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New York State
Fiddler's Hall of Fame Inductees
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2019 Mac Claflin
Malcom Claflin was born in Lacona, NY in 1934 to a very musical family, learning old time fiddle tunes from his father. He also learned other instrumentsand sang the tunes as well. Mac played with several local and regional bands playing and calling traditional old time fiddle tunes popular to the area. Mac was a well known DJ in the area and his band, Mac Claflin and the Country Rhythm Boys recorded afternoon shows. Every Saturday night they played at Maple Grove restaurant in Constantia, NY. Mac appeared with Buddy Spicher in Syracuse when Hank Williams, Jr. made his first appearance at age 15. Mac and his bandbacked up many country vocalists of the day. He has recorded two CD's on which he played rhythm guitar, fiddle, mandolin, bass and drums; even singing and harmonized with himself. One CD is titled, "The Old Red Barn and Other Fiddle Tunes". In 2003 Mac was inducted into the New York State Country Music Hall of Fame in Cortland, NY. Mac has always been open to learning and teaching other how to play old time fiddle music. He is always willing to show anyone a technique or a tune.
2018 William Place Jr
William Place Jr. was born in 1938 in Ellisburg, NY. He started playing the fiddle at four years old and recalls his grandfather making a fiddle from a cigar box with a bow made of cedar. William learned to play "Pop Goes the Weasel" followed by several other tunes. At around the age of eight, he got a fiddle made of steel. He learned to play the dobro and guitar as well. At the age of fifteen, William was in a band with his father called the Ontario Beach Combers. Some Saturday nights, William subbed as the fiddler for round and square dances. In the 1960's William played in several bands including Gordie Therrien's band, The Bounty Hunters with is wife and son, Timmy. In 1985 William started playing fiddle and guitar for the Country Stompers and then with the Black River Valley Fiddlers' Association.
2017 Joe Davoli
Joe Davoli was only three years old when his parents overheard him humming the “Star Spangled Banner" in the backseat of their car. They were on their way from a Fourth of July concert. Thinking that he may have a knack for music, they started Joe with fiddle lessons; later became a graduate of DePaul University and attended the Berklee School of Music. He has studied with improvisational greats Matt Glaser, Darol Anger, and John Blake. Joe composed and recorded music for the off-Broadway revival of Israel Horovitz’ “The Indian Wants the Bronx.” He has won two Syracuse Area Music Awards; one for “Best Bluegrass Instrumentalist/Vocalist” and the other for his CD release with guitarist Harvey Nusbaum in the “Best Folk/Bluegrass Recording” category. He served as musical supervisor for the short film “Brando from the Neck Down” in which its soundtrack features Joe playing fiddle and mandolin. Joe has published a successful method book for fiddle and mandolin that is currently in its second edition. His solo CD “Game Plan” has received international acclaim; and another popular CD has been published as well: “Joe Davoli & Harvey Nusbaum: Fiddle & Guitar.” He is a member of Ceili Rain, serves as a studio musician and is a violin teacher with students of all ages including a number of NYSOTFA Fiddlers. He is a member of the Central Chapter of the NYSOTFA.
2016 Chad L. Miller
Chad Miller from Florence, NY was honored as the New York State Inductee into the North American Fiddlers Hall of Fame. Chad became interested in playing fiddle when he attended the NYSOTFA Fiddlers Picnic as a child. He learned how to play by ear under the tutelage of New York State Inductee, Murph Baker. He is a dedicated member and current vice president of the Central Chapter Fiddlers, performs at various venues around the state including Watkins Glen Fiddlers’ Gathering and the Fiddlers Fair that takes place at Genessee Country Village and Museum. Chad works hard to preserve the music of the old time fiddlers of New York State and in Central New York.
2015 Susan K. Barrington
1946 - 2018 Susan began violin lessons in elementary school in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Upon moving to New York State she continued playing in community orchestras and then joined a group that allowed her to bridge into the old time fiddle. She enjoyed fiddling with people of all ages and had advised many fiddlers, young and old. She participated in teaching programs at the YMCA After-School program, judged local talent competitions and led Kids’ Kamp in Osceola. In 1996 Susan joined the Oswego Valley Chapter and with the help of Granny Sweet, she researched, collected, transcribed, catalogued, played and performed as many fiddle tunes as she could. Susan was the president of the OVFA years had led their Tuesday evening practices. Susan was not only a born instructor, but a natural organizer as well. She served the NYSOTFA Board of Directors as member and treasurer for six years, designed the original NYSOTFA website and performed countless behind the scenes jobs. Susan was a recipient of the Ray Cronk Memorial award as well. Susan’s musical career of over 50 years has enriched the lives of so many who have come to love old time fiddling music as much as she did. Susan passed away in July 2018. Susan's memory and her musical legacy continues to thrive through the members of the Oswego Valley Fiddlers Association.
2014 Ralph Streeter
Ralph Streeter was born on May 28, 1931. The second of three boys, Ralph grew up in a very music rich household with his mom playing both fiddle and piano. Ralph learned to play the mandolin by listening to his mother and later mastered playing music by ear. His affinity for music led him to play guitar and later, the fiddle. Ralph played in his first public performance at the Castorland Community Hall with the Streeter Brothers. This group, created by Ralph and his brothers, continued playing for five years under this name until changing its name to the Adirondack Playboys. Always a showman and entertainer, he continued to play with the band into the 1980’s. The group appeared in many locations throughout eastern Jefferson, Lewis and Hamilton Counties. Ralph and his wife, Audrey, have a son who has picked up the strong musical traditions of the family. Rick, Ralph’s son joined the Adirondack Playboys in the 1960’s. Rick started by playing mandolin and eventually fiddle with the band upon Ralph’s death in 1991. Ralph’s favorite tunes to play were “Orange Blossom Special” and “Black Mountain Rag”. Ralph Streeter lived his life with music in his heart and his legacy lives on as a result of his fiddling.
2013 Laura Dennis
Although Laura’s mother came from a family of fiddlers from Quebec, Canada, Laura had little exposure to fiddling until later years. Fifteen years ago, she attended a fiddle concert and found the music magical and exciting. Desiring to learn to fiddle, Laura contacted a local fiddler and Hall of Fame Inductee, Randy Kerr, who helped start her on her way to fulfilling her childhood dream. Randy consented to get her started on the fiddle and she learned many, many old time fiddle and Celtic tunes from Randy over the years, with Jessie Gotham providing backup on the piano. Laura has shared her tunes and experiences with many people at performances and has taught beginning fiddling to a number of aspiring young people as well as adults. She is a member of both the Central Chapter and Black River Valley Chapter Fiddlers. She has presented three concerts at the Fiddlers’ Hall of Fame and performs regularly for chapter concerts, fundraisers, weddings, funerals, county fairs and church services. As her friends and family are well aware, fiddling and performing has been a great source of joy in Laura’s life.
2012 Gretchen Paige Koehler
Gretchen Paige Koehler is an important member of the North Country fiddling scene. She first picked up the fiddle at age five. During her childhood she participated in numerous fiddle contests throughout the North Eastern US and Canada and won many titles throughout those regions. She has several recordings and has been in several groups including Frog Bridge with her sister Rebecca and Fiddler’s Three with Inductee Donald Woodcock. She has encouraged others to take up the art and has an extensive group of young musicians she teaches near her home in Potsdam, NY. It is our privilege to welcome Gretchen Paige Koehler into the NYS Fiddlers’ Hall of Fame and Museum.
2011 Keith Hunt
Keith Hunt was born during the “great depression” and grew up on Wellesley Island on the Saint Lawrence River. He attended the local island dances from his earliest memory, where his father played banjo with local island musicians. Thus, he grew up with the North Country and Canadian fiddling of the area and listened to great fiddlers such as Don Messer, Ned Landry, Earl Mitton, Jim McGill, King Ganam, and others on live radio shows of the time. Keith started out playing the music on a tenor banjo, but soon found that the fiddle tunes were better suited to playing on the fiddle. Keith fi nally got a serious start on the fi ddle by attending a group fiddle lesson given by Eleanor Townsend at the NYSOTFA Fiddlers Picnic around 1978. Telleta Atwell assisted Eleanor in that class and Telleta continued working with Keith through the present. After leaving Wellesley Island, Keith always sought the kind of dancing like he knew from the island, never quite finding it the same anywhere else. However, in his search, he ended up doing the dances of many lands and international folk dancers. He also learned to call traditional square dances and contra dances such as he grew up with. Keith’s first love, musically, is the traditional jigs, reels, and related dance fiddle tunes. In the past, Keith has been the instructor for the square and contra dance workshops during the 1980’s at the Fiddler’s Picnic. Keith has taught at the Day Long Workshops at the Fiddlers’ Picnic and is serving as Vice President of NYSOTFA.
2010 Ivan Hale
1935 - 2017 Ivan Hale from the Philadelphia area in the North Country of New York State is a member of the Black River Chapter of the NYSOTFA. He started with the fiddle at age 7, and as was the case for many fiddlers of the time, he was self-taught and learned to play by ear from listening to other fiddlers, the finest who at the time could be heard regularly on live radio programs. By age 10, Ivan and his sisters were playing for regular round and square dances, attended by as many as 600. He has played with many musical groups through the years that have played on radio and opened shows for nationally known entertainers such as Hank Thompson, Tom T. Hall, Dock Williams and Waylon Jennings. Ivan has also played with the Country Stompers, and the Country Kings.
2009 Hope Grietzer
Hope Grietzer, originally from Johnson City, NY, fell in love with fiddle music in college, playing for square dances with the Geneseo String Band, led by renowned ethnomusicologist, Jim Kimball. She later studied with earlier NY State Inductee, Larry Downey, while fiddling throughout NY State and Pennsylvania. After a period of time active in fiddling in Colorado, Hope returned to the Owego, NY area where she is now the president of the Fiddlin's Fun Chapter of NYSOTFA and currently plays for concerts and contra dances with several musical groups. She has been a concert artist at North American Fiddlers Hall of Fame. A great portion of Hope's time is devoted to teaching fiddling to a large number of youths and adults.
2008 George H. Hall
1922 - 2014 George H. Hall was born in Indiana, January 23, 1922, and was raised on a farm in Scipio, Indiana. He lived many places before ending up in Central New York, Town of Ira. He served in the US Air Force in the 40s and traveled widely around the world, jamming wherever he could. Retired now, he spends part of his year in Florida. Early musical influences were his father, grandfather and uncle sparked his interest in fiddle music. His first tune was “She’ll Be Coming Round the Mountain.” From this he started playing square dances, barn dances, anyplace he could and developed his fiddle skills. To this day George doesn’t read music-he listens to a tune a few times and runs with it, adapting his own unique music style. George helped establish the Oswego Valley Fiddlers Chapter in the 1980s. Through the years he has played with several bands and groups in Central NY and in Florida. In his 80s, George can still be found playing music all over the area with many groups and at the NYS Old Tyme Fiddlers.
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