(Fiddlemeister with George Strait's "Ace in the Hole Band",
and Lyle Lovett's "Large Band!")
(photo: B. Elders )
Gene Elders grew up in the conservative little town of Wheaton, Illinois, near Chicago. He studied violin from age six until college, when he changed his instrument focus to study percussion at the American Conservatory of Music in Chicago. Soon, however, he came to believe that saxophone might be the instrument he should have chosen, for like so many other passionate young musicicans searching to find their true voice, Gene had also discovered jazz. He found his musical tastes permanently transformed by the music of Charlie "Bird" Parker, Thelonius Monk, John Coltrane, and Miles Davis. So he ventured to New York and studied jazz improvisation for awhile with renowned teacher, David Baker. His violin would never sound the same again.
So how did this jazz afficionado come to wind up in Texas? Probably the incredibly temperate climate, possibly those wide open spaces, possibly the gentle rolling prairies of the Hill Country, and almost certainly, the legendary abundance of music here - - particularly around this one charming little town of Austin. There were lots of musical people there in 1984; the numbers are increasing yearly. In 1997, the number was figured at around 5000, and the community of musicians is still growing. With so many musicians trying to work, it's apparent that only the most dedicated, the hardest working, and, undoubtedly, most talented, could distinguish themselves from such competition.
Certainly in Gene's case, prodigious talent and unrelenting perseverance have paid off. He is one of the most esteemed players ever to have called Austin home. He and his remarkable 5-string violin have appeared on more albums than can be comfortably listed here.
But to name just a few...........
Austin
Lounge Lizards - Highway Café of the Damned
David Baerwald
- Bedtime Stories
Shawn
Colvin - Tin Cup (soundtrack)
The Derailers
- Full Western Dress
Jim Eanes
- Classic Bluegrass
Betty
Elders - After the Curtain
Betty Elders
- Daddy's Coal
Betty Elders
- Peaceful Existence
Betty Elders
- Crayons
Joe Ely
- The Horse Whisperer (soundtrack)
The Flatlanders
- Now Again
Dan Fogelberg
- River of Souls
Kevin Fowler
- Beer, Bait & Ammo
Kevin Fowler
- High on the Hog
Michael
Fracasso - Love and Trust
Denice Franke -
You Don't Know Me
Denice Franke
- Comfort
Tony Gilkyson
- Sparko
Jack Galdstone
- Buffalo Republic
Paul Glasse -
Paul Glasse
Paul Glasse
- One More Night
Paul Glasse
- Road to Home
Pat Green -
Dancehall Dreamer
Hamilton Pool -
Return to Zero
Butch Hancock
- Eats Away the Night
Harris &
Ryden - Here to Jackson
Terri Hendrix
- Wilory Farm
Sara Hickman -
Spiritual Appliances
Sara Hickman (The
Domestic Science Cub) - Three Women
Tish Hinojosa -
Homeland
Tish Hinojosa
- Culture Swing
Floramay
Holiday - Floramay Holiday
Crow Johnson
- Painting Stories 'Cross the Sky
Emily Kaitz -Household
Word
Robert Earl
Keen - Walking Distance
Hal Michael
Ketchum - Threadbare Alibis
Jimmy Lafave
- Buffalo Returns to the Plains
Jimmy Lafave
- Highway Trance
Tina Lear -
The Road Home
Claire Lynch
- Out in the Country
John Arthur
Martinez - On The Border
Iain Matthews
- God Looked Down
Iain Matthews
- Skeleton Keys
McPeak Brothers
- Classic Bluegrass
Mary Melena
- Something Passing Through
Abra Moore
- Sing
Abra Moore -
Strangest Places
Gary P. Nunn
- Under My Hat
Bruce Robison
- Bruce Robison
Bruce
Robison - Wrapped
Bruce Robison
- Long Way Home From Anywhere
Charlie Robison
- Bandera
Charlie
Robison - Step Right Up
Charlie
Robison - Life of the Party
Darden Smith -
Native Soil
Larry Sparks -
Blue Sparks
Bill Staines
- Going to the West
Bill Staines
- Looking For the Wind
George Strait -
Holdin' My Own
George Strait
- Chill of an Early Fall
George Strait
- Livin' It Up
George Strait -
Ocean Front Property
George Strait
- Strait Out of the Box
George Strait -
Live From the Astrodome
Larry
Stephenson - Webco Classics
Larry
Stephenson - I See God
Eric Taylor
- Eric Taylor
Jeff Talmadge
- Bad Tatoo
Jeff Talmadge -
The Spinning of the World
Jeff Talmadge -
Secret Anniversaries
Rick Trevino -
Townes Van
Zandt - Texas Rain
Chris Wall
- Cowboy Nation
Mitch Watkins
- Strings With Wings
Dale Watson
- Cheatin' Heart Attack
Dale Watson -
Blessed or Damned
Dale Watson
- I Hate These Songs
The Wiggins
Sisters - Minnesota
Walt Wilkins
- Bull Creek Souvenir
Ray Wilkes
- Dark Blue Man
-- Photo by B. Elders
To contact Gene
for your next session,
call Whistling Pig
Records right here in Texas at:
(512)
858-9215, Monday - Friday,
12noon-6pm (or leave a message)
Or, e-mail him HERE!
Just another day at the office..........
Return to Betty's 
page!
