Mike Bryant, of Kingston, has been playing fiddle since 1972 and has received acclaim from the most revered old-time musicians in the country. Fiddler Bruce Molsky says, “Mike has always been one of my fiddle heroes. His fiddling never fails to reconnect me with that deep, soulful feeling that made me fall in love with old-time music to start with.” He was called “one of the finest old-time fiddlers of my generation” by musician and radio host Paul Brown. Mike is heavily influenced by Appalachian fiddling and tunes coming from the southeastern United States. His style incorporates two-string droning and alternate tunings while also connecting with the emotion of the tune.
Shortly after moving to Roane County in his teens, Mike first developed a love of the old-time music while taking lessons with the Tennessee Moonshine Cloggers in Oliver Springs. In 1975 when he and his wife Marcia joined a local clogging team, the Clogging Ridgers, Mike was inspired to pick up the fiddle. Thanks to the encouragement from a few of the cloggers and instruction from his friend Steve Moore, he began to play. Mike honed his skills through many hours of daily practice: six hours on weekdays and twelve to fourteen hours on weekends. In his twenties, Mike and Marcia played with the Goat Path String Band. In 1980, they met Brett and Pan Riggs and, along with Morgan Simmons, performed as the New Dixie Entertainers. He is a highly decorated contest player, winning a dozen or more prizes at fiddler’s conventions in Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia. He has also mentored some of the regions most accomplished fiddlers.
As part of the Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Program this year, Mike will mentor Sharon Richards on the bowing and phrasing of Tennessee fiddle tunes. They will also be delving into the history of various Tennessee fiddlers. Sharon picked up the fiddle in her 40s and was mentored by several of East Tennessee’s notable fiddlers including Ed Brown and Bob Townsend. When she was introduced to Mike Bryant a few years ago, she was blown away by the syncopation in his bowing and his ability to make the tunes come alive. She explains, “Mike Bryant has been one of my favorite fiddle players for several years now. His bowing techniques, syncopation and knowledge of Tennessee’s Old Time Fiddling tradition is unparalleled. A chance to work with him one on one in this setting would be a dream come true.”
