Appalachian Artist: Michael Garvin

My name is Michael Garvin, I'm twenty-two years old. I live in Greenup County, Kentucky, in Flatwoods, and I've been playing fiddle for four, going on five years—learning a lot of old-time fiddling from my local area, part of Eastern Kentucky. There's a lot of musicians in my family. My grandparents played music. There's a lot of instruments around the house, so I picked 'em up when I was young. Started playing guitar when I was about ten years old, learned many different guitar styles—loved the Earl Travis, thumb-picking Kentucky style of music, there. That was my first love. I liked promoting that kind of guitar playing, too. Here in the past few years, I've really been obsessed with learning fiddle tunes.The music up around that area, there's a lot more bluegrass, there's a lot less old-time. Though there is a lot of bluegrassers up in that area, I enjoy that kind of music, too. But there's not many programs for traditional music in my area, and really I think down here in Whitesburg, they've got the biggest old-time thing in Eastern Kentucky. It's a small community. You know, Flatwoods is not highly populated. Still out in the country—kind of grabbed up a bit of country and city. I've experienced a little bit of both. That's kind of a privilege—I've been on a farm and I know what it be like, but I never had to do it, never had to be a farmhand, so it's good.It's great to have a tradition to hold on to, and I'm glad that there is a lot of kids interested in that nowadays. There'd been a generation gap of fiddlers for a long time, and I think it seems like in this new millennium, or something, all these traditions are being revived. And fiddling is one of them. I've seen a lot of good fiddlers, it impresses me a lot, makes me want to keep trying harder, to keep the old-time in its place, too. I try to keep on these old-time tunes so I can show them to another generation. It's hard to keep 'em all in your head, though.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• appalachia
• music
• fiddel
• appalshop
• wmmt
• 606

[surreypasty]

Great fiddlin' and a good story to go with it. Nearly 2 years into old time fiddling myself and, it's fair to say, pretty obsessed.

[tohoward33]

Good to hear you play! I am from greenup co. too 77 years ago.

[rjelliott13]

Wow! you really "got it" when it comes to fiddling! Excellent!

[phill903]

Sounds good !!

[rpeek]

real nice playin'..

[BaoYili]

My dad and grandfather were from Greenup, and it is truly a pleasure for me to hear you playing the kind of music they grew up with and I have come to love. I hope you cut a cd someday.

[newfiddlinphil]

Only 5 years!!! - keep it up - in another 5 years, you go from amazing to incredible!

[isabellanakahara]

Really enjoyed your fiddling, Michael! Keep fiddling and post more videos!! :-)

[Dexter917]

Does my heart good, to a young fella keepin it alive!

[ginmillsinger]

That was awesome! 5 Star's!

Best wishes for health and happiness!

GinMillBill