Often when we talk about old time music traditions, the conversation is about players from West Virginia or Virginia or North Carolina, the Appalachians, the Blue Ridge and so on, and for some people it’s all about music from certain counties or one side of the mountain vs the other side.

When I was at the Midwest Banjo Camp in the spring I was introduced to another old time tradition – from “Little Egypt” in Southern Illinois, and I started listening to players like Garry Harrison and Chirps Smith. Aha, old time music is everywhere.

Here in Canada, it’s been my experience that many people are unaware of our own old time traditions, from Cape Breton, from Quebec, from the Ottawa Valley, and the fantastic Metis fiddle tradition in the west.

Here is a taste of Metis fiddle – it’s a video I found on YouTube featuring the wonderful fiddler Patti Lamoureux (aka Patti Kusturok). When I hear her music, I just want it to go on and on and never stop.