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Jehile Kirkhuff: World Champion Old Time Fiddler
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March 1st 2009
News !
See Jehile.org the new site for Jehile (and other Fiddlers).
You can SEE the musical notes, hear the transcription of the notes AND hear Jehile play the tune.
Will help "Violinists" learn faster and easier
Jehile Kirkhuff was 1954 World Champion Old-Time Fiddler (Crockett, Texas contest) from Susquehanna County in Northeastern Pennsylvania. The tunes he plays for you here were not influenced by more modern forms such as Bluegrass and Swing. His style is from the "Old School" reflecting the early settlers to this region with interesting diversity and brilliant passion for the tunes he loved during his life.
He live most of his life with OUT electricity, radio and other media that could have interfered with his playing style. Some collectors say that we could have found hundreds of Fiddlers like Jehile in the 1770's or the 1870's but to find a great Old-Time Fiddler who lived without electricity in 1977-1981 when I knew and visited Jehile was unusual to say the least.
Jehile Learned from many sources. Mostly his Grandfather, Father and his Uncle Jehile, who he said was a REALLY good Old-Time Fiddler. These family members had many hundreds of tunes stored in their minds and hearts over many years and Jehile heard these since , well, being in his Mother's womb.
By the time he was five or six years old and got his first Fiddle, a "tin"Fiddle from Sears and learned a few scales, he would recall these melodies and with a little coaching, learn to play them. Of course, over the years with more coaching and lessons from a local "Viloinist" Prof. J. Wesley Gavitt from Montrose, Jehile improved his versions. He also was Secretary and/or President of the Susquehanna County Fiddle Club and learned and taught many tunes. Some of the members created their own tunes and Jehile learned these and played them as though they were from his own heart. Lakeside Dream is a three part Waltz created by Aurthur R. Lewis from New Milford Pennsylvania, as good as any you are likely to have heard. There are others like the Brooklyn Stomp, (Brooklyn, Pennsylvania); Tiffany's Fancy, Elk Lake Stomp, Elk Lake Polka, George Graham's Cotillon, Charlie Anderson's Quadrille, Willie Gergory's Cotillion and more. Jehile created many including Mable Henry's Fling, the Mink Ranchers Waltz, Lenepe Park Jig, and Autumn Breeze. Creating and sharing was an important part of the above Fiddle Club.
Jehile played a lot for dances and other community events not to "show off" so much as to provide the tunes he knew they enjoyed the most that were appropriate for the event; at the right speed or tempo.
I, Ed Berbaum, spent hunreds of hours visiting Jehile especially during the sessions recording for the Libary of Congress, American Folk Life Center. Note: when we picked up the Nagra recorder and met Alan Jabbour. He told us to pay close attention since he (Alan) considered Jehile to be one of the best examples of a "Northern" Old-Time Fiddler he had met and recorded himself.
During those years and for a total of SEVEN years Geraldine and I listened to no other music in our little red house except Jehile, from the many recordings we hand made and aquired from others.
I felt a calling and wanted to become a good example of what I found in this very special man and Fiddler. He served his community well.
At the last public Concert at the Montrose high school December 21st 1979 Jehile was on stage with others; the curtain closed. I was watching the over capacity crowd of around 700 ?. As the curtain opened and they saw Jehile, well, goose bumps raised, standing ovation (BEFORE he played) I tell you now Elvis would not have been more honored. After the Concert there was a line of neighbors, friends, I'd say about 100 or so that waited untill Jehile shook their hand and they spoke kind words. Jehile served his community well, they knew it and they loved him for it. After the concert I layed the money on the floor in front of him and said 'it's yours". Jehile had heard me speak about being a New Jersey Banker and enjoying the Trust Department.
Jehile said "lets start a Trust Fund to Perpetuate and Disseminate this Old-Time Fiddle style" We paid expenses for the concert, Jehile took two hundred dollars and a pair of new Red Wing Boots, the rest, (about $700.00) went into a check book called The Jehile Kirkhuff Old-Time Music Fund with me and Geraldine as directors, Now, being on line some, I also have an on-line "Advisory Board" of several who give advice to me, lets see there is Stacy Phillips, Donna Hebert, Alan Jabbour (at Camp), Howard and Jodi Blumenthal, Joel Shimberg, Elan Chalford, Tom and Fay Staley (with the Willie Jones part of this project) and locally Todd Snover and Cynthia Gabriel, and my buddy Don Hartle.
Jehile traveled some in Pennsylvania and the Southern tier of New York playing for dances and Concerts; even had his own radio show for a while, like a smaller Don Messer show. But he served his community well. He could and would play for Children, Seniors, Dances, Funerals, on the Village Green, the local County fair. This is a lesson for all of us; if you aim too high and move away in search of glory and prize money you could end up with out the company of your family and neighbors and somewhat alone in a far off urban area. Or, you stay around and learn what tunes and what events the Children, Seniors, Families, and Dancers in your area enjoy. If you have a Church and know what old (we are Old-Time Fiddlers, right ?) Hymns will inspire those attending and you play it with all that you've been given, the community will thank you for it in many ways.
Our mission is to serve the Old Time Fiddle community with: 1) Versions of tunes from Jehile and several other elder (some born in the 1890's) Old Time Fiddlers from our recordings made for the American Folk Life Center at the Library of Congress. You may download MP3 files that are small but good. For larger files or custom CD's contact us@ 1-800-646-8349.
2) Ed and Geraldine, or Ed solo, give live, lively, interactive presentations to a variety of audiences including children, families and senior citizens on the East coast of the USA. These programs are very popular in: Elementary Schools, Libraries, at Community Festivals, Fiddle Camps, nice County Fairs, RV Resorts in Florida and much more. Full Time presenters since 1981 with a large number of clients and references. Including THE JIMMY CARTER HISTORICAL SITE, BOY HOOD FARM in Plains, Georgia March 2004.
Prices vary, call 1-800-646-8439 NOTE : e mail may not work well for fast contact during the Fall and Winter when we are ON TOUR in Florida,
Donations for web downloads are appreciated and the only way we are able to serve you here on the Web. See the CONTACT page.
Also see the new NOTATION/TAB page
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Copyright 2006 The Jehile Kirkhuff Old-Time Music Fund
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