W.Va. Old Time Fiddling - Lester McCumbers

Lester McCumbers talks about learning to play the fiddle and about the great fiddle players that were lived near him when he was growing up in Calhoun County in central West Virginia.

This video was made at the 2006 Old Time Fiddlers' Reunion held by the Augusta Heritage Center in Elkins, W.Va.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• West
• Virginia
• old
• time
• fiddle
• cross
• tune
• key

[ottlakerambler]

I'm still learning Lester's tunes (Pretty Little Shoes is my latest) and I am grateful for these pieces of history that you're preserving, YewPiney. Thanks, as always.

[YewPiney]

I don't think I've posted a video of Lester playing Pretty Little Shoes, so will try to do that soon.

Lester is an amazing connection through to that old central W. Va.fiddle tradition. I think most people got that tune from Doc White. It's interesting to hear what the different players did with these pieces.

There are really three sort of intertwined pieces - Pretty Little Shoes, Pretty Little Cat, and Pretty Little Dog.

[YewPiney]

Lee Triplett said that when he couldn't play Doc White's Pretty Little Shoes right and that he ended up making the two tunes Pretty Little Cat and Pretty Little Dog out of it.

Wilson Douglas played all three of those tunes.

[altoegovcl]

Is Lester related to Tressie Faye McCumbers Byard?

[YewPiney]

She must be. The genealogy I see shows her as being from Nicut (as is Lester) and close to him in age. I'll email Kim and ask.

[TheGhost5600]

Please keep those Lester tunes comin'...There great!

[free65riv]

My daddy grew up on frozen run off nicut last name Fulks. i love this music. my uncle is darrell mccumbers also great musician

[xpetery456]

Hi Lester,

It is very great to see you playing in youtube.

I am a new fan to you ......

I have a question to you.

Do you know a fiddle player called Art Wooten or something???

It was ages ago maybe in 1950 ths or early -60ths. He played with Bill Monroe at those times.

[groundhogpeggy]

Thank you for putting up these videos... the man is a treasure and it's great to hear him play and listen to his stories!

[YewPiney]

I'll send you a message with info, but also do a search and you'll find all kind of info.

Clifftop (Appalachian String Band Festival) is one of the biggest old time festivals. I go early and usually leave about the time the event officially starts.

Glenville is one of the oldest festivals and still has a small town flavor. It is my favorite festival, but can be too low key for some folks.