We’re having a conversation with Oliver Scanlon, a fiddler and traditional musician based in Syracuse NY. Originally from Vermont, Oliver learned fiddle from the great Pete Sutherland. He played, performed and recorded extensively with Pete over the last 10 years of Pete’s life with Pete’s Posse, playing for hundreds of contradances, concerts and festivals for their nine years as a trio, releasing eight recording projects along the way! Oliver's current dance band is Stove Dragon and he does professional sound and teaches lessons on fiddle and mandolin.

Oliver and I talked about Pete Sutherland a great deal in this conversation as we discussed Oliver's path from learning the fiddle and immediately connecting to folk and traditional music—though perhaps not for the reason you might think—to how he ended up touring the country just out of high school. He talks about lessons he learned along the way and some interesting takes on the different styles he plays. Oliver is a fiddler who does sound and gives us his personal take and recommendation for specific microphones and pickups to use or avoid!

After many of my interviews we have trouble ending the chat—Oliver and I kept on talking about teaching after I'd officially wrapped things up so I stuck that bit on the end of the episode.

Oliver's website
Pete's Posse

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My website for learning to fiddle is Fiddle Studio which has courses and a mailing list and my Top 10 Fiddle Tunes!