LEGENDARY FIDDLE PLAYER Kenny Baker, was inducted into the Bluegrass Hall Of Honour at the 10th IBMA Award Show on 21st October 99.

Born and raised in the mining town of Jenkins, eastern Kentucky, Kenny Baker was the third generation of a family of fiddle players and coal miners, beginning his musical career playing Western Swing and Country Music at local events. At eight years of age Kenny was discouraged from playing fiddle, due to his father's constant criticism of his playing, but after joining the Navy in his teens, the young Kenny returned to the fiddle.

After leaving the Navy, Kenny Baker returned to his hometown, working as a coal loader. The blend of traditional music and the popular style of swing of Marion Summer, as well as Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli heavily influenced him. In 1953 he started playing with Don Gibson, on Nashville's Saturday Night Barn Dance radio show. In 1957 Baker joined Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys, earning the admiration of Monroe who called Baker "the best fiddler in bluegrass".

Kenny Baker's smooth flowing jazz style, lent easily towards bluegrass with Baker commenting, "bluegrass is nothing but a hillbilly version of jazz". Baker was not a continuous member of Monroe's Blue Grass Boys, leaving the band twice in the early years to return to the mines and in 1967 he joined the band again, staying with Monroe until the early 1980s. Though he had these breaks in his career, he actually played with the band longer than any other member. For many years Kenny Baker could be found at Bill Monroe's Bean Blossom festival, playing well into the small hours of the morning, alongside the most unassuming, amateur bluegrass pickers.

Kenny Baker has released his own solo albums, the first being Portrait of a Bluegrass Fiddler in 1969. He has been the inspiration for many young fiddle players and performed with the Masters, an all-star group and worked with dobro player Josh Graves. During the nineties Kenny Baker has appeared on a series of tours, backed by the National Council on traditional Arts, called Masters of the Folk Violin. A truly worthy candidate for induction into the Bluegrass Hall of Honour!

Graham Lees, Dewesbury, W.Yorks Write to | Website

1st Jan2000