Senator Robert C. Byrd to Receive Dr. Perry F. Harris Distinguished Fiddler Award
Nashville, Tenn.... Senator Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia will receive the Dr. Perry F. Harris Distinguished Fiddler Award at the Grand Ole Opry on Saturday, October 4, 2008, at 7:00 p.m. in Nashville, Tenn. Byrd, who is a lifelong fiddler, will be honored for his contribution to the world of fiddling and fiddle music.
A tribute to Senator Byrd's efforts to promote and publicize fiddling throughout his career, will be held during the Grand Master Fiddler Championship at 2:15 p.m. on Saturday, October 4, 2008, inside the Nashville Convention Center. The program will feature information about Senator Byrd's fiddling career as well as showcase musicians playing some of the Senator's favorite fiddle tunes.
"I thank the Grand Master Fiddler Championship for honoring me with this prestigious award. As a young boy in West Virginia who loved to fiddle, I never dreamed that my life would be so blessed and enriched by that beautiful instrument. I am humbled by this honor and think of my late wife Erma who always encouraged me practice and perform fiddle music," said Senator Robert C. Byrd.
Senator Byrd learned to play the fiddle when he was a teenager and carried the instrument with him everywhere he went. While living in Southern West Virginia, Senator Byrd played in churches, homes, and later Senator Byrd won the hearts of voters when he performed fiddle music on the campaign trail.
Senator Byrd's expert fiddling skills and passion for fiddle music led to performances at the Kennedy Center, the Grand Ole Opry, and on the television show, Hee Haw. While Senator Byrd was serving as the U.S. Senate Majority Leader in 1978, he recorded an album called "Mountain Fiddler".
For more information on the Dr. Perry F. Harris Distinguished Fiddler Award and schedule of events, please refer to here.
