Lester McCumbers
Encyclopedia
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.
He utilizes the "pancake grip" when holding his fiddle; that is, he rests the fiddle against his chest rather than under his chin, with the palm of his hand flat against the bottom of the fiddle's neck.
In December 1937, at the age of 16, McCumbers married the singer Malinda (known as Linda) McCumbers, with whom he performed for many decades. They had nine children together, some of whom are also musicians. Their son Roger, who played banjo, died in 1998 at age 43.
McCumbers often performs with his wife and children, as well as the banjo player Kim Johnson, who lives near him. He is a frequent visitor to the Appalachian String Band Music Festival
in Clifftop, Fayette County, West Virginia
, where he has won first prize in the fiddle competition for his age group.
McCumbers was featured in The New York Times
in 1999.
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 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...
. His students include Erynn Marshall
Erynn Marshall
Erynn Marshall is a Canadian old-time fiddler, ethnomusicologist, teacher, author.She was originally from Victoria, British Columbia and later lived in Gibsons, British Columbia. In 1998 she traveled to Toronto to pursue graduate studies at York University, graduating in 2003 with an M.A. degree...
and Jake Krack
Jake Krack
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...
.
He also makes fiddles, sometimes using local woods.
He utilizes the "pancake grip" when holding his fiddle; that is, he rests the fiddle against his chest rather than under his chin, with the palm of his hand flat against the bottom of the fiddle's neck.
In December 1937, at the age of 16, McCumbers married the singer Malinda (known as Linda) McCumbers, with whom he performed for many decades. They had nine children together, some of whom are also musicians. Their son Roger, who played banjo, died in 1998 at age 43.
McCumbers often performs with his wife and children, as well as the banjo player Kim Johnson, who lives near him. He is a frequent visitor to the Appalachian String Band Music Festival
Appalachian String Band Music Festival
The Appalachian String Band Music Festival is a weeklong gathering of thousands of string band musicians and their friends from across the country and around the world, who each year since 1990 have assembled near the New River Gorge in West Virginia in late July/early August to celebrate the...
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....
, where he has won first prize in the fiddle competition for his age group.
McCumbers 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.
External links
Video
- Clifftop documentary featuring Lester McCumbers