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Feb 26, 1898 - Mar 19, 1988 "Fiddlin'" Sid Harkreader grew up in the farmlands of Middle Tennessee's Wilson County. During World War I, he left his father's farm to work at a munitions plant just outside of Nashville. It was at Melton's Barbershop, a well-known hangout for Nashville's growing community of "old-time" musicians, he met Uncle Dave Macon, a banjo-playing vaudevillian who liked the young fiddler and promptly asked him to join his act. The two toured the southern vaudeville circuit. By the fall of 1925, Sid was performing regularly on Nashville's newly inaugurated WSM radio station on the Barn Dance that would soon be renamed the Grand Ole Opry. |
| I had the great fortune of knowing Fiddlin' Sid Harkreader during the last decade of
his life. I first met Sid at Tootsies Orchid Lounge on Nashville's
lower Broad Street, where I was performing regularly as a
soloist. Being a long-time and serious student of traditional
country and roots music, I was at first awestruck by him and his
rich, deep history and legend. Through-out the years, we became
close friends and I also became more at ease in his presence.
Since we had mutual friends at Tootsies, he often would drop by for a drink and we'd sit and discuss 'the good ole days'. Often times those sessions would last until closing time. Oh, what tales! In the summer of 1979, I was recording a 45 RPM of 'The Christmas Carol No One Listens For' for release later in the year. It occurred to me that I might confront Sid about doing a "Rag" version of the song for the "B" side … and featuring him as the artist. Well, thank God, he willingly agreed. Soon after, I lugged my recorder over to his apartment on Shelby Avenue to attempt it. I recall it was a very hot summer's day and his little apartment was a bit stuffy. But soon (into the 'Christmas spirit') we were 'carolling away' — instrumentally at least. Sid fiddled up his usual storm … and I, hackin' away a guitar background! It all turned out to be a pretty 'cool' little rag tune. I still love hearing it to this day! After we had gotten two takes down, the telephone rang. Sid was talking to the caller and at last returned to the room sayin', " … that was some fella named John Hartford. He wants to come by and play some music with me. Did you ever hear of him?" I couldn't believe my ears! Well, need I say, having a brand new reel-to-reel tape with me and along with my recorder so handy and all and with John's consent of course, I got the whole memorable day recorded for prosperity! And, man-o-man, might I say them two fellows were cookin'! I was doing my absolute best to just keep up with them. And, I do mean that! Back to the story about the 45 RPM, 'The Christmas Carol That No One Listens For.' When at last it was released, I had the folks at Tootsies put it on the jukebox. And every time Sid would come in, 'n folks'd play it, he'd just get so happy about that! On several occasions, he mentioned to me that having not recorded since the 1920's, that it really meant a lot to him to have a 'new release' out. And I really felt good about that. Because he had done me such a favor and to see it returned in that way really made it all worth while. Although this 45 RPM is out-of-print presently, the same identical two sides of the record appear in my audio book, "The Carol" wherein Sid is one of the 'fictional' Characters included in the text/story, etc. Both songs have since been re-titled to "The Carol" and "The Carol Rag."There's truly so much more I could say about Sid. But to be brief here, I will fast forward to the sad end. I eventually re-located to Baltimore, Maryland. Sid was placed in a nursing home for what turned out to be his final year. In that time, I would call him on occasions to check in and see how he was doing. My final and most vivid memory of him, was when I returned to Nashville to appear on the Ernest Tubb Midnight Jamboree. Dan Curtis, mandolinist, and I visited him at the nursing home. Standing around his bed, we performed a number of his favorite old hymns. He sang along with us, too on a few. When we performed a tribute song I had written about him, years earlier, 'The Ballad of Fiddlin' Sid Harkreader' that he knew and loved, all the folks including the other patients, doctors and nurses who had gathered about to listen to the music realized who he was. This, I could tell, made him feel so proud. I still can see, to this very moment, his head on the pillow with his eyes closed and tears rimming them, as he sang along on the hymns, 'Amazing Grace, I'll Fly Away,' etc. He was a dear friend … and a hero to me for sure! His name is not, yet, in the Country Music Hall of Fame where it truly belongs! But like his little introduction that he wrote for his autobiography states, I'm sure he's in the the Country Music Hall of Fame that's in Heaven. -- Mark Brine "My mission, my desired goal, and joy in life is to give to the people my talent which I believe is the gift of God which he gave to me. It makes me feel so good inside knowing that God is with me wherever I play my fiddle before an audience. It seems that God is releasing all I have to give each time I play for people. I am thinking and praying that someday before I die, my hopes and prayers will be answered and that I'll go down in history as the greatest fiddler (by the help of God) in my profession, and I'll have the joy of knowing that I have, at least, made people happy along the way, and I'll never be forgotten. I love people, I love music, and God made me that way. How can I lose? I hope someday I can be crowned the greatest fiddler, if not in this world, then in the world to come." -- From the author's forward, 'Fiddlin' Sid's Memoirs, The Autobiography of Sidney J. Harkreader' Edited by Prof. Walter D. Haden; The John Edwards Memorial Foundation, Inc. at the Folklore & Mythology Center, University of California, Los Angeles, CA. Discography Related links: |
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"Since migrating from Cambridge,
Mass to Nashville some three decades ago, Mark Brine has carved out a strong
reputation as an uncompromising traditionalist on the country music scene which
has made him one of the elder statesmen of Americana."
-- Shaun Dale, Cosmik Debris Magazine
"I could listen to him sing all night long … he does a good job that boy does." -- Roy Acuff, Ernest Tubb Midnight Jamboree "A fine young man who I think has a great future." -- Hank Snow, Grand Ole Opry "Brine could easily have been added to the cast of 'O Brother, Where Art Thou' without raising an eyebrow. He belongs to that group of artists whose individuality and quirkiness consign them to the periphery of what's commercially viable. But God bless him for not just being another cog in the musical wheel." -- James McSweeney, Flyin Shoes |
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"Brine writes wonderful story songs about ordinary people
and ordinary places. To tell these stories, Mark has a voice that is
as comfortable as a favourite coat."
-- Pete Smith, Country Music Round Up "I think what makes Mark Brine such a gifted songwriter/storyteller is the fact that he seems to be such an obvious fan of many genres of music. He's someone who is like a sponge when it comes to reintegrating influences into his own work." -- Gail Worley, Ink 19 "His career has pursued the path of a truly independent artist - someone who follows his soul and does things his own way … his ability to write and produce has made his name synonymous with quality." -- Doug Floyd, AltCountryTab.com ©2006 Mark Brine Music. All rights reserved. |