Jake Krack
Encyclopedia
Jake Krack born in 1984 to Reed and Dara Krack is a prominent young old-time
fiddler and fiddle teacher from Nicut, West Virginia
. He began fiddling at age six or eight. His teachers include Bobby Taylor, Lester McCumbers
, Melvin Wine
, Brad Leftwich
, Joe Thompson, Wilson Douglas, and Glen Smith.
He received a B.A. degree from Berea College
in Kentucky in 2007, where his friends called him "Jack". He has had two internships: at the Smithsonian Institution
with music archivist Jeff Place and with the West Virginia Humanities Council, working on the Mountain Music Heritage Project.
Krack performed on the A Prairie Home Companion
radio program in 1998, and on the Mountain Stage
radio program in 2000. Also in 2000 he performed at the Millennium Stage of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
. He performed at MerleFest
in 2002 and in the 2003 Smithsonian Folklife Festival
.
He has won first place in old-time fiddle at the Galax Fiddlers Convention in Galax, Virginia
(2003, 2006, and 2008), the Henry Reed Festival (2007), the Clifftop festival in Clifftop, Fayette County, West Virginia
(2006), the Mount Airy Fiddlers' Convention in Mount Airy, North Carolina
(2002, 2004, and 2009), and the under-60 category at the Vandalia Gathering in Charleston, West Virginia
(2002).
He compiled, arranged, and co-produced the 2007 Smithsonian Folkways
CD Classic Old-time Fiddle From Smithsonian Folkways, and coproduced Lester McCumbers' CD Old Timey.
He was featured in The New York Times
in 1999 and appeared in the 2004 PBS documentary Soundmix: Five Young Musicians.
Old-time music
Old-time music is a genre of North American folk music, with roots in the folk music of many countries, including England, Scotland, Ireland and countries in Africa. It developed along with various North American folk dances, such as square dance, buck dance, and clogging. The genre also...
fiddler and fiddle teacher from Nicut, West Virginia
Nicut, West Virginia
Nicut is an unincorporated community in Calhoun County, West Virginia, United States.-Notable residents:*Jake Krack, old-time fiddler*Lester McCumbers, old-time fiddler...
. He began fiddling at age six or eight. His teachers include Bobby Taylor, Lester McCumbers
Lester McCumbers
Lester McCumbers is an old-time fiddler from Nicut, West Virginia. His students include Erynn Marshall and Jake Krack.He also makes fiddles, sometimes using local woods....
, Melvin Wine
Melvin Wine
Melvin Wine was an American old-time fiddler from the state of West Virginia. He lived in Copen, in Braxton County, West Virginia....
, Brad Leftwich
Brad Leftwich
Brad Leftwich is a prominent American old-time fiddle and banjo player and teacher. He is originally from Oklahoma.Leftwich was a founding member of the Plank Road String Band in the mid-1970s...
, Joe Thompson, Wilson Douglas, and Glen Smith.
He received a B.A. degree from Berea College
Berea College
Berea College is a liberal arts work college in Berea, Kentucky , founded in 1855. Current full-time enrollment is 1,514 students...
in Kentucky in 2007, where his friends called him "Jack". He has had two internships: at the Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
with music archivist Jeff Place and with the West Virginia Humanities Council, working on the Mountain Music Heritage Project.
Krack performed on the A Prairie Home Companion
A Prairie Home Companion
A Prairie Home Companion is a live radio variety show created and hosted by Garrison Keillor. The show runs on Saturdays from 5 to 7 p.m. Central Time, and usually originates from the Fitzgerald Theater in Saint Paul, Minnesota, although it is frequently taken on the road...
radio program in 1998, and on the Mountain Stage
Mountain Stage
Mountain Stage is a two-hour music radio show, first aired in 1983, produced by WV Public Broadcasting and distributed worldwide by National Public Radio and the Voice of America's satellite radio service. Hosted by Larry Groce, the program showcases diverse music, from the traditional to modern...
radio program in 2000. Also in 2000 he performed at the Millennium Stage of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is a performing arts center located on the Potomac River, adjacent to the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C...
. He performed at MerleFest
MerleFest
MerleFest is an annual "traditional plus" music festival held in Wilkesboro, North Carolina on the campus of Wilkes Community College . The festival, which is held the last weekend in April, is hosted by Grammy Award winner Doc Watson and is named in memory and honor of his son, Eddy Merle Watson,...
in 2002 and in the 2003 Smithsonian Folklife Festival
Smithsonian Folklife Festival
The Smithsonian Folklife Festival, launched in 1967, is an international exhibition of living cultural heritage presented annually in the summer in Washington, D.C. in the United States. It is held for two weeks around the Fourth of July holiday...
.
He has won first place in old-time fiddle at the Galax Fiddlers Convention in Galax, Virginia
Galax, Virginia
Galax is an independent city in the southwestern part of the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is bounded to the northeast by Carroll County and to the southwest by Grayson County. The population was 7,042 as of 2010...
(2003, 2006, and 2008), the Henry Reed Festival (2007), the Clifftop festival in Clifftop, Fayette County, West Virginia
Clifftop, Fayette County, West Virginia
Clifftop is an unincorporated community in Fayette County, West Virginia, United States.It is the home of historic Camp Washington-Carver, which hosts the Appalachian String Band Music Festival the first weekend in August....
(2006), the Mount Airy Fiddlers' Convention in Mount Airy, North Carolina
Mount Airy, North Carolina
Mount Airy is a city in Surry County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 10,388.-History:Mount Airy was settled in the 1750s as a stagecoach stop on the road between Winston-Salem and Galax, Virginia. It was named for a nearby plantation...
(2002, 2004, and 2009), and the under-60 category at the Vandalia Gathering in Charleston, West Virginia
Charleston, West Virginia
Charleston is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of West Virginia. It is located at the confluence of the Elk and Kanawha Rivers in Kanawha County. As of the 2010 census, it has a population of 51,400, and its metropolitan area 304,214. It is the county seat of Kanawha County.Early...
(2002).
He compiled, arranged, and co-produced the 2007 Smithsonian Folkways
Smithsonian Folkways
Smithsonian Folkways is the nonprofit record label of the Smithsonian Institution. It is a part of the Smithsonian's Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, located at Capital Gallery in downtown Washington, D.C. The label was founded in 1987 after the family of Moses Asch, founder of Folkways...
CD Classic Old-time Fiddle From Smithsonian Folkways, and coproduced Lester McCumbers' CD Old Timey.
He was featured in The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
in 1999 and appeared in the 2004 PBS documentary Soundmix: Five Young Musicians.
As leader
- Second Time Around
- Hope I'll Join the Band
- Wire Fire
- Home at Last
- One More Time
- How 'bout that
- Git er Done
External links
- Jake Krack official site
- Article in The New York Times, October 10, 1999
Video
- Clifftop documentary featuring Jake Krack