Master Fiddle Man Kenny Baker Suffers Stroke

[Scotti Adams]

Kenny turned 85 on June 26th. Monroe called him the greatest Bluegrass Fiddler.


My prayers go out to Kenny.

Cards can be sent to:


Kenny Baker
c/o Sumner Regional Medical Center
555 Hartsville Pike
Gallatin, TN 37066-2400

[onassis]

IMHO, the best of the best. He and his will be in my prayers.

[Marty Henrickson]

Prayers for Kenny, a true master.

[mandopete]

I will be keeping him in my thoughts.

Get well soon Kenny!

[Mandolin Mick]

I am praying for Kenny ... Godspeed to him ...

[OtherBrotherDug]

Praying for the one Bill Monroe said was the only man that could play 'Jerusalem Ridge' the way it was meant to be played. God speed brother Baker.

[tonyvt]

I met Kenny Baker and Uncle Josh one night at the Station Inn back in the late 90's. Mr. Baker is a true gentleman and my thoughts are with him this evening.

[Ivan Kelsall]

Truly one of the greatest (if not THE greatest) Bluegrass Fiddle players ever. I wish him a speedy recovery,& hopefully, a return to
good health,
Ivan

[Miked]

My prayers go out to Kenny.

[Jmoss]

Praying for the one Bill Monroe said was the only man that could play 'Jerusalem Ridge' the way it was meant to be played. God speed brother Baker.

Yeah, that is interesting. It was that tune that he went out on when he quit the band. Monroe wanted him to play that tune, as I remember from the tape I have of the show, over another tune. Baker wasn't happy about it, but he played it, then walked off the stage.

Jim Moss

[mando_dan]

That's wretched news. May he have a speedy recovery.

[Scotti Adams]

Just got the sad news that Kenny has passed. Stay tuned.

[John McGann]

I've been teaching Denver Belle and Indian Killed a Woodcock to most of my students today...RIP to the classiest bluegrass fiddler ever.

[Mandolin Mick]

He was truly the master ...

[Mike Bunting]

Yehudi Menuhin said that Kenny Baker and Ti-Jean Carignan were two of the worlds greatest fiddlers. His beautiful tone and unsurpassed soulfullness will be sorely missed. Hope he and Bill are playing Jerusalem Ridge once again today.

[woodwizard]

Sad news indeed. RIP Kenny Baker

[Jim Garber]

Sad news, indeed. He was one of my very favorite fiddlers. I am glad to have heard him in person a good handful of times.

[Scotti Adams]

Kenny Baker, perhaps the most celebrated fiddler in the history of Bill Monroe’s Blue Grass Boys, died today at 1:30 p.m. (EDT) in Nashville, after suffering a stroke earlier this week. He was 85 years of age.

[Mike Bunting]

Yeah, that is interesting. It was that tune that he went out on when he quit the band. Monroe wanted him to play that tune, as I remember from the tape I have of the show, over another tune. Baker wasn't happy about it, but he played it, then walked off the stage.

Jim Moss

Jim, you must have some wonderful memories of Mr. Baker.

[mrmando]

Thanks for a lifetime legacy of wonderful tunes, Mr. Baker. You'll be missed but not forgotten.

[Glassweb]

Kenny Baker was born to play the fiddle... can't say enough good things about this humble man and brilliant artist. May you play on high...

[eightmoremiles]

Kenny Baker was also a tremendous guitar player, but I will always remember him as the greatest of all bluegrass fiddlers.

[sgarrity]

What an amazing talent. I got to see him with Uncle Josh in Guthrie, OK back when I was in college. A true legend who left a wonderful legacy.

[Spruce]

OK, San Jose, California, right around 1976...
Some friends and I drove down from Berkeley to catch Bill and the Boys at a fairly large-sized hall...

The venue had hired a sound company that was obviously used to doing large rock concerts--the system was huge and not at all appropriate for a bluegrass band...
With longhairs manning the board...

The first song was a total mess...
Loud, unbalanced, and just an ugly scene...

The band then vamped while Butch Robbins did a soundcheck for each instrument, while Bill imperiously chopped acting like nothing was goin' down...

They then launched into Kentucky Mandolin, and--to all of our amazement--it sounded glorious...
Still loud, yet balanced and incredibly punchy...

Kenny launched into his solo, and it remains the most amazing moment of anything I've witnessed on stage...
And not just bluegrass.
I've seen Zeppelin early in their career, Duke Ellington rip at Monterey, and Ali Akbar Khan and Ravi Shankar trade licks, and that evening of Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys on a cranking hot system remains one of my all-time most jaw-dropping and powerful moments ever...

RIP Kenny...
You smoked it....

[Peter LaMorte]

that evening of Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys on a cranking hot system remains one of my all-time most jaw-dropping and powerful moments ever...

RIP.... Kenny