Jim's Hopf Fiddle
I play bluegrass and oldtime fiddle. This Hopf
fiddle has been my primary fiddle since 1951 when I purchased
it from an elderly violin repairman who had it for many years
as his personal violin.
The Hopf violin is German in orgin. The man I purchased
it from claimed it was very old, perhaps from the mid-1800s. It
is a very loud, resonant fiddle.
Over the years I have played country music, bluegrass, and oldtime
fiddle in various contexts. In college, I played in a country and western band to help pay my way. In later years, I have
played mostly at impromptu jam sessions. For several years I played
in the Danielsville Jam most Thursday nights. Danielsville is
about 20 miles out of Athens and folks with instruments would
gather at a restaurant in D-ville each Thursday. There were several
regulars and many occasional pickers. The sessions were stopped
when health problems caused the owner of the restaurant to close
and sell the building. More recently, I join the jam session here on the UGa campus each Tuesday and Thursday around noon, weather and schedules pemitting. When the Hog Mountain Boys (from Watkinsville) are in a bind for a fiddle player, they sometimes call on me.
I enjoy playing fiddle but do not find the time for much of it
anymore. I am not particular good, but I can handle it well enough
to take the lead on many of the old standards, such as Orange
Blossom Special, Faded Love, Maiden's Prayer, San Antonio Rose,
Devil's Dream, Arkansas Traveler, Soldier's Joy, Ragtime Annie,
Draggin the Bow, etc.
I have done a little fiddle repair and rebuilding. I own several.
A picture from a few years ago (notice the hair!).
Another picture from long ago.