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Show i I 1 Carpenter uses skill in fiddle malting gTMoryTarTBird Trov Burton is a carpenter by trade, ivmling to trv out and expand his skill, he'set out to make his own fuldle. It's the hardest thing you will ever s.,id Trov Burton, 'if anyone wants to try their skill, they can try their skill there." According to Doris Burton, his wife, This winter when we were in Arizona wemet a fiddle maker. Troy said, 'I could make better fiddles than those.' So we got some books on how and visited Peter Pryes in Salt Lake." -Last winter I decided I would try," said Troy. Trov went to work making his own fiddle's. One of the first things he had to do was to make and build most of his own tools. Troy began his fiddle project the first part of February. Since that time he has completed one fiddle and is in the process of making another one. He is also in the process of making a potter's pot-ter's wheel. "It took him more time to do this than to build our son's house." said Doris. Charlie Hoe. an old man who lived with Joe Dodds, both of whom were prospectors, built the first fiddle Troy had ever seen. He admired this interesting in-teresting instrument. Charlie also built him spurs out of pitchfork tines, but it was the fiddle that intrigued Troy. "I've always been interested in w hat he did," said Troy. "I've always wanted to build one." Not only did Troy have to make most of his tools, but he had to make all of his patterns and everything he needed need-ed before he could actually make the fiddle. "I tried to learn how to play one first," said Mr. Burton. His discovery of his music talent and beginning first started while still a young man. Troy began playing the harmonica when he was out of high school and fed cows all winter for Guy Rife in Wyoming. Wyom-ing. While snowed in, he found an old harmonica in a sheep camp. He began playing the harmonica for his own enjoyment en-joyment and to pass the time. He was too bashful to play it for other people. In 1951 Troy married Doris Karren. She was the only one that he would play for. Doris said. "My mother bought him a harmonica for Christmas but she never heard him play it until 30 years later." Doris played the auto harp with Thelma Thacker. They tried to get Troy to play with them, but he was too bashful. He would go along and just listen to them. One time when he went along just to listen, he ended up doing something he hadn't planned on. Doris said, "I slipped his harmonica in my purse. When they said. 'Why didn't you bring your harmonica?' he said. T wish I had,' thinking he was safe. I said. "You did bring it.' and handed it to him. I got a black look but he played." t - -. r iCJ ' I ' " ' v, '; V, r h'. f J ' k " n . - . SANDING AND CARVING a piece of wood so it is just right is Troy Burton. He is working on making his second fiddle. He began his first one this last February. Alter that incident, they played together. Dale Cameron was asked to do a church program. He asked Troy and Doris if they would play for the program. "Troy refused but finally came, sat on a chair on the stage and played so quietly you couldn't hear him. Finally he slowly scooted his chair off the stage behind the curtain and then the harmonica came to life," said Mrs. Burton. Doris soon tired of playing the auto harp. She took up playing the banjo. "We started playing all around," she said. "We went to Arizona and my mother bought me a mandolin for my birthday," birth-day," said Mrs. Burton. "Troy started playing it. He actually took it away from me. Wre found he was a natural at picking." Doris said, "He wanted an expensive expen-sive mandolin, so we bought him one for Christmas. He called me and said he sold his old mandolin and I said, 'Hey, that was my birthday present.' He said, 'Oh, I forgot.'" Doris had always wanted to have a fiddle, so Troy told her he would buy her one when they went to Arizona. "He wasn't going to touch it, but before we got home, he had taken it over. So, I started playing the guitar to accompany him," she said. Troy and Doris started playing in a dance band. Troy played the guitar and banjo and mandolin sometimes besides other instruments. "I also played the banjo, mandolin, uke banjo, and novelty things like pitchforks pit-chforks and spoons," said Doris. "We were playing so much it was hard with both of us working. It was getting to be work and there were so many things we wanted to do. We quit the band and played only for fun," said Doris. Troy and Doris have been attending fiddle contests all over the western states and have made many musical friends. They visit and play with many of these friends. One of their friends is the famous fiddler Lyman Keeling and his Smokey Mountain boys. The Burtons aren't the only fiddlers in the family. Their grandchildren are fast becoming fiddlers, too. They are learning how to play on fiddles just their size. Doris has been teaching guitar to her grandson, Brandon Brooks, and some other children. Troy has taught Brandon to pick the mandolin and Doris is also teaching him how to play the base fiddle. Troy wants to make three fiddles so each of his grandchildren have their own fiddle. Then his next big task is making a mandolin. According to Mr. Burton, it's a hobby hob-by right now. Eventually he will probably pro-bably make them to sell. Mr. Burton has built three homes for them to live in. He built everything in the house they are presently living in including the fireplace, according to Mrs. Burton. Troy worked for Ashton's for 20 years when they had their construction business. Then he went to work for Vernal City as a carpenter. He also has a carpenter shop there and one at home. Mr. Burton does finish work for people, peo-ple, also. According to Mrs. Burton, Troy has built the cabinets in some of the fanciest houses in Vernal. With the desire to build a fiddle and the skill as a carpenter, Troy Burton was able to do something he has always wanted to do as well as expand his skill even more. 4 1 - vv,j'i.v l -.00 VT P? " i X -' .... !.RY BURTON had to make all of the 3 la,nt1 Perns he needed for the fid- started his fiddle proiect the first part of February f ' ' i t . i ;.. - r . v ; ) w v r ' - V f " I iVl . I It ; ' " ; ir ' v .. ; . . :) .v A V F-C: I ..... .. : ' ' . ."" ' ... " TROY BURTON shows the fiddle he made (left) and the one a man named Charlie Hoe made. He began the task of making his own fiddle this last February. Before he could make it, he had to make all of the tools and patterns for the fiddle to make it with. He is now in the process of making mak-ing his second one. IN THE BURTON'S music room in their . home, three musicians show their music talent. Om the mandolin is Brandon Brooks (left) with Mandy Brooks and Troy Burton on fiddle. Troy wants to make at least three fiddles, one for each of his grandchildren. He also wants to make a mandoline after he makes the fiddles. |