Obit: Byron Berline: 1944 - July 10, 2021

12 Jul 21 - 12:06 AM (#4113005)
Subject: Obit: Byron Berline 1944 - July 10, 2021
From: Stilly River Sage

Someone posted this obituary on the Facebook page and never came over here to share it as well, so I'm starting this post (probably to edit out this note later - but PLEASE keep the substantive information in threads here, NOT on Facebook!)

Byron Berline, Acclaimed Fiddler, 1944-2021 (Full text of obit copied here to preserve the information.)

Covid–19 has claimed the life of another musical luminary. Byron Berline, a three-time national fiddle champion and a leading figure on the contemporary bluegrass music scene, died July 10, 2021 – just a few days after turning 77.

Berline, who was born in Kansas and lived in Oklahoma, started playing fiddle at the age of five, and played on the Dillards’ Pickin’ and Fiddlin’ album (1965) while still in college. Just after graduating from the University of Oklahoma, he had a short stint with Bill Monroe & the Bluegrass Boys in 1967, before being drafted into the U.S. Army. During that time, Berline co-wrote “Gold Rush,” now a jam session standard, with Monroe.

Here’s a link to short video of Berline and Mark O’Connor playing “Gold Rush” during a workshop at the 2016 Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield, Kansas:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXpzsasGvBc

Berline won the National Oldtime Fiddlers’ Contest Championship in 1965, 1967 and 1970. He recorded two albums with The Flying Burrito Brothers, whom he joined in 1971, and briefly worked with Stephen Stills’ band Manassas following the Burrito’s breakup. In early 1972, he helped to form the band Country Gazette before launching Byron Berline and Sundance with guitarist Dan Crary, banjoist John Hickman and others a few years later. Vince Gill later joined the band on mandolin, an instrument that Berline also played.

In 1981, Berline helped form the band Berline, Crary, and Hickman. After a few personnel changes, that band later became California and was named Instrumental Group of the Year by the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) for three consecutive years (1992, 1993 and 1994).

Berline moved to Guthrie, Oklahoma (his wife’s hometown) in 1995, where he owned and operated the Double Stop Fiddle Shop & Music Hall until his death. Jam sessions there led to the formation of The Byron Berline Band that toured throughout the U.S. and Europe. Although the original shop and most of his prized instruments were destroyed in a fire in 2019, Berline opened another one across the street from it.

Over the years, Berline also created the annual Oklahoma International Bluegrass Festival, released several solo albums, and recorded with such notable artists as Alabama, The Byrds, Mary Chapin Carpenter, John Denver, Joe Diffie, The Doobie Brothers, Bob Dylan, The Eagles, Mickey Gilley, Emmylou Harris, Janis Ian, Elton John, Willie Nelson, Earl Scruggs, Andy Statman, Rod Stewart, and Lucinda Williams. A number of film and television soundtracks have also featured his music. Berline was inducted into The National Fiddler Hall of Fame in 2013.

Here’s a link to a 2017 video of Byron Berline in the studios of The Oklahoman discussing how he got into music and learned to play, among other things:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEmO3Lv39Ew

And here’s one of Berline performing in The Oklahoman’s studios:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=2fu5MOcjvJYhttp://acousticmusicscene.com/2021/07/11/byron-berline-acclaimed-fiddler-1944-2021/

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12 Jul 21 - 03:57 AM (#4113013)
Subject: RE: Obit: Byron Berline: 1944 - July 10, 2021 (COVID)
From: GerryM

I saw an obit in Variety online that didn't mention Covid:

Berline’s family posted on his Facebook page that he had been recovering from a stroke. “Byron suffered a stroke in the cerebellum which affected his coordination and vision. He was making improvements with his eyes and coordination, and getting stronger. After a few weeks he began aspirating food into his lungs which led to increased invasive treatments which he couldn’t recover from. Eventually his lungs gave up and so did his heart. He passed at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, July 10, as his band was going on stage at the Music Hall.”

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12 Jul 21 - 04:13 AM (#4113014)
Subject: RE: Obit: Byron Berline: 1944 - July 10, 2021 (COVID)
From: gillymor

If there were a Mt. Rushmore for fiddlers he and the late Vassar Clements would be my first two candidates.

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12 Jul 21 - 05:35 PM (#4113106)
Subject: RE: Obit: Byron Berline: 1944 - July 10, 2021
From: Felipa

another great musician gone

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12 Jul 21 - 06:29 PM (#4113112)
Subject: RE: Obit: Byron Berline: 1944 - July 10, 2021 (COVID)
From: GUEST

Byron passed from complications due to a stroke and NOT Covid. The family has been very upfront with the cause.

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13 Jul 21 - 10:30 AM (#4113214)
Subject: RE: Obit: Byron Berline: 1944 - July 10, 2021 (COVID)
From: Waddon Pete

I was sorry to hear this news. The links in Stilly River's opening post are well worth watching. He was a great fiddler. I have added his name to the "In Memoriam" thread and send my condolences to all those who know and love him. RIP

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15 Jul 21 - 04:05 AM (#4113395)
Subject: RE: Obit: Byron Berline: 1944 - July 10, 2021
From: GUEST,Jerry

Sad news. Was it him that also played on that Rolling Stones album with Honky Tonk Women (and Country Honk in particular) on it?

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15 Jul 21 - 04:19 AM (#4113396)
Subject: RE: Obit: Byron Berline: 1944 - July 10, 2021
From: gillymor

Yep, and legend has it that he played his part on a sidewalk in Los Angeles in order to get the traffic sound heard in the background on Country Honk.

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15 Jul 21 - 05:19 AM (#4113398)
Subject: RE: Obit: Byron Berline: 1944 - July 10, 2021
From: GUEST,Jerry

He also co-wrote Hot Burrito Breakdown, now a standard bluegrass banjo barn burner. Also noteworthy was his routine with the Flying Burrito Brothers (Live shows) where he did a tour de force on a wide range of bird calls on the fiddle, but as they say, I guess you had to be there. Listen to the Mockingbird, if memory serves.

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