and Geoff Seitz, Bill Stewart, Wayne Erbsen & Charlie Walden on fiddle and more!  Video by Linda DeCieri.