The Violin Remains One of the Most Popular Instruments to Learn as a Child
When he came across this young man,
Sawin’ on a fiddle and playin’ it hot,
And the Devil jumped up on a hickory stump,
And said “Boy, let me tell you what…”
— Charlie Daniels, “The Devil Went Down to Georgia”
The folks at Piero’s Music know a thing or two about multi-instrumentalist sidemen. We started thinking about guys who played the violin and guitar, and we immediately came up with three very accomplished players: Charlie Daniels, Roy Clark and Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown.
A violin – or fiddle, if you prefer – in any of their hands could become an instrument of magic. In fact, we’ve got a fun story about Roy Clark that many people know and love to share.
Roy Clark was an accomplished musician and entertainer, and he made an appearance on The Tonight Show. That appearance brought him recognition that led to a recurring spot on The Beverly Hillbillies, where he showcased his musical talent as well as his playful personality.
While Roy Clark didn’t necessarily set out to be a country artist, he landed in that world, and when the producers of a new show were looking for a co-host, Clark was on their mind. They paired him with country star Buck Owens, and Hee Haw was born. That show’s run would stretch into three decades.
Roy would showcase all of his talent on that show and many others. You can see him playing the guitar, banjo and violin on reruns of the 1970s comedy The Odd Couple or on many TV variety specials. In fact, on The Odd Couple, he plays both classical and country songs, so his violin doubles as a fiddle.
Of course, Roy Clark, like Charlie Daniels and Gatemouth Brown, were special talents. But their ability to play the violin contributed to their development on guitar, and their fearlessness when it came to playing other stringed instruments, like the banjo, the ukelele (which was actually Roy Clark’s first instrument) or the mandolin.
The violin is a challenging instrument to learn, but it makes one of the sweetest sounds. People often forget its presence in popular rock music but think about it for a minute: “Eleanor Rigby” (The Beatles), “Stairway to Heaven” (Led Zeppelin), “Baba O’Riley” (The Who), “Sunday Bloody Sunday” (U2), and “Bittersweet Symphony” (The Verve) all feature fantastic violin parts. And that holds especially true in country music, where crossover hits like “Thank God I’m a Country Boy” (John Denver), “Cowboy, Take Me Away” (Dixie Chicks), or “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” (Charlie Daniels) prominently feature the violin…er…fiddle.
Today, students in late elementary, middle and high school are still drawn to the violin. A recent estimate claims that 16 percent of Americans have studied the violin. The great thing is if you’re living in Bayonne, Jersey City, in Hudson County or even in Staten Island, great teachers are just a stone’s throw away at Piero’s Music. Our terrific staff of teachers, affordable violins for sale, and our outstanding network of technicians to service hand-me-down violins will get you or your child up and playing. And no matter what musical path they follow – classical, country, folk or rock – they will begin a lifetime of fun learning to play the violin.
Piero’s Music, The Little Big Music Store
Bayonne, NJ
Piero’s Music
The Little Big Music Store
Bayonne, NJ
Piero’s Music, the little big music store, is located in Bayonne, New Jersey. We’ve been in business since 1952 and serve new players and experienced musicians alike throughout our local communities of Bayonne, Jersey City, Hoboken, Union City, Weehawken, and Staten Island. We also now boast a Reverb store, where you can check out our offerings online and where we can ship guitars, amps, drums or keyboards directly to you. For friendly personal service and excellent teachers, please visit Piero’s Music.
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942 Broadway, Bayonne NJ
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