Loose Leaf Notes

-The following first appeared in The Floyd Press newspaper on October 25, 2018.

Renowned fiddle maker Arthur Conner was a special guest on Sunday as part of the Floyd County Historical Society’s “Things Made of Wood” exhibit at the Floyd Museum.

The 94-year-old Copper Hill native and his wife Ilene were greeted by a steady stream of family, friends and fans. Following the reception, Conner talked about his fiddle making methods, told stories and answered questions.

Conner, one of the most sought after fiddle makers in the country said he made his first fiddle around 1945.  A brother-in-law expressed doubt that Conner could make a fiddle, which gave him the impetus to succeed.  “I learned by doing. I’ve got fiddles all over the world,” Conner said.

Ricky Skaggs and Gene Elders, the fiddle player for George Strait and Lyle Lovett, are some of the musicians with Conner fiddles that Conner’s daughter Katherine was able to recall, but there are more.

Conner figures he’s made over 100 fiddles, a couple of upright base fiddles and four cellos. He’s been known to give a few away and shared stories of a fiddle and a cello that ended up in the Netherlands and Russia after he gifted the musicians who couldn’t afford to buy  them.

Mike Mitchell, a musician, recording artist and owner/ instructor of the Floyd Music School, who played on a Conner violin during the event, said Conner represents “a serious piece of Folk Art history.”

Mitchell has learned how to make fiddles from Conner using Conner’s signature methods, techniques that are the same as they were 100 years ago.  “Arthur came from a generation of people who made their own stuff,” ordering blueprints and tools from Sears Catalog, Mitchell said. “Now we have to go to special schools to learn.”

“Music is from the good Lord,” Conner said at the close of the two-hour open house.  “I tell everybody it’s a salve for the soul … I’ve enjoyed what I’ve done and I’m so thankful,” he added.

Photo captions:  1. Ellie Rowe (left) asked Conner to sign her copy of, Keepers of the Tradition, by Leslie Roberts Gregg and Michael Abraham, which features Conner in one of the book’s Appalachian portraits.  Conner also signed Jayn Avery’s Portrait of Floyd, a Floyd Center for the Arts exhibit catalog in which a photograph of Arthur Conner, taken by Glen McClure, graces the cover. Avery is pictured speaking with Arthur Conner’s wife, Ilene Conner. 2. Fred Quesenberry was among the stream of visitors who warmly greeted Conner during the meet-and-greet reception.  3. The Floyd Music School’s Mike Mitchell played some tunes as visitors mingled. Mitchell was trained in violin/fiddle making by Conner. 4. Gerald Via introduced Conner and Mitchell as Citizen’s Community Show’s Fox Slife focused video recording equipment. Slife said portions of the event will be aired on Citizens TV Channel 20 and on youtube. 5. Along with sharing the ins-and-out of hand-making fiddles, Conner shared stories of his WWII service, driving a truck up the Himalayas with 18 drums of gas. Conner took questions and Mike Mitchell played tunes on his violin, made by Conner. Also pictured is Conner’s wife Ilene.

6. Young musician Cheyenne Grantham (9) performed several tunes with Mitchell, her Floyd Music School instructor.  Grantham was 8 when she won 3^rd place in the 2018 the Galax Youth Fiddle Convention competition.  7. Mike Mitchell explained the difference between a fiddle and a violin, saying that because Conner has always used a classic cut on his bridge “his fiddles have always been just as good a violin as a fiddle.”  8. Conner showed two of his finely crafted personal fiddles that were on display, explaining what wood he used (some from the back of his house) and how they were made. One of those fiddles featured Conner’s carving talent with a decorative animal head on the scroll.