We are sad to say we lost a hero. Byron Berline passed on July 10th, 2021. Byron's legacy was noted by so many accomplishments and accolades. Byron was a recording artist who played on songs by: Gram Parsons, Elton John, the Byrds, Earl Scruggs, the Band, Lucinda Williams, the Dillards, the Doobie Brothers, Rod Stewart, Gene Clark, Emmylou Harris, the Eagles, Bill Wyman, Joe Diffie, Tammy Wynette and Doc Watson. Byron founded the Oklahoma International Bluegrass Festival and founded The Double Stop Fiddle Shop in Guthrie, OK. The list goes on. What is undeniable about Byron Berline is his influence on young and old fiddle players.
John Chapman shared a few words on how Byron influenced him. Just one of so many stories being shared on this sad day.
There are many markers in a musicians life. Things that significantly change their path, things that reinforce ideas, and things that inspire. One man that did all three of those things for me passed away today, his name was Byron Berline.
As a boy, when I was learning to play, one of the albums that influenced me most was a record entitled “Dad’s Favorites”. This album had all the great fiddle tunes played with such power and excitement. This is how I wanted to play fiddle.
A few years later I was going through a bit of a down time in my playing. I was doing a lot of fiddle contests, and was a little bummed with some of the criticism I was getting. Mainly comments of sounding too “Bluegrassy” (whatever that means). A friend of ours talked us into going to a jam where he said he had someone he wanted me to meet. That person was Byron. He relit the fire in me. He let me know my sound was my sound, and made me believe he liked it.
The third time he made his mark was quite a few years later. By this time we were a touring band, and even though most of the time I was playing guitar, I felt it was time to invest in a really great bow. We decided Byron’s shop was the place to drive to. We showed up and Byron took me to a room where he housed drawers of great bows. When I got there none other than the great John Hartford was sitting in there also shopping bows. Now most shop owners would have spent all of their time with a celebrity like John, but that was not the case this time. He introduced me to him and we both sat and tried out various bows. Many way above my budget and some right in. I walked away with the same bow I have today, and an amazing memory and experience. One I’ll never forget.
These are just three of the major markers in my career that Byron was a part of. There are others, and I know there are thousands of other young musicians that have similar stories. Though there are so many accomplishments he made in his own career, he made sure that others also had amazing experiences.
So today as I write this I’m sad. Not just sad for the loss of an icon, a legend, and a pioneer. I’m sad because I never really got to tell him how much he had meant to me. Goodbye Byron. Thank you for all the music. Thank you for all the paths you cleared for people like me, and thank you for all you did to influence this player.
In lieu of Byron's passing, we ask you to celebrate his legacy by listening to his catalog, and consider donating to the OIBF scholarship fund. (email: scholarship@oibf.com)
