Benny Thomasson: Legendary Texas Fiddler: Recordings from 1966-1969

BENNY THOMASSON Legendary Texas Fiddler: Recordings from 1966-1969 County 2737

CLARK KESSINGER Last Fiddle Album Tri-Agle-Far 707

Competitive fiddling has its own heroes. The style that generally wins at Weiser Idaho and other fiddle contests is known as Texas Competition Fiddling and there are no two finer examples of the style than Benny Thomasson and Clark Kessinger.

Benny Thomasson, along with Eck Robertson, virtually invented the style which involves taking a common fiddle tune and composing numerous variations allowing the player to show off his abilities up and down the neck. Long bow technique is employed, meaning that many notes are elicited from one long bow stroke and cross tuning is generally frowned upon.

The Thomasson CD is a reissue of a recording released in the 1960s with the addition of about a half dozen extra selections. Most interesting are the last two selections which were recorded live at the finals of the 1965 Gilmer, Texas fiddle contest. You really get to hear Benny stretch out on "Blackberry Blossom" and "Lime Rock." Hearing Benny Thomasson at the top of his form is a wonder to behold.

West Virginian Clark Kessinger was an early hero to Benny Thomasson. His early Kessinger Brothers 78s with his nephew Luches were a source for many aspiring fiddlers. Bobby Taylor, a great fan of Kessinger's fiddling, states in the liner notes that this recording was originally released posthumously as a memorial album with few copies pressed. This may account for the brevity of the CD. This is a live recording which finds Kessinger playing very well with what seems to be the wild back-up of Gene Meade on guitar, although no personnel is listed on the CD. The edits are rather abrupt between tracks and it appears to be mastered from the original LP, but the playing is strong and spirited.

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