Benny Thomasson

Benny Thomasson (April 22 1909–1983) was an American fiddler in the Texas style of old-time fiddling.

Thomasson was born in Runnels County, Texas and raised in Gatesville, one of 10 children in a family where music was not only encouraged, it was a key ingredient of life. His parents were Lucas "Red Luke" and Sarah Elizabeth Wright Thomasson. The elder Thomasson played fiddle, as did his brother Ed, Benny's uncle. Thomasson began fiddling at age three, from as soon as he could hold the instrument up without dropping it. His brother, Luke, later wrote a well-known tune titled "Midnight on the Water".cite web| last =Chadbourne| first =Eugene| authorlink =Eugene Chadbourne| title =Midnight on the Water: A Legendary Texas Fiddle Tune| publisher =Amaranth Publishing| year =2005| url =http://www.nationwide.net/~amaranth/MidnightOnTheWater.htm | archiveurl =http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.amaranthpublishing.com/MidnightOnTheWater.htm| archivedate =2006-02-06| accessdate =2008-05-05] The boys were influenced by renowned fiddlers such as Eck Robertson and Lefty Franklin, friends of the Thomasson family.

Thomasson entered his first fiddle contest in the late 1920s, at age 19, and was disappointed when he did not place among the top contestants. [cite web| title =Texas Fiddle Legends: Benny Thomasson and Dick Barrett| publisher =Yazoo Records| year =2000| url =http://www.yazoorecords.com/517.htm| accessdate =2008-05-05] He decided he needed to be different than the others, and began to work on different interpretations of tunes, so he would stand out at contests.cite journal| last =Mendelson| first =Michael| title =Benny Thomasson and the Texas Fiddling Tradition| journal =JEMF Quarterly| volume =10| issue =3| date =Autumn 1974| url =http://slidingscalemusic.com/articles/Benny%20Thomasson/Benny%20Thomasson%20Texas%20trad.pdf| accessdate =2008-05-05]

Thomasson worked hard and took home many trophies. He won several contests multiple times, including the Texas State Championship 15 times, the World Championship three times in a row (1955, 1956 and 1957), and the National Old-time Fiddlers Championship. [cite web| title =Liner notes| work =Say Old Man Can You Play the Fiddle | publisher =Voyager Records| year =1999| url =http://www.voyagerrecords.com/LN345.htm| accessdate =2008-05-05] He improved and improvised on many simple traditional tunes. He practiced and developed controlled improvisation, keeping the tune true to its melody while embellishing and expanding that melody.cite paper| first =Glaser | last = Matt| authorlink = Matt Glaser| title = Controlled improvisation in Texas-style fiddling : Benny Thomasson and Mark O'Connor play Grey Eagle| publisher = Tufts University| date = 1992| url = http://library.tufts.edu/record=b1351095| accessdate =2008-05-05]

In 1928, Thomasson married Beatrice "Bea" Hollander, in Taos, New Mexico. They had four children. Thomasson spent most of his life working as an auto body shop in Dallas, but the Thomassons moved to Washington state in the early 1970s to be nearer their son Dale.

Discography

* "Texas Hoedown" (County 703) - 1965
* "Country Fiddling From the Big State" (County 724)~ 1970
* "Dudley Hill - Guitar: From a Northern Family" (Voyager CD 317) early 1970s, re-released 2002
* "Oldtime Fiddling and Other Folk Music" (Weiser, Idaho Chamber of Commerce) 1972
* "Oldtime Fiddling and Other Folk Music" (Weiser, Idaho) 1973
* "A Jam Session With Benny and Jerry Thomasson" (Voyager VRLP 309) ~1973
* "Texas Fiddle Legends Benny Thomasson and Dick Barrett" (Yazoo 517, VHS video) recorded early 1970s, released late 1990s
* "Say Old Man Can You Play the Fiddle" (Voyager VRCD 345) recorded informally on March 3, 1974, re-released 1999
* "Tenino Old Time Music Festival: 1970 - 1978 Fiddle Tunes and Other Instrumentals" (Voyager CD 367) - 2005

References

External links

* [http://www.fiddlersfrolics.com/halloffame/pages/new_page_6.htm Biography of Thomasson] at Fiddler Frolics Hall of Fame
* [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:hzfwxqlgldae Benny Thomasson] at Allmusic
* [http://www.petimarpress.com/benny1.html article which mentions his death]