Van Kidwell

Van Kidwell: In the 1920s, Van had been a formidable contender in the fiddle contests of the region (see Walter McNew's reflections in his Berea College cassette), but had moved to Miamisburg, Ohio in the late Depression.  I was recording Asa Martin one day when Van happened to drop in.  He had been lately playing with a young revivalist band up north and hoped to tape Asa demonstrating how a waltz should be ‘seconded’.  Van played astonishingly like Doc Roberts, but with a nervous propensity towards excessive speed.  It was amusing to observe the kind manner in which Asa regulated his velocity.  Shortly thereafter, Van recorded two LPs for Vetco with his Ohio friends (the Hot Mud Family).

Part of the booklet notes, written by Mark Wilson, to the Musical Traditions Records 4-CD set Meeting's a Pleasure (MTCD341-4)