Violet Hensley
Fiddler, Fiddle Maker and Silver Dollar City Personality
In this interview CBS Evening News, Melissa McNamara visits with Violet in 2007
including footage from Charles Kuralt's 1973 interview.
Here's a new 2014 Violet Hensley feature from PBS:
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/fiddling-spells-friendship-for-pair-of-ozark-musicians/
autobiography including 151 photos
“Whittlin’ and Fiddlin’ My Own Way” reflects nearly a century of experiences through the eyes of Silver Dollar City personality Violet Hensley. The Arkansas Living Treasure Award winner from Yellville, Arkansas was born in 1916, learned to fiddle in 1928 and make fiddles watching her father George W. Brumley in the community of Alamo, Arkansas in 1932.
She raised a family of nine with her late husband Adren Hensley while he moved the family from town to town and state to state.
With the advent of the folk music revival, Violet’s blossoming musical and fiddle-making talents, caught the attention of Grammy ® winner Jimmy Driftwood and the owners of Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri. She joined the crafter’s cast at Silver Dollar City in 1967, becoming part of the City’s celebrities who used radio, television, and newspapers to invite visitors to the amusement park. Sharing her talents in front of millions, she appeared at the National Folk Festival and on television shows such as “The Beverly Hillbillies,” “Captain Kangaroo,” and
“Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee.”
Like! Whittlin' and Fiddlin' My Own Way on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/VioletHensleyStory
Visit this website to see The Arkansas Living Treasure film
"74 Fiddles" by Joe York
http://arkansaslivingtreasure.com/artists/violet-hensley/
For more information about this website or Violet contact whittlinfiddler@gmail.com.
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The Whittlin' Fiddler
of Yellville
All rights reserved. Silver Dollar City photos are used by permission.
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