Texas Fiddle Archive: Jimmie Don Bates

Welcome!

This blog is for the sharing of non-copyrighted or out-of-print Texas style fiddle music. If you believe something posted here should not be shared, please contact me. Feel free to share this site on social media via Facebook, YouTube, etc.

If you download something, please share something back, too. Also, if you have information about any of these recordings, please pass it along. The goal of this site is to preserve the music with as much supplemental information as we can get!

Most of the music is shared in a .zip file format. You must decompress the .zip file before you can access and play the individual .mp3 songs. It's pretty easy with both Windows and Mac.

DISCLAIMER:

Much of this music was recorded from old worn cassettes that have been sitting in a box deteriorating for years. So...sometimes it sounds like music recorded from old worn cassettes that have been deteriorating for years. It's not studio quality, but it is good enough that you will still love the music.

Showing posts with label Jimmie Don Bates. Show all posts

Tuesday, August 14, 2018

Seminary South Contest 1987

Seminary South Fiddle Contest, held in Fort Worth, Texas, 1987. Soooo many great fiddlers on this recording: Matt Hartz, Joey McKenzie, Terry Morris, Ricky Turpin, Marilyn Trotter, Jason Crisp, Carl Hopkins, Randy Elmore, Wes Westmoreland III, Bart Trotter, Wade Stockton, and Jimmie Don Bates. I really love how these old contest recordings capture the energy and camaraderie of the moment. This is a really fun one!

Download Link: Seminary South Contest 1987 (152 MB)

Monday, October 2, 2017

Jimmie Don Bates and Friends July 1986

This is the first part of a jam session that also featured Terry Morris. I'll post Terry's part at a later date. The "friends" aren't listed anywhere on the tape, but at various times I can hear: Bobby Christman, Anthony Mature, Joey McKenzie, and Matt Hartz.

Download Link: Jimmie Don Bates and Friends July 1986 (18MB)

Friday, August 14, 2015

Jimmie Don Bates with Joey and Jason 1987

Here's four tunes played by Jimmie Don Bates in the summer of 1987. Recorded on my little AIWA hand held cassette recorder in the kitchen of Matt Hartz' home in Boise, Idaho. Jason Crisp is on the guitar and Joey McKenzie is on tenor guitar. If you listen closely, at one point you can hear Jason Crisp jokingly offer Matt's mom $3 to fold his laundry...she did not.

Download Link: Jimmie Don with Joey and Jason 1987 (19MB)

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Jimmie Don Bates with Matt Hartz and Joey McKenzie

Jimmie Don Bates is the greatest Texas-style fiddle player around. This phenomenal jam was recorded around 1987 at Matt Hartz' home. Joey McKenzie is on guitar and Matt is on tenor guitar. You'll definitely catch yourself listening to the rhythm section a lot, too. A true clinic. A true classic. If you don't like this, we probably can't be friends.

Download Link: Jimmie Don Bates at Matt's (107 MB)

Monday, February 18, 2013

Joey and Terry Fiddle Contest 1987

These were great contests (and I use the term "contests" very loosely). The Joey and Terry Fiddle Contest was an annual fiddle party held in Spokane, WA during the mid-1980's, expertly MC'd and hosted by Joey McKenzie and Terry Ludiker. There is a lot of phenomenal fiddling here by: Jimmie Don Bates, Matt Hartz, Tony Ludiker, Jason Crisp, Tim Hodgson, and Leslie Overland. Lord, I hope this is the family-friendly version...

Download Link: Joey and Terry Fiddle Contest 1987 (186 MB)

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Halletsville 1985

In honor of this week's Texas State Championship, first up is a tape of the finals at Hallettsville, 1985. This is the tape that got everyone in the Northwest so excited to start going to the annual Fiddlers' Frolics. Recorded on cassette by Tim Hodgson, this year featured an epic battle between Terry Morris, Jimmie Don Bates, and Carl Hopkins.

Download Link: Hallettsville 1985 (194 MB)