I was introduced to Stephen
Vincent Benet's poem Mountain Whippoorwill my sophomore year
at BJU when one of my classmates performed it for us in class. I fell
in love with it and Benet's charming fiddle player has been my lifelong
companion ever since. I have performed it numerous times and places
throughout my life.
What you've just heard
is a few lines from the very first stanza. It's a story about an innocent
young fiddle player who travels to a county fair to compete with some
of the best in the land.