I learned to play banjo in 1971 from several sources: Pete Seeger Banjo Book, Stan Wurbin, Doug Unger, and the John Burke Banjo Book. In the latter 70's, with partner Dave Neff, I owned Boulder Junction Folk Music Center in Uniontown, Ohio, where we built and repaired instruments and ran a coffeehouse featuring the likes of the Hot Mud Family, the Highwoods, Tracy Schwartz and many other traditional folk performers both from the US and the UK. Being a banjo player, I was often around fiddlers and took advantage of free lessons and pointers from area fiddlers such as Sue Truman, Lisa Orenstein, Mary Dushane, and Joe LaRose. In the Blue Eagle Stringband with Dave Neff I had played banjo, but my first experience as a fiddler on stage was with South Forty, where our fiddler, Charlie Williams, encouraged me to double fiddle along with him. From there I've been a member of the North Fork Rounders, Bioled Buzzards, and the Mustell House Muscrats. For the past fifteen years my concentration has been on attending Mt. Airy Fiddle Convention, Mt. Airy, NC and Clifftop Old Time Music Festival, Clifftop, WV, learning the fiddle, making friends and playing tunes. In 2003 I began recording with Mark Olitsky, one of the best clawhammer banjo players around and Dave Rice, a seasoned guitarist steeped in the old time traditions of accompaniment, as well as a fine harmonica player. That Cd entitled "Gate To Go Through" contains many tunes I learned from WV fiddler Melvin Wine, who shared his treasures freely with whomever would learn. Gerry Milnes, in his tribute to Melvin in "Old Time Herald" says his fiddling is a "conduit" back to an earlier time before radio. Since he was "off the grid" he remained pretty much uninfluenced by modern fiddle styles. And that stream of consciousness into the past suits my sensibilities as I pursue more of those fiddlers of the older styles.