Flame Keeper introduces Michael Cleveland as a fully formed fiddle virtuoso, a remarkable fact given that he was still a teenager when he began competing and winning major fiddle contests. Born blind in 1980 in rural Indiana, Cleveland displayed prodigious ability on the instrument from childhood, developing a command of bluegrass fiddle vocabulary that astonished fellow musicians. The 2002 album features 'Goodbye Old Pal' and 'Shenandoah Waltz,' showcasing the tonal richness and technical precision that would make Cleveland a multiple Grammy Award winner in subsequent years. His ability to render both the hard-driving breakdown style and the more lyrical waltz tradition with equal authority marked him as a complete musician. Flame Keeper announced the arrival of an artist who would spend the next two decades demonstrating that bluegrass fiddle was still evolving.
Tracklist
- 1 Dance Around Molly 2:21
- 2 Six Feet Under The Ground 2:23
- 3 North Carolina Breakdown 2:00
- 4 Lost Indian alt version 3:06
- 5 Prayer Bells of Heaven alt version 3:06
- 6 Blue Violet Waltz 3:19
- 7 Rye Straw 1:28
- 8 Too Late To Walk The Floor 2:14
- 9 Virginia Darling 2:36
- 10 Will You Be Satisfied That Way 3:00
- 11 Bear Creek Hop 1:31
- 12 Goodbye Old Pal Source Recording 2:40
- 13 Two O'Clock In The Morning 2:44
- 14 Shenandoah Waltz Source Recording 2:47
- 15 Lee Highway Blues 3:04
