Jim Chancellor

Danita (Rast) Gardner

Katie Glassman

Megan Lynch

Wes Westmoreland III

Anthony Mature

Jim Chancellor

Jim Chancellor or “Texas Shorty”, as he is more commonly known, is widely acknowledged to be one of the masters of Texas-style fiddling.  Born in 1943 in Dallas County, Texas, Chancellor’s career started at the age of seven when his father brought home a mandolin. By the age of nine, he was playing mandolin over KTER radio with his brother Allen, where he became “Shorty” of “The Texas Al and Shorty Show”.  When in his teens, Chancellor heard the Texas fiddling of World Champion fiddler Benny Thomasson, causing him to put away his mandolin and begin to learn fiddle under Thomasson’s direct tutelage.

Texas-style fiddling is characterized by a high level of technique with long bow strokes and endless variations on a core repertoire based largely on traditional tunes.  Chancellor has spent years interviewing traditional musicians and researching performances on “78” records in order to learn the subtleties of past Texas contest fiddlers.

The fiddling tradition in Texas is augmented by fiddle contests, and Chancellor is credited as the youngest fiddler to win the World Championship in Crockett, Texas.  As a student of Thomasson’s, Chancellor helped establish Thomasson’s approach as the model for the modern contest style.  He then proceeded to become the second fiddler in the history of the event to attain undefeated status by winning the contest three consecutive times in 1955-57. Chancellor’s accomplishments also include five Texas State Championships, Grand Masters Champion and membership in the Texas Fiddler Hall of Fame.  Chancellor is also one of the first Texas fiddlers to market his recordings; and his arrangements have had an impact on fiddlers of all ages.

In the 1980’s, Chancellor recorded Texas Shorty, World Champion Fiddler, which featured musicians including Mark O’Connor, Gerald Jones, Robert Bowlin, and Sam Bush, as well as Elden Graham and Robert Chancellor. Most recently, Chancellor recorded Old Sport, an album of old time tunes accompanied by Nashville songwriter/performer and friend John Hartford.

Chancellor continues to teach a new generation of Texas and National fiddlers through classes and workshops and performs around the country with his brother, Robert and his wife, Ruthie.

Danita (Rast) Gardner

Danita is a private violin/fiddle instructor, originally from Idaho, now residing in Atherton, California. She spent four years in Huntsville, Texas, where she was a member of TOTFA, competed in many contests, and received her undergraduate degree in Violin Performance from Sam Houston State University. Danita got her masters degree in Violin Pedagogy from Boise State University. She has won the Grand Masters in Nashville, Tennessee, three times; the Grand Nationals in Weiser, Idaho, three times, and is the current California State Champion.

Katie Glassman

Denver native, Katie Glassman, began playing and fell in love with the fiddle at age nine. Inspired in the world of Texas Oldtime music, she grew up in the culture of learning fiddle by ear and traveling to countless fiddle competitions throughout Colorado and the Western states.

In 1998, she was the National Junior Fiddle Champion. In 2000, she was the National Young Adult Fiddle Champion. In 2002, she placed 5th place in the National Grand Champion Division. In 2001 and 2010, she was a certified judge for the National oldtime fiddle competition. Katie is the 2011 Colorado State Fiddle Champion.

But, aside from contests, Katie traveled to study with legendary fiddle players such as Wes Wesmoreland, Jimmie Don Bates, Carl Hopkins, Tonya Hopkins, Paul Anastasio and many other of her heroes. To be a part of an aural tradition so intricate, diverse and treasured, built a lifetime connection between Katie and her fiddle.

Megan Lynch

Megan Lynch is in high demand as a private and group teacher. She counts dozens of State and National Champions among her students, and has been an instructor at the most prestigious bluegrass and acoustic camps throughout the world, including Augusta Heritage Week, The British Columbia Bluegrass Workshop, and Sorefingers Bluegrass Week in England. Her no-holds-barred workshops have drawn rave reviews across the U.S and Canada. Her encouraging style makes the newest players as well as seasoned professionals feel like the next level of fiddle success is completely within reach.

Megan has also won six California State titles (as well as the Minnesota State Championship, and served as a board member of the Grand Master Fiddler Championship.

Wes Westmoreland III

Wes, the 2010 Texas State Champion, was born into a family whose musical history goes back many decades. His granddad, H. D. Westmoreland Sr., an accomplished fiddler, began teaching Wes to play at age nine. The fiddle tunes Wes had heard all his life came easy to him and he began to play in contests all over the state of Texas. At these contests he was exposed to the music of the fiddle masters of Texas. If you listen to Wes play today, you will hear the sounds of Major Franklin, Benny Thomasson, Norman and Vernon Solomon, Louis Franklin, Texas Shorty and other fiddlers that became his heroes. He also was heavily influenced by the music and sound of Bob Wills and other Western swing pioneers.

Wes attended college at Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas. While there he played with the Tarleton Jazz Band and won Most Valuable Player at the State competition. During his college years he also played with Red Stegall and Moe Bandy and still managed to earn a degree in Chemistry.

Wes is a two time World Champion Fiddler, a seven-time Texas State Champion Fiddler, a four time "TOTFA" Champion, and has finished in the “ top 3 “ his last two trips to the National Fiddle Championship in Weiser, Idaho.

In 1989 Wes made the move to Branson, Missouri to play for Boxcar Willie for one year before accepting a job to play for Mel Tillis. He played for Mel for ten years. During those years he not only played shows in Branson, he also traveled with Mel and the "Statesiders" to the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Las Vegas, Okinawa, and all across the United States. During his stay with Mel, Wes learned to coordinate an 18-piece band and played not only first, but also second, third and fourth fiddle harmonies.

Wes has a degree in pharmacy and now works at Scott & White Memorial Hospital in Temple, Texas.

Anthony Mature

Anthony has been exposed to Texas old-time fiddling practically all his life and that exposure has proved beneficial to both Anthony and hundreds of fiddlers across the country. Anthony began working for Bill Northcutt at the Fiddle & Bow music shop in Houston, Texas when he was thirteen; here Anthony witnessed many jam sessions Bill would host which began to inspire Anthony to learn to play rhythm guitar. He was soon exposed to the rhythm style of Steve Williams and there soon started a lifelong bond between the two as Steve showed Anthony his style of back-up.

In the years to come, Anthony would have the unique experience to jam, perform, and record with many of the legends of Texas fiddling, including Terry Morris, Norman Solomon, Orville Burns, and Louis Franklin. Also during this time, Anthony was exposed to legendary accompanists such as Royce and Ray Franklin, Bobby Christman, and Omega Burden, all of whom have had a hand in making Anthony one of the top accompanists in the country today. His rock-solid rhythm has won him such honors as State Champion Accompanist, TOTFA Champion Accompanist, and National Champion Accompanist – each on numerous occasions. Most recently, Anthony was inducted in the Fiddler Frolics Hall of Fame in Hallettsville, Texas in 2007.