Justin Branum

Justin Branum is a freelance fiddler and multi-instrumentalist residing in the Nashville, TN area where he lives with his musician wife, Angelica, twin baby boys Emmett and Everett, and four step kids, Jakob (12), Callie (10), Violet (8), and Hazel (6).

Justin was born in Okinawa, Japan where his father was stationed as a Marine. His father’s side of the family is from Kennett, Missouri and his mother’s side is from the Texarkana, Arkansas area.

Justin started on fiddle at age 12 and was mostly self-taught with the exception of a few sporadic lessons until college. During this time he was exposed to old-time fiddle, contest style fiddling, bluegrass, western swing, country, jazz, and classical. He was drawn to the fiddling of Johnny Gimble, Buddy Spicher, Kenny Baker, Bobby Hicks, Tommy Jackson, Dale Potter, and Howdy Forrester who all became major influences on his playing. In college, Justin studied music and received Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in jazz studies from Webster University in Saint Louis, MO. He also taught as an adjunct instructor at Webster University and Washington University.

Justin has spent many years on the fiddle contest circuit and has won the Grand Master Fiddler Championship, Tennessee State Fiddle Championship, Tennessee State Mandolin Championship, Alabama State Fiddle Championship, Kentucky State Flatpicking Guitar Championship, Smithville Fiddler’s Jamboree, and the Twin Lakes National Fiddle Championship.

In addition to working as a freelance musician in the Nashville area doing recording sessions and occasional tours, Justin runs the instructional video site MasterFiddle.com  along with a private teaching studio for virtual lessons online. You can often hear Justin playing in the Grand Ole Opry staff band or playing with the New Monday band (Val Story, Carl Jackson, and Larry Cordle) at The Station Inn on Monday nights. Artists Justin has performed with include Lee Ann Womack, Jeannie Seely, John Conlee, Steve Earle, Bobby Flores, The Sons Of The Pioneers, Kane Brown, Suzy Bogguss, Mo Pitney, Sara Evans, Charles Esten, and many more. You can also catch Justin in the house band for the Merlin Gene Show on RFD-TV every Saturday. When not playing music, Justin and his family love to enjoy the outdoors and travel to interesting places.

Fred Carpenter

Fred Carpenter, a native of Lewiston Maine, started his musical journey at age 7 with 10 years of classical violin lessons. At age 17, he started learning fiddle tunes, joined a local bluegrass band, and soon got into contest fiddling. Over the next few years Fred won several contests throughout New England, and also finished well in several national contests including 4th place at the World Series of Fiddling in Texas, and 7th place at the National Oldtime Fiddle Championship in Weiser, Idaho. Fred has also returned to judged the contest in Weiser.

In 1980, Fred recorded his 1st solo album, Cuttin’ Loose, w/ special guest Mark O’Connor on guitar. Fred moved from Maine to California in the fall of 1980 to join The Tony Rice Unit, recording 2 albums on Rounder Records during this time (Still Inside and Backwaters), and continued fiddling with Tony for the next 4 years. During his time in California, Fred also worked as an apprentice at Loveland Violin Shop in Santa Rosa CA, learning repair, restoration, and set-up of violins and bows. In 1985, Fred joined The Dillards, recording 2 albums and touring with them until his move to Nashville in 1988.

Fred has called Nashville home for 34 years now, during which time he has toured with several prominent artists including Emmylou Harris, George Strait, Paul Overstreet, Ronnie Milsap, Suzy Bogguss, and for 16 years now, Kathy Mattea.

In 1988, Fred started The Violin Shop in Nashville, offering instrument repair, restoration, sales, rentals, and in general, all things fiddle!! Now celebrating 34 years, The Violin Shop has become “the place to go” for fiddlers everywhere. 

 

Aarun Carter

Music has been an integral part of Aarun’s life even before she could open her eyes or speak. Her love for fiddling began before birth, as her mother competed in a fiddling contest while eight months pregnant with Aarun. Aarun started learning the Suzuki violin at age 2 and has continued to expand her musical skills ever since. At 4 years old, she won the Colorado State Small Fry Division and soon after received the award for the “youngest fiddler” at the National Old Time Fiddlers Contest.

Aarun attended Denver School of the Arts High School in Denver, CO, where she majored in Orchestra. During her time at DSA, she was part of one of the top-rated orchestras in the state and had the opportunity to perform with Garrison Keillor at Boettcher Concert Hall for "A Prairie Home Companion."

She has studied with several award-winning fiddlers, including Wes Westmoreland, Randy Elmore (Willie Nelson), Katie Glassman, Lisa Barrett, Joey McKenzie, and Jimmie Don Bates. Additionally, Aarun studied commercial music at South Plains College under Joe Carr (Country Gazette) and Cary Banks (Maines Brothers Band).

Aarun’s impressive accolades include six Colorado State champion titles and numerous other state champion awards. She is a two-time National Young Adult Champion and also secured 1st place in the "Traditional Old-Time" Division at the Arkansas State Fiddle Contest in Mountain View, AR. She has also served as a judge at prestigious contests, including the International Fiddle Contest, the National Old Time Fiddlers Contest, and the Texas State Fiddle Contest.

Currently based in Portland, OR, Aarun performs with multiple bands, operates the graphic design company Innovative Formations, and produces the “Fiddle Legends” Podcast. She is also involved in studio projects, including recording 59 fiddle songs for the instructional Mel Bay book “Anthology of Contest Fiddle Tunes.” Recently, she has collaborated with Discovery Channel's Gold Rush, Todd Hoffman, and has garnered over 6 million views on her music videos. Aarun has performed with prominent artists such as Reba McEntire and Ashley McBryde and has been involved in projects with Cole Hauser (Rip from Yellowstone).

Hyram Posey

Hyram Posey, a two-time National Fancy Fiddle Champion and multi-award winner, is a living musical legend.  After mastering “Contest Fiddle”, he went on to composing all types of fiddle music.  He is in demand as a composer, producer, and session player.  A Grand ‘Ole Opry performer, Hyram has played with the tops in the country and jazz music world.  As a multi-instrumentalist, he has recorded four CD’s and is currently working on a solo piano CD.  Hyram has performed as an artist with the Tucson Arizona Symphony Orchestra, and is nominated for 10 music awards, ranging from Jazz, Blues, R&B, New Age, and Country/Western Instrumentals.  If you enjoy fiddle music, you’re sure to enjoy Hyram Posey. 

Hyram also composed and produced the sound track to “Dream on a Blue Horse” (the musical drama written for New Mexico’s first outdoor amphitheatre).  Hyram’s music blows like a soft wind out of the southwest.  It carries with it bits and pieces of mountain tops, canyons and the desert floor; and paints with all the colors of nature a wondrous sound both haunting and revealing.  The listener is treated to images of smoke on the horizon, coyotes and hawks gliding on airstreams and wild rivers running free.  A virtuoso musician, Hyram Posey is one-of-a-kind, an original.  He is well known from coast to coast in all music circles.  Hyram’s music has been hard to classify and has been best described as “Americana”.

Memorable performances include guest artist spots at the Telluride Jazz Festival, Jazz concert- San Francisco’s Great American Music Theater, National Old-Time Fiddler’s Contest- Weiser, Idaho, New Mexico State Fiddler’s Contest, Arizona State Fiddler’s Contest, Grand Ole Opry, Ralph Emmory TV Show, Pm Magazine TV Shows, Arizona Magazine TV Show, Frets Magazine, Strings Magazine, New Mexico Magazine and special entertainment spots for the late Senator Barry Goldwater.  This exceptional player promises to add color and dimension to all performances.

Bobby Taylor

Bobby Taylor is a fourth generation West Virginia fiddler. He plays several styles of old-time and contest fiddling, but got his early start from the legendary Clark Kessinger, who influenced a world of fiddlers. He has a melting pot of old-time fiddle styles including the styles of his father Lincoln Taylor (1911-1995), Ed Haley, Mike Humphreys, Benny Thomasson, Reece B. Jarvis, Doc Roberts, French Carpenter and scores of others to name a few. He was the 1977 West Virginia State Open Fiddle Champion. In 2003, Bobby received the FOOTBRIDGE AWARD. This award was presented by FOOTMAD (Friends of Old-Time Music and Dance) for his contributions to old-time music. Bobby was presented The 2010 VANDALIA AWARD by the West Virginia Division of Culture and History. The Vandalia award is West Virginia’s highest folk-life honor. When fiddle enthusiast West Virginia Senator Robert C. Byrd passed away in July of 2010, Bobby was honored to be chosen to play Senator Byrd’s favorite fiddle tunes during the public visitation in the West Virginia Capitol Rotunda, and for the official memorial service. Bobby was also requested by the Byrd family to play for the private funeral services. He was inducted into the Mountain State Art and Craft Fair Hall of Fame in Ripley, WV in July of 2012 for his musical contributions to the State of West Virginia.  

Bobby has been the coordinator of West Virginia's Vandalia Gathering contests at the State Capitol in Charleston since 1979. He was the contest coordinator of the Appalachian Open Contest from 1984 through 1987, and he has been the contest coordinator of the Appalachian String Band Music Festival contest since 1990. All of these events are sponsored by the West Virginia Division of Culture and History. Bobby recently retired after serving for many years as the Library Manager of the West Virginia Archives and History Library Section of the West Virginia Division of Culture and History.

Bobby has judged the Tennessee, Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia state championships, and is a regular judge at the Old Fiddlers Convention in Galax, Virginia. He has judged the Grand Master Fiddle Championship in Nashville, TN since 2006 to present. He was selected to judge the 2007, 2010 and 2012 Western Open Fiddle Championship in Red Bluff, CA. He was a judge at Jana Jae’s Grand Lake National Fiddle Fest in 2006, 2007 and 2009 in Grove, OK. He was selected as a judge at the Grand National Fiddle Championship in Weiser, ID in 2008. Bobby is a certified national fiddle judge. He is a nationally recognized consultant on rules and judging procedures for heritage music competitions. He has taught fiddle workshops at the Augusta Heritage Center, Allegheny Echoes in West Virginia, the 2012 Midwest Banjo Camp in Michigan and at the 2013 Festival of American Fiddle Tunes in Port Townsend, WA. He has performed on musical tours in Australia and Ireland, and was a featured performer at the National Folk Festival in Australia in March of 2008. He was a featured performer at the Library of Congress and at the Kennedy Center on August 16, 2012. The Library of Congress show was recorded for their permanent collection.

In 1990, Bobby apprenticed and constructed a violin under the guidance of Harold M. Hayslett. Mr. Hayslett was a Violin Society of America “Gold Medal” winner for tone at the 1980 international competition.

Bobby currently judges extensively and presents historical showcases on fiddle styles with his old-time band “Kanawha Tradition.” It is not uncommon for historic fiddles once owned by great fiddlers such as Clark Kessinger and Ed Haley to show up at these events.  Bobby is the custodian of these historical instruments.