Page 63 - Blues Festival Guide Magazine 2019

can find violinists of other genres blending into the blues – like
bluegrass, folk, Americana and country – who are also keeping
the violin relevant in music today.
My own blues indoctrination was sparked upon meeting
Otis Taylor at Buddy Guy’s Legends during a kick-off event for
the Chicago Blues Festival in 2008. I hadn’t heard his music
at that point, but listened to it in my car on the way home and
became immediately entranced with his unique sound and
vision. I accepted his offer to sit in on a few of his shows over the
weekend, and after that, I toured internationally with him for nine
years and appeared on four of his records. During this period,
I dove deeply into the blues and discovered a new chamber of
my heart.
The rich and varied role of the violin in blues music may not
be widely known or understood by many, but it played a critical
role in the birthing of the genre, and its presence is a testament to
the depth and diversity of the African American culture at large.

Chicago-based fiddle player and singer-songwriter Anne Harris
has long been crafting her unique sound, producing six indie
studio records and playing countless performances in the U.S. and
abroad. Her collaborations, live and in-studio, span a large and
diverse group of artists and genres, and her uniquely expressive
performance style has made her an audience favorite. Check out
Anne’s latest instrumental, folk fiddle record, Roots, and connect
with her on all social media platforms. www.anneharris.com

Resources:
“Violin, Sing The Blues For Me /
African-American Fiddlers on Early Phonograph Records”
by Marshall Wyatt, oldhatrecords.com/ResearchAAViolin.html
“Why Black Folks Don’t Fiddle” by Tony Thomas,
www.bluegrasswest.com/ideas/why_black

Fiddler, singer, songwriter and this feature’s author, Anne Harris.
Photo by Ÿ Marilyn Stringer

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