Tommy Jarrell

Tommy Jarrell: was the son of fiddler Ben Jarrell who recorded sixteen superb sides with Da Costa Woltz’s Southern Broadcasters in 1927.  (These are available on the reissue Document CD DOCD-8023).  Following his retirement as a heavy equipment operator, Tommy returned to playing the fiddle and banjo, remembering the tunes that he had heard as a boy growing up in the Blue Ridge.  Apart from his father, he also learnt many songs and tunes from near legendary performers such as Charlie Lowe and Esker Hutchins (The same Esker Hutchins who also influenced the young Benton Flippen).  In the 1960s and ‘70s he appeared at numerous Festivals across America, and recorded a number of outstanding albums on the County label (CD 2702, 2724, 2725, 2726 & 2727) and one on Heritage, June Apple (CD 038).

Part of the booklet notes, written by Mike Yates, to the Musical Traditions Records CDs Far in the Mountains (MTCD321-4)