Album Notes

This old-time music supergroup featured the legendary fiddling of Brad Leftwich fueled by the superb rhythm section of Bob Herring on guitar and Linda Higginbotham on banjo uke.

Twelve of the 22 cuts were recorded in one take at home using a single microphone and were previously issued on cassette in the early 1990’s. These cuts include banjo whiz Randy Marmouze and the incomparable Dirk Powell on stand-up bass. Ten more (previously unreleased) cuts were recorded at a live performance with ace Ray Alden on banjo and also include Dirk on 4 cuts. All cuts were remastered for this recording.

The Humdingers were the first winners of the Traditional Old-Time Band contest at Clifftop, WV and Brad was the first winner of the fiddle contest. The Humdingers performed semi-professionally in this configuration for several years, yet they never rehearsed, and were essentially just a group of friends from Bloomington, Indiana who played together for fun and also happened to be incredibly good at it.

“this is a gem for old-time fans.” County Sales

“it’s the real stuff--get it.” Pete Sutherland, Old-Time Herald

Brad took up both fiddle and banjo as a teenager, inspired by the traditional banjo/fiddle duets of his grandfather and great-uncle, as well as the old-time singing and guitar-playing of his father. He later sought out and learned from many of the last great traditional musicians born around the turn of the 20th century. His most influential mentor was Tommy Jarrell whom he met the summer he turned 20. Tommy had known and played with Brad's grandfather's family and his mother-in-law was a Leftwich. It was Tommy who initiated Brad into the secrets and subtleties of old-time style and helped make him the master fiddler he became.
Brad has been performing and teaching traditional music for over thirty years solo and in bands including Plank Road, Leftwich & Higginbotham, the Humdingers, and Tom, Brad & Alice. His music has appeared on dozens of recordings and he has instructional materials with Homespun Tapes and Mel Bay.