Customer Reviews

Championship Years 1975-84

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Bluegrass fiddle prodigy Mark O'Connor blew everybody's minds back in the late 1970s and early '80s when one year after another he swept the prestigious National Old Time Fiddler's Contest, (which is held in Weisner, Idaho). In 1973, the first year he competed, the 11-year old O'Connor came in second, despite having only picked up the fiddle a few months before. After that, from 1975-84, he dominated the competition to such a remarkable extent that the judges kept changing the rules so that he would not be able to hold a lock on individual contests year after year. This generously-programmed album gathers together a few dozen of his best performances... admittedly, the sound quality isn't the greatest, but his performances are uniformly stunning. Anyone interested in O'Connor's early years, when he was more deeply rooted in traditional music than he later became, should definitely check this out. It will explain a lot about this guy's tremendous influence on the world of bluegrass fiddling.

I cannot praise this album enough. I am a fiddle player and can play decently the second version of "Sally Gooden" but, believe me, it's not easy. This gives you a good idea of the sheer talent Mark has. If you love fiddle music at its best, pick this up. If you want to learn from arguably the best that has ever lived, pick this up. I've never heard anyone play like Mark, probably never will. Experience it for yourself if you like.
Peace,
Dave

I found the Championship years very beneficial if one is attempting to learn Western Style fiddling. It is a great tool in listening from a great performer. I actually bought the book ten or twelve years ago and finally a few months ago found the CD for it. The CD has helped greatly in mastering the style. Without listening to the CD it is almost like stabbing in the dark. I recommend it highly to anyone who just has no opporunity in being around Western style fiddlers. The internet does have some of Mark playing western fiddling but this CD had a lot more tunes. Also for those classical players it is a break from practicing scales and appregios. It was one of the main reasons why I got into this style and other fiddle styles. However, like anything any one style can become a rut. Thus I off and on play Western style fiddling so as to keep a freshness to it. The CD has renewed my interest.