Fiddler Joe Thompson died at the age of 93 on Monday night. Thompson, who lived in Mebane, N.C., was one of the few remaining traditional black fiddlers in the country. He received the National Endowment for the Arts Heritage Fellowship in 2007.
A nationally known folk musician, Thompson was a strong inspiration and mentor for the Carolina Chocolate Drops. The group regularly met with Thompson to learn traditional songs and practice. They all recorded an album, Joe Thompson and the Carolina Chocolate Drops, which was released in 2009.
Chocolate Drops member Dom Flemmons posted on Facebook:
I just got the news that Joe Thompson passed away today! Its a sad day to see him go but fortunately he was able to see his music reach a larger audience as well as receive a National Heritage Fellowship. We’ll miss him!
Here’s a video of the Chocolate Drops and Thompson performing together in 2007:
This article appears in Feb 21-27, 2012.
