Lefty Miller (Artist)
Item
Instrument
Fiddle
Info
From W.Va. Country Fiddlin' LP back cover, written by Paul M. Handke:
Lefty Miller, a native of the West Virginia hills near Greenwood, Doddridge County, where he was reared in the atmosphere of old time country music during the Depression Era when there was little or no work to be found, is unique in that although he is right-handed, he plays the violin left-handed.
His father, known as "Toots" Miller, was called the countryside over as "The Man With The Golden Voice" while playing the guitar and singing old time country music ballads over radio station WWNN in Fairmont, W. Va, and also was one of the first regular entertainers on the famous WWVA Jamboree in Wheeling, W. Va.
Lefty's dad was considered by many people to be a near equal to the late Jimmy Rodgers, "The Singing Brakeman," who is truly the father of country music.
Lefty became interested in the violin and played for his first square dance at the age of eleven. In playing left-handed he merely turns the violin over and plays "over the bass string," as many fiddlers say. He does not change the strings.
Therefore Lefty has developed a distinct style and technique of his own which is rarely seen in the country music world. Lefty has played on radio stations WPAR, WCEF, WCOM and WTAP television, all local stations, and was a special guest on Joel Ray Sprowls "Lincoln Jamboree" in Hodgenville, Ky. This Jamboree is located on the farm in Kentucky where Abraham Lincoln was born.
Lefty loves to play for square dances and has played for over 15 years at the Eagles Club in Parkersburg, W. Va., where he still is going strong and drawing the crowds.
Lefty says "in this troublesome world when I can help bring a smile to someone's face and alittle enjoyment in their lives, then I feel I have made a contribution."
He has played in the Ohio State Old Time Fiddlers competition with some of the country's leading artists, among whom were Clark Kessinger, Curly Herdman, Charlie Gore and others. Lefty didn't win first prize but he was among the top winners and was personally complimented by Kessinger, the national senior champion and Hardman, the Ohio State champion.
Lefty thanks his accompanists including Gilbert Atkinson, banjo; Jerry Lee, lead guitar; Glenn Burns, bass guitar; and KAthleen Justice, piano. Also a special "Thank You" goes to Claire Scott, "who added some nice mandolin picking on this record."
Lefty is proud of his accomplishments in that he is entirely self-taught and never had an instructor or teacher in his life.
Sit back, put your feet up, now, and enjoy some real West Virginia "Country Fiddlin'."
Lefty Miller, a native of the West Virginia hills near Greenwood, Doddridge County, where he was reared in the atmosphere of old time country music during the Depression Era when there was little or no work to be found, is unique in that although he is right-handed, he plays the violin left-handed.
His father, known as "Toots" Miller, was called the countryside over as "The Man With The Golden Voice" while playing the guitar and singing old time country music ballads over radio station WWNN in Fairmont, W. Va, and also was one of the first regular entertainers on the famous WWVA Jamboree in Wheeling, W. Va.
Lefty's dad was considered by many people to be a near equal to the late Jimmy Rodgers, "The Singing Brakeman," who is truly the father of country music.
Lefty became interested in the violin and played for his first square dance at the age of eleven. In playing left-handed he merely turns the violin over and plays "over the bass string," as many fiddlers say. He does not change the strings.
Therefore Lefty has developed a distinct style and technique of his own which is rarely seen in the country music world. Lefty has played on radio stations WPAR, WCEF, WCOM and WTAP television, all local stations, and was a special guest on Joel Ray Sprowls "Lincoln Jamboree" in Hodgenville, Ky. This Jamboree is located on the farm in Kentucky where Abraham Lincoln was born.
Lefty loves to play for square dances and has played for over 15 years at the Eagles Club in Parkersburg, W. Va., where he still is going strong and drawing the crowds.
Lefty says "in this troublesome world when I can help bring a smile to someone's face and alittle enjoyment in their lives, then I feel I have made a contribution."
He has played in the Ohio State Old Time Fiddlers competition with some of the country's leading artists, among whom were Clark Kessinger, Curly Herdman, Charlie Gore and others. Lefty didn't win first prize but he was among the top winners and was personally complimented by Kessinger, the national senior champion and Hardman, the Ohio State champion.
Lefty thanks his accompanists including Gilbert Atkinson, banjo; Jerry Lee, lead guitar; Glenn Burns, bass guitar; and KAthleen Justice, piano. Also a special "Thank You" goes to Claire Scott, "who added some nice mandolin picking on this record."
Lefty is proud of his accomplishments in that he is entirely self-taught and never had an instructor or teacher in his life.
Sit back, put your feet up, now, and enjoy some real West Virginia "Country Fiddlin'."
Collection
Citation
Lefty Miller (Artist), accessed April 29, 2024, https://dollarcountry.org/items/show/27081
