Conclusion - Byron's Song

In 1995, my cousin Byron moved to Oklahoma and opened the Double Stop Fiddle Shop in Guthrie. It was friends jamming together upstairs at the fiddle shop that came together as the Byron Berline Band. They're still together, touring the U.S. and Europe. They also have a tradition of doing two shows a month in Guthrie for the locals.

Also that year, his solo album "Fiddle & a Song" --- featuring Earl Scruggs, Bill Monroe, Vince Gill, and Mason Williams --- was nominated for a Grammy in the Best Bluegrass Album category. And a single from that album, "Sally Goodin" was nominated for Best Country & Western Instrumental Performance.

In 1997, he founded the annual Oklahoma International Bluegrass Festival, which draws top bluegrass talent from around the world.

Byron's music has appeared in many TV and motion picture soundtracks including  Star Trek, Blue Collar, Basic Instinct, Blaze, Back to the Future, Stay Hungry, and Run, Simon, Run.

Here's a link to what I call "Byron's Song" because it's a song about Byron Berline.  It's actually called "Skippin' Along the Top," and I don't know who's singing it (doesn't say on the YouTube video), but Byron fiddles and chimes in every now and then to answer questions and this song really shows the versatility of this great musician. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2Aem5j95KA&list=PLWl1C8k1ZuOiw8DmKFJBKjX02QYA8PBFv&index=4

In his long career, Byron has recorded with:

Bob Dylan

The Rolling Stones

Elton John

the Byrds

Willie Nelson

Doc Watson

John Denver

Rod Stewart

the Eagles

the Band

Gram Parsons

Emmylou Harris

Tammy Wynette

Alabama

Mary Chapin Carpenter

the Doobie Brothers

Mickey Gilley

Linda Ronstadt

and others too numerous to mention! 

Congratulations to Byron Berline, Oklahoma's Ambassador of Goodwill, for his induction into the National Fiddler's Hall of Fame last month and for all of his amazing work over a long career in music.

DANG, BYRON, 
I'M MIGHTY PROUD 
TO CALL YOU KINFOLK!