Master Fiddle Man Kenny Baker Suffers Stroke

[Fretbear]

The Master Fiddler. God bless him, he will never be forgotten.
While not a member of the seminal 1946 "Original Bluegrass Band", his contributions and importance to the genre made him one of the longest-serving and most important members of The Bluegrass Boys.

"Bluegrass fiddler Kenny Baker was born on June 26, 1926, in Jenkins, KY. Both his father and grandfather were fiddlers, and by eight years old, Kenny himself had picked up the instrument.
By 1957, Baker was playing bluegrass full-time as a member of Bill Monroe's band, the Bluegrass Boys."

"Let her rip, son......"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rz4Oh...eature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBbOqrJxVLQ&NR=1

[Mike Bunting]

In Calgary, 1977, Kenny kicked off Muleskinner Blues with a note on the fiddle that made the hair on the back my neck stand up, just one note played in the perfect place and time and tone and I'll always remember it. The whole song was in one note!

[Mike Bunting]

And I'll repost this picture from Montreal around '76 I believe.

[Ivan Kelsall]

Very,very sad news indeed. Kenny Baker was one of my 2 all time favourite Bluegrass Fiddle players. As long as Bluegrass music is around,his name will be remembered - RIP Kenny,
Ivan

[f5loar]

This is really sad to hear. Kenny was booked to perform at Monroe's 100th BD Party in Owensboro in a few months. He was the man when it came to all things Monroe.

[mrmando]

[almeriastrings]

A legend passes - but he left his mark and as long as there is Bluegrass, Kenny will always be a huge part of it.

[Bogle]

I had the honor of seeing and hearing Kenny play many times through the years.....he knew me as me "one of those trouble-makin' boys from California". His tone, taste, and style, to me, were unmatched; not to mention his sense of humor! Give a listen to "Bluegrass in the Backwoods" from his "Frost on the Pumpkin" album/cd.....truly a superb example of his musical thought process and prowess. Words can never describe this loss.

[AlanN]

RIP, Kenny Baker.

I first saw him in mid-70's in Monroe band at the Old Tucson BG festival. I sat at the foot of stage, tape recorder in hand. He just smiled at the long-haired kid down front.

I used to listen to a Saturday morning radio show, the DJ would open each week with the same tune off Farmyard Swing, had Bobby O. on mandolin. So many of today's fiddlers cite Kenny - Aubrey Haynie, Mark O'Connor, Ray Legere - all know of his greatness. Today, I'll pick Johnny The Blacksmith.

[mandolino maximus]

Maybe this should be a reminder that we won't get many more chances to see these great musicians.

http://www.bluegrass-museum.org/general/home.php

[John McGann]

“Ornery and irascible, cheerful and charming, demanding musically yet frequently found jamming all night with sleepy, mediocre musicians, stubborn and bullheaded, witty and warm, Kenny Baker, like bluegrass music itself, is complex, contradictory and deep,” wrote music scholar (and western band Riders in the Sky leader) Douglas Green in the liner notes to Mr. Baker’s 1976 album, Kenny Baker Plays Bill Monroe.

[allenhopkins]

Not to be forgotten is Baker's guitar skill as well; the duet albums he did with "Josh" Graves were excellent.

Samples from The Puritan Sessions.

[Mandolin Mick]

When I first got into Bluegrass, I bought Bill Monroe's Uncle Pen LP in the cutout bin ...
was totally blown away by Baker's Fiddling. I wish they'd release this on CD.

[Marty Henrickson]

RIP Kenny Baker. A truly inspirational fiddle master. I can imagine the jam session going on up there now.

[doc holiday]

Kenny Baker was the quintessential Bluegrass Fiddler....RIP

[Pete Martin]

I've been listening to Portrait of a Bluegrass Fiddler ALL day today. Am very sad at this news. He was the best.

Maybe we can get County Records to re issue all those records, not just a few. I'm going to email and ask them. Anybody else that wants to, the address is

info@countysales.com

[mandolirius]

I've been listening to Portrait of a Bluegrass Fiddler ALL day today. Am very sad at this news. He was the best.

Maybe we can get County Records to re issue all those records, not just a few. I'm going to email and ask them. Anybody else that wants to, the address is

info@countysales.com

Great idea, Pete. I'd love to see a comprehensive box set of Kenny Baker. I'd buy that!

[bones12]

His long life has left us with so very much. His awe- inspiring elegant playing always seems to be so effortless but it really always raised the hair on my neck. His genius was the template for all great fiddling, his life filled every tune he played. RIP Mr Baker. Doug in Vermont

[Mike Pilgrim]

I had the honor of seeing Mr. Baker live twice in the 70s, both times with Mr. Monroe. To this day I have never seen a more perfect bowing arm.

I wore the grooves off Dry & Dusty and Portrait Of A Bluegrass Fiddler.

Here's a very nice version of Jerusalem Ridge:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpzoLAwZ-gs

Thanks for everything, Mr. Baker.

[Jim Garber]

Great to see him play Jerusalem Ridge with Bill on mandolin from 1985 Aly Bain tv show. For some reason, Youtube does not allow it to embed here, so click on the link to go to Youtube.

[doc holiday]

I've had my Kenny Baker CDs stacked up here the last couple of days. Just listening to "Spider Bit The Baby," w/ 3 great fiddlers on it. Kenny Baker on the solos, the twin fiddles with Blaine Sprouse, Aubrey Haynie on mandolin. "Ashland Breakdown" just makes the hair on my neck stand up...

[Scotti Adams]

Viewing will be at Burdine Freewill Baptist Church, 11549 HWY 805, Burdine, Kentucky 41517, on Monday (7/11) from 5:00 ‘til 8:00 p.m.

The funeral will take place at the church at 2pm. on Tuesday (7/12).

Flowers should be sent to the Church at the address above.

[AlanN]

A question for the crowd:

I read somewhere he started with Monroe in 1957, then left in 1984. Who replaced him? I know Tater Tate, Jimmy Campbell fiddled in the band. Anybody else? I imagine Bill always longed for that Kenny Baker sound after he was gone.

Been messing with Grassy Fiddle Blues, Twinkle Little Star, Bluegrass In The Backwoods and a cool little number The Other Side Of Baker, from Sam Bush.

Kenny left a legacy.

[Russ Jordan]

I think Robert Bowlin played fiddle for Monroe in some of the post-Baker years.

The Southern Flavor cd (1988) used Mike Fagan, Bobby Hicks and Buddy Spicher on fiddles, which makes me think Mike Fagan must have played in the band for a while.

Did Glen Duncan fill in some too?

[farmerjones]

This is a hell of thing to wake up to. Poor Kenny, his suffering is over. I'm selfishly dissapointed, i won't get to meet him or hear him play live. Y'all that did are lucky. Along with some local mentors, Kenny Baker and John Hartford, have been my most influential chararcters.

Alan,
Kenny played with "The Old Man" a couple times. As did many.
This cat has made a pretty formidable websight dedicated to Bluegrass Boys and when they played.
http://doodah.net/bgb/index.html
http://doodah.net/bgb/KennyBaker.html