A few weeks ago, Fear Cheoil and I traveled to Nashville to visit with another family of Cunninghams, Sean and Frances. We aren't blood related that we know of, but we all love Celtic music and Frances and I both raise chickens. Go figure.
Recently, Frances, who usually plays Irish style bouzouki, has joined the Mike Snider Old-Time String Band. They have a regular gig on the weekends at The Grand Ole Opry, but the Saturday afternoon we visited, they were playing in East Nashville, at a wonderful place called The Fiddle House. Band member Brian Christianson and his wife opened the shop and listening room a year ago. It is small, but it is mighty.
The Fiddle House, East Nashville, Tennessee
Brian also makes and repairs fiddles and bows in the workshop that takes up the front of the house. He is very neat. I wish our workbench looked like this.
Brian's workbench.
The back part of the house is set up as a listening room. It's small enough that you can hear acoustic music without a sound system.
L-R Matt Combs, Brian Christianson, Todd Cook (in the back),
Mike Snider, Frances Cunningham.
They usually play old time tunes, but Mike likes the Irish hymn, Be Thou My Vision. I have to admit it's one of my favorites, too.
Here's a video of them playing it at The Fiddle House.
I love to hear music like this. It invites you to listen instead of assaulting your ears. Maybe I'm just getting old.
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