Jim Evans is a fine, old style Texas hoedown fiddler. I just can’t seem to sit still when he starts to fiddle. Briar Patch is one of the tunes he taught at a recent workshop in district 8 of the Washington Old Time Fiddlers Association. His bowing style is a vigorous back and forth saw-stroke with the occasional shuffle bow thrown in to keep the dancers on their toes. Born near Fort Worth, Texas in 1920, Jim learned to play from his father and several other local old time fiddlers. He plays a lot of the old time square dance tunes as well as some very danceable waltzes, two-steps and fox trots. Catch him at one of the fiddle shows or playing this tune on Northwest Folklife’s ‘Washington Traditional Fiddlers Project: Volume I.’ Jim is also featured in the WOTFA production, ‘Roses in Winter.’
February, 2003