Wyoming Arts Council

Casper fiddler listened to teacher’s advice


Great article by Hannah Wiest in Sunday’s Casper Star-Tribune about a Casper fiddler who’s made good in Nashville.

Justin Williamson is returning to Casper this week as a member of Brad Paisley’s band. Justin grew up in Casper and had the benefits of a great violin teacher in Jim Mothersbaugh. He prepped Justin for his 1996 college audition at Nashville’s Belmont University. Justin practiced the last movement of Mendelssohn’s violin concerto, which, Mothersbaugh said, is faster, higher and harder than most classical violin pieces. It enabled Williamson’s fingers to fly like a fiddle player’s, but showed his grasp of classical technique.

A few years later, when Jim saw Justin playing with Paisley’s band on Jay Leno, he knew that his student has followed his advice:

“I knew what kind of talent he was. I knew how hard he worked. And I knew he’d listened to my advice: Be on time, be prepared, do what people ask, and don’t play with a beer in your hand.”

Read the entire article at http://www.trib.com/.

Brad Paisley and band will be at the Casper Events Center for the “Bonfires and Amplifiers” tour on Thursday, Jan. 17.


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