Posted by Angeline Johnson on June 11, 101 at 21:34:33:
I got to hear Mr. Hartford live while attending the 1999 Festival of American Fiddle Tunes week-long 'camp' here in Washington State. I now regret not being in his week-long 'band', though I can't imagine what I would've played. Maybe I would've learned bass that week. (I'm a pianist learning back-up playing.)
Every evening there are concerts, later in the week by the faculty. Hartford was given the 'headliner' spot at the end of the Friday show, and it was easily confirmed to me just why.
Artistry is an intangible thing. Levels of skill can be considered arbitrary, times, but not at John Hartford's level. His phrasing was just transcendant, ethereal. You would have thought he was fencing up there, or doing laser surgery with that bow of his, for the effect it had on me, sitting over on stage left - I was in tears. Soul-piercing stuff, his fiddling.
I'm into folk music for the love of making my own fun, and I went to fiddle camp to be with other folk that share the same impulse. I'd say the better part of us have no intentions of ever putting the time and energy into it to really rise to our best possible ability, and few will. But then there's John Hartford, showing us what the view from the top of the ridge looks like.
Mighty damn pretty sight up there, it's clear.
Thanks ever for sharing, John.
AJ