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He may not be one that many (if any) on this board are familiar with, but within his own genre, Jerry Holland was widely considered one of the best.
Jerry was a fiddler who played mainly Cape Breton folk music, from the Nova Scotia region of Canada, as well as traditional Irish and Scottish folk tunes. He performed with the Cape Breton Symphony and then went on to pioneer a more modern take on the folk style. This new style and the tunes that he wrote inspired the new generation of folk fiddlers. He released 11 albums and two books of music.
Two years ago, he was diagnosed with cancer and was unable to perform any longer. Folk music, while it can be a career, hardly pays as much as rock or pop music. His friends, fans, and fellow musicians banded together to help him, holding fundraisers to pay for his medical expenses. Unfortunately, he lost his battle and passed away last night at the age of 54.
I thought this board might be a fitting place for a tribute, because the last time I saw him, I was student-teaching one of his classes.
He was one of the friendliest, kindest people I've known, and made amazing contributions to all of the Celtic folk music genres. It seems like such a shock that anything could stop him, much less end his life. When I last saw him, he had severe arthritis in his hands and arms that were already making it difficult for him to play. Instead of putting away the fiddle or taking it easy, he had his instrument custom-fitted with a bridge that was flatter than usual, allowing him to play with less strain on his arm. I would go out after the classes with him and we'd play out on the porch with other musicians until 1 or 2am. I'd go home, tired, only to come back at 8am and find out that he'd *just* finished playing. His music really was his life.
I'll miss him.
Jerry was a fiddler who played mainly Cape Breton folk music, from the Nova Scotia region of Canada, as well as traditional Irish and Scottish folk tunes. He performed with the Cape Breton Symphony and then went on to pioneer a more modern take on the folk style. This new style and the tunes that he wrote inspired the new generation of folk fiddlers. He released 11 albums and two books of music.
Two years ago, he was diagnosed with cancer and was unable to perform any longer. Folk music, while it can be a career, hardly pays as much as rock or pop music. His friends, fans, and fellow musicians banded together to help him, holding fundraisers to pay for his medical expenses. Unfortunately, he lost his battle and passed away last night at the age of 54.
I thought this board might be a fitting place for a tribute, because the last time I saw him, I was student-teaching one of his classes.
He was one of the friendliest, kindest people I've known, and made amazing contributions to all of the Celtic folk music genres. It seems like such a shock that anything could stop him, much less end his life. When I last saw him, he had severe arthritis in his hands and arms that were already making it difficult for him to play. Instead of putting away the fiddle or taking it easy, he had his instrument custom-fitted with a bridge that was flatter than usual, allowing him to play with less strain on his arm. I would go out after the classes with him and we'd play out on the porch with other musicians until 1 or 2am. I'd go home, tired, only to come back at 8am and find out that he'd *just* finished playing. His music really was his life.
I'll miss him.