Calvin Vollrath facts for kids

Calvin Vollrath was born on May 16, 1960. He is a Canadian fiddler and composer. He is known for playing the fiddle in the Métis style. This is a special style of music from the Métis people of Canada. Calvin lives in St. Paul, Alberta.

Calvin Vollrath has won many awards for his fiddling. He won the Grand North American Old Time Fiddle Championship in 1985 and again in 1998. He has also been a judge for the Canadian Grand Masters Fiddle Competition. In 2005, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Canadian Grand Masters Fiddling Association.

He has taught at many fiddle camps, helping new fiddlers learn. Calvin has played with famous musicians like John Arcand. His music mixes different styles, including jazz, Métis tradition, French Canadian, Scottish, Irish, and pop music. He has inspired many Canadian fiddlers, such as April Verch and Patti Kusturok. Another famous fiddler, Jerry Holland, even wrote a song for him called "Calvin, Fiddler's Idol."

Calvin has shared Canadian music around the world. He played at the World Music Expo in Berlin in 2000. He was also the first fiddler to play at an NHL hockey game. This happened when the Edmonton Oilers invited him to play during the Stanley Cup Finals in 1988. He has recorded music with artists like Ian Tyson and George Fox. The CBC even made a TV show about Métis fiddling that featured Calvin.

In 2010, Calvin composed and performed five fiddle tunes for the 2010 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony. These tunes showed the different styles of fiddling found in Canada.

Early Life and Musical Journey

Calvin Vollrath's love for music started when he was very young. His father, Art "Lefty" Vollrath, was also a great fiddler. Calvin's father grew up near Barrhead, Alberta, and five of his brothers also played the fiddle. Calvin's father became well-known in the Edmonton area for his fiddling. He passed this musical tradition on to Calvin.

When Calvin was a little boy, he would pretend to play the fiddle using two butter knives, just like his dad. He grew up listening to the TV show Don Messer's Jubilee. Calvin received his first real fiddle when he was eight years old. It quickly became clear that he was a natural talent. At 13, he entered his first fiddle contest. By the time he was 17, he was already winning championship titles in various fiddle competitions.

A Career in Music

In 1982, Calvin Vollrath joined a band called Clearwater. He played swing, jazz, and country music with them. This helped him become very good at playing backup fiddle for other musicians. He later joined other bands, including Danny Hooper's band and the Jess Lee Band.

In 1988, Calvin started teaching at the Emma Lake Fiddle Camp. Since then, he has taught at many fiddle camps across Canada and the United States. He also gives fiddle workshops for all skill levels. He has taught in countries like Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Great Britain. He also teaches online through his website.

Calvin started his own recording studio in Edmonton. When he moved to St. Paul, Alberta, in 1998, he named it Astromonical Studios. He also plays acoustic guitar and bass. He records backup fiddle for many different music projects in his studio.

Calvin Vollrath is a very creative composer. He has written almost 700 fiddle tunes! He has also released more than 70 albums. He has published many music books and an instructional DVD to help others learn.

He wrote the main song for a big international fiddle event called 'Fiddles of the World'. This event took place in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in July 1999.

Awards and Recognition

Fiddle Achievements

• Grand North American Fiddle Champion (1985, 1998): This is a major award for fiddlers in North America.
• North American Fiddlers' Hall of Fame (2011): He was added to this special group on July 31, 2011, for his amazing contributions to fiddling.
• Lifetime Achievement Award from The Canadian Grand Masters Fiddling Championship (2005): He received this award in August 2005 for his outstanding work in Old Time Fiddling.

Country Music Promotion

• Lifetime Achievement Award from the Alberta Men of Country Music (AMOCM) in 2007.
• Bev Munro Award in 2009: This award was given by the Association of Canadian Country Music Legends.

Community Honors

In 2016, Calvin's name was placed on the welcome signs for the town of St. Paul, Alberta. This was a special way to honor him in his community.

Discography

• Special Delivery (2021)
• 20/20 Fiddlin'-Calvin Vollrath and Friends Volumes 1 and 2 (2020)
• The Gift (2019)
• The Old Wagon Wheel (2018)
• Me, Myself & I (2017)
• A Fiddle of This, A Fiddle of That (2016)
• Fiddle Lickin' Good (2016)
• TGIF (2016)
• 'Approved' Canadian Fiddler (2015)
• 'Certified' Canadian Fiddler (2015)
• The Journey (2014)
• Vintage Vollrath (2014)
• Unmistakable (2013)
• Super'CALiFIDDLE'istic (2013)
• Spring Creek (2012)
• The Homecoming (2012)
• Fiddle Nation (2011)
• Dancing Northern Lights (2010)
• 50 (2009)
• Fiddle (2008)
• Looking Back, 25 Years of Recording (2007)
• The Big C (2006)
• The Big C02 (2006)
• Air Mail Special (2005)
• Strings of Pearl (2005)
• Métis Style Fiddle (2005)
• Car Tunes (2004)
• Just for the Swing of It (2004)
• New Fiddle Classics (2003)
• Maple Sugar and Other Old Time Favorites (2003)
• Friendship (2002)
• Calvin Vollrath Waltzes (2002)
• Fiddle According to Cal (2002)
• Autumn in Vermont (2001)
• Uncommon Sense (2001)
• Fiddling My Way (2001)
• This Old Tune (2001)
• Live, From Our Place (2001)
• Fiddillennium, Volume 1 (2000)
• Fiddillennium, Volume 2 (2000)
• Steppin' Out (2000)
• Precious Melodies (2000)
• Old Time Dance Party (1999)
• UFO Sessions 99 (1999)
• Bonjour comment ça va (1999)
• Let it Jig, Let it Jig, Let it Jig (1999)
• Thanks to Emma (1998)
• Jiggin' at the OK Corral (1998)
• Tamarack'r Down (1997)
• 20 of my Favorites (1996)
• Instrumentally Yours: Somethin' Different (1995)
• Live From Calvin's Kitchen (1995)
• Métis Old Time Dance Tunes (1995)
• Red River Trails (1995)
• Cracklin' Fire (1994)
• Too Close For Comfort (1994)
• Wild Alberta Rose (1993)
• Cat Gut Boogie (1993)
• New & Used (1989)
• Fiddlin' Again (1984)
• Red River Jig & Other Old Time Fiddle Favorites (1983)
• The Reel Thing (1981)

Calvin Vollrath has also recorded many other sessions with different country artists. These include live recordings from the Emma Lake Fiddle Camp and other musicians.