Tag: Washington Old Time Fiddlers Association

The Washington Old Time Fiddlers Association (WOTFA) isn’t limited to fiddle musicians and they have jam sessions twice a month at the Sequim Prairie Grange Hall. In addition to the fiddle, banjo, bass and guitar above, musicians played bass, mandolins, harmonicas, piano and a concertina.

WOTFA began in 1965 with 10 members. There are now 1700 statewide. The organization is dedicated to preserving, promoting, and perpetuating the art of old time fiddling and the associated acoustic instruments’ arts and skills and music. They perform locally at retirement centers, nursing homes, the county fair, and other local events and donations from these performances support their youth scholarship program.

Last Sunday was the fifth annual spring concert of the Washington Old Time Fiddlers Association (WOTEA). “Rosin the Bow!” was a showcase of talent from our local district and an opportunity to hear a great variety of traditional acoustic music.

The music is played by young and old, and the concert was held to raise funds for the Association’s youth scholarship program. In this post I’m featuring the old and young. Shown above is the man considered the dean of local fiddle music, Ralph Byers. Ralph is a charter member of the Association and plays a mean fiddle. He’s 94 years old and although his walk is slow, his fiddle really blazes.

This nine year-old was Sunday’s youngest performer. She played with great stage presence and more than held her own, performing both with a group of adults and as a soloist.

There are 200 members in the local WOTEA district and their scholarship program provides weekly fiddle lessons to 20 youth. Thirteen students performed on Sunday.