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03 May 01 - 02:16 PM (#454935) Subject: In Memory of Dink Tweedy - fiddlemaker From: katlaughing When my dad was just a youngster in Colorado, his dad took him to the local fiddlemaker, Mr. Tweedy. My dad was to learn the fiddle from Mr. Tweedy, which he did. Tweedy was one of the finest fiddlemakers from all around the region. My dad has a beautiful and sweet-sounding violin made by him, a long time ago, and I have one which he repaired, putting tiny slivers of wood on the edges of the F holes which were originally too big. If one didn't know to look closely, one would never see the pieces he glued in. Anyway, his son, "Dink", followed in his footsteps and also became THE band and orchestra instrument repairer of Wyoming, lived here in Casper. Over the most recent years, I've spent many delightful afternoons visiting with him in his repair shop behind his house. I didn't know of him when I was a kid, just heard lots of great stories about his dad. When I called him the first time, here, to see if he was still working on fiddles, I asked for "Dink" Tweedy. There was dead silence on the phone, then he asked who was calling. When I told him I was Gardner Hudson's daughter, he started to laugh, saying no one but people from his childhood knew him as "Dink" and he'd not heard it in years. A couple of years ago, I asked Dink to re-hair my bow and also make some repairs to my fiddle, which was a pretty involved job. He showed me the old, worn tools of his father's which he still used. The long board which he used to re-hair bows had a long worn groove, with many knicks and dark patches attesting to the hundreds, maybe even thousands of bows which had nested in its cradle, waiting for the skilled hands of his father, then him. For the entire job, he charged me a paltry $75.00. One time when I was visiting with him, he told me they had file drawers full of fiddle tunes which his dad had written. I had told him of the Mudcat, many times. He enjoyed hearing about us singing to each other on-line and I let him know there would be plenty of interest in his dad's music, if he ever needed a home for it. I hadn't seen Dink or talked to him since last June. He was going to try to make it over when Bill Sables and Allan C. came to visit. As I was so ill that day, I didn't even call him to tell him the time and place. I called his house this morning to ask if I might bring my sister's fiddle over for repair work. His wife answered and when I asked to speak to him, she told me he passed away on Jan. 30th. I was so stunned and felt like an idiot. I broke down in tears and told her how sorry I was to bother her and to hear of his death. I will send her a note, explaining the old time connection and apologise again for not knowing. (I don't get the paper anymore.) Anyway, I wanted to share this with you all. It seems so strange to think that there will never be another Tweedy family fiddlemaker to work on our family's instruments. It's a sad passing and I regret not having seen him one last time. Thanks for listening, kat
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04 May 01 - 02:36 AM (#455486) Subject: RE: In Memory of Dink Tweedy - fiddlemaker From: wysiwyg Aw Kat. Do you suppose he passed his craft on? ~S~ |
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04 May 01 - 02:44 AM (#455493) Subject: RE: In Memory of Dink Tweedy - fiddlemaker From: katlaughing Sadly, Susan, he didn't. One son tried apprenticing for a year and decided it just wasn't for him...too tedious. THEN, he went on to become a very highly respected stained glass windowmaker. The other son just took up fiddle about two years ago, getting the very last fiddle made by the older Tweedy, the one who taught my dad. My sister is still kicking herself for not buying it when it was still for sale. And, I've a broken bow I was going to ask him to mend. Haven't told my dad, yet, feel like it'd just be too sad for him, for awhile. Thanks, kat |
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04 May 01 - 02:52 AM (#455497) Subject: RE: In Memory of Dink Tweedy - fiddlemaker From: wysiwyg Hmm. You can't be the only person he affected so deeply... maybe between the lives of these men, and your telling of it here, a new luthier will draw inspiration against the doubt about whether he (or she) can learn the craft. I am going to print your thread for our next visit to the luthier we see here. He's very special too. If you do not find a good person to repair the bow, I would be more than glad to take yours to him... see Rick's old thread on Fiddle Pegs for info on who, where, etc. He's a young man of the old school. ("Young," LOL! Means, younger than me!) I didn't know you could repair a broken bow... but if you are looking for another one who touches lives deeply, Judd may be your man. ~Susan |
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04 May 01 - 02:55 AM (#455501) Subject: RE: In Memory of Dink Tweedy - fiddlemaker From: katlaughing Thanks, there is someone in Salt Lake that my dad trusts and has used before, so I'd probably just send it to him. I've had two bow tips repaired when I broke them as a vigoruos "whole-bow" violinist in school. Tweedy the Elder first time, then I think Dink did one of them for me. Really incredible craftsmen. |
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04 May 01 - 03:29 PM (#455957) Subject: RE: In Memory of Dink Tweedy - fiddlemaker From: wysiwyg OK. Thanks again for sharing about this. I too have missed the boat with a few people just before they passed... it's a hard thing to take in, when you care so much. There just never seems to be enough time or energy to love everyone as actively and thoroughly as we might like to do, eh? I'm printing this for Hardiman too. Any more stories about these folks would be welcome, if you feel like writing more. ~Susan |