HomeMy WebLinkAbout28th Huron Pioneer Thresher Reunion, 1989-09-06, Page 6PAGE A-6. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1989.
Jim McCall s love
affair with fiddling,
composing, continues
Number 1 fiddlin fan
Playing for his number one fan is Jim McCall of RR 1, Blyth who is a player,
songwriter, violin mechanicand fiddle lover. Mr. McCall and his wife Effie attend
the reunion every year where Mr. McCall displays his fiddling talent and Mrs.
McCall displays her home-made quilts.
BY LISA BOONSTOPPEL
He’s an old-tyme fiddler, a songwriter, a
music teacher, a violin fixer and seller and
a dedicated Blyth Thresher Reunion atten-
der. He is Jim McCall of RR 1, Blyth who’s
sure to be on stage at the Fiddler’s
Jamboree on Friday night.
“You can’t get in the arena very long
without hearing me,” this music lover
jokingly admits. For over 65 years this
multi-talented musician has been showing
off his stuff.
He started fiddling in public school and
continued practising the instrument right
through the war where he carried his violin
everywhere he went in the air force. He’s
not sure whether or not his fellow air-force
cadets appreciated it or not.
“I just took to the violin,” remembers
Mr. McCall who is still fascinated with the
difficult instrument. “You can do so many
things with them,” he said.
Now, he has over a half a dozen violins at
his home, his home being a true indication
of his love for music. First of all, the gate
posts on both sides of his laneway are
decorated with treble clefs. The rec room
reveals an impressive array of violins, a
statuesque piano and books of self-written
music.
“I guess I am a songwriter,” said Mr.
McCall who started writing songs about 10
years ago. He publishes the songs on his
own in their own folder that he artistically
designs himself. He writes gospel music of
which he has about 13 songs, and
children’s songs. Most of the material is
written for the piano but can be adapted for
violin and he also composes violin music.
“My grandchildren just love to come and
sing with me,” says this proud grandfather
who wrote “Robin-Red-Breast Charlie”
and “My Cat Sally-sue”, favourites of the
kids. There is usually a bit of a moral to his
songs.
Mr. McCall shares his violin playing
skills with students who come to his home
to learn how to play the violin. He’s been
teaching for the past 10 years but he also
taught when he was younger. “I teach my
students to play by note,” he says,
although sometimes he does teaching
using the Suzuki method which is teaching
people to play by ear up to a certain point
and then converting them onto the notes.
During the Thresher Reunion weekend,
Mr. McCall and his wife Effie, can be
found inside the arena at the craft show
where they have a booth together. Mr.
McCall sells his music and some violins
while Mrs. McCall displays and sells her
hand-made quilts. He also repairs violins
at the booth.
But, Mr. McCall doesn’t confine his
violin playing to Blyth, he and his wife
travel all over to participate in fiddle
jamborees. “Fiddling is a lot of fun,” he
says and he really enjoys the jamborees in
Point Clark, Lakeside, Mitchell, Atwood
and Brussels.
But, Blyth is still number one for this
fiddle lover because it goes on so much
longer.
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