Jim Shumate was a fiddler who gained his notoriety in the 1940s when he played with some of the great musicians of bluegrass, including Bill Monroe & the Bluegrass Boys, Lester Flatt, and Earl Scruggs. He added his flair to the songs of the time, emphasizing ‘long-bow’ fiddling, a style which he discovered listening to Arthur Smith from the Grand Ole Opry.
John Miller (Shumate’s grandson) and Natalyla Weinstein sit down with Laura Boosinger to share some of Jim Shumate’s life and musical background.
Recordings in the Episode:
“Mean Old Ramblin’ Blues”, Jim Shumate
“Rocky Road Blues”, Bill Monroe
“We’ll Meet Again, Sweetheart”, Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs & The Foggy Mountain Boys
“Little Red Shoes”, Jim & Don and Sons of the Carolinas
“Old Country Baptizing”, Zoe & Cloyd
Learn more about Jim Shumate through the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area’s Traditional Artist Directory.