The Story of Ann Marie Calhoun & Widespread Panic

Amazing story of YouTube and the connecting power of music. A talented young female violin player uploaded her homemade videos on YouTube, then got to play with the bands IRL including Widespread Panic.

Her YouTube covers in 2007 included violin versions of songs by Grateful Dead, Phish, and Widespread Panic. The Athens, GA, rock band Widespread Panic saw her video where Ann Marie played "Surprise Valley" on violin. The band was so impressed they wanted to meet Ann Marie, and in 2008 Panic invited her to perform the song on stage with them!! Wow! This really happened.

I stitched together 3 videos tracing the history of violinist Ann Marie Calhoun with Widespread Panic. First you'll hear a snippit of the live original "Surprise Valley" by Widespread Panic with lead guitarist Michael Houser recorded in 2000. Listen to Houser's lead guitar phrasing at the beginning, and take note of the tone.

Second you'll see Ann Marie Calhoun's famous YouTube clip, where she plays an amazing cover version of Surprise Valley. Listen to her intonation and variety of touch on the strings of her instrument, the soul fiddle she puts into playing the tune, and the way she mimics Michael Houser's fluid guitar lines using her violin technique.

Third, it all comes together, as Ann Marie Calhoun is an honored special guest on stage with Widespread Panic in 2008. The late great Michael Houser passed away in 2002, now Jimmy Herring is on lead guitar. Ann Marie brings her YouTube-familiar violin licks, playing a beautiful tribute to Houser in the process, while quickly becoming a much-loved guest favorite of the Panic fanbase. Listen to the crowd erupt in cheers, and check out the happiness on stage from all the musicians, especially Ann Marie. :)

From the biography of Ann Marie Calhoun: "Ann Marie Calhoun is an internationally acclaimed rock violinist and a master of her instrument in many diverse genres of music. Her extensive experience as a rock violinist includes a world tour with the legendary Jethro Tull as a featured guest and a world tour with virtuosic guitar player Steve Vai as a member of his String Theories band. Ann Maries violin playing has also been featured in tours with Ringo Starr and Dave Stewart (Euythmics). She performed at the 2008 Grammys as a soloist with the Foo Fighters. Additionally, she has performed/worked with Mick Jagger, Dave Matthews Band, Widespread Panic, Joss Stone, and many other acclaimed artists."

For more information on these artists:

http://www.annmariecalhoun.com

http://www.widespreadpanic.com

http://dgold.info/radio

Video put together by Dgold in 2009. I wanted to remember and explore the sequence in order, for the memory and documenting the context of this cool music story.

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Category:

Music

Tags:

• ann marie calhoun
• widespread panic
• surprise valley
• michael houser
• mike houser
• cover
• youtube
• special guest
• fiddle
• violin
• amazing
• dgold
• sexy
• sexiest

[jarrettpeter37]

I want this video on my KF240 unit.

[galenrivera512]

This video is a favorite on Trinidad and Tobago

[chingada47]

Nicely done. Thanks for posting.

[o2boutdoors]

Nice job piecing the story and the videos together...thumbs up! This is an incredibly beautiful song, and her playing makes it that much better.

[donmichael34]

Does anyone know where I can find the intro tab to Surprise Valley?

[gradlegirl]

She's amazing! Got to see her with Panic at Outside Lands Festival in San Fran!

[markablanton]

I think I love her.

[americanmumford74]

fucking sick

[arjun4787]

Awesome job ! Impressive!

[bradfordzilla]

fitting that the guitar player is sitting on the arm of the couch