When the fiddle appears in a country song, it is undeniably the loudest and most piercing instrument on the track. It can whine, it can hiss, it can do many things the guitar can and cannot. One might argue that it is the official sound of certain sub-genres of country music. And for that reason, it is one of the most important instruments in all types of country music.
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The fiddle can either make one weep or make one dance till there is no tomorrow. Well, we are siding with the happier of those two things today. So, here are three country music fiddle solos that’ll make you start a fire with your feet.
“The Devil Went Down To Georgia” by The Charlie Daniels Band
The Charlie Daniels Band‘s 1979 country-rock classic, “The Devil Went Down To Georgia,” is the epitome of the subgenre. As country rock does, it infuses all of country’s finest elements into a tightly packaged hard-edge rock song, and one of those fine elements in this track is the fiddle.
The fiddle fills and solos in the track are undeniably the most memorable parts of the song. Whether it’s in a duel with the electric guitar or used as a bridge between two verses, Charlie Daniels uses the fiddle not in the right way, but in an absolutely exceptional way.
“Wagon Wheel” by Old Crow Medicine Show
The fiddle is a staple in both folk and bluegrass music, and one modern song encompassing both genres that conveys that fact is Old Crow Medicine Show‘s hit single, “Wagon Wheel”. The fiddle is the driving force behind this Americana classic, and it’s all thanks to OCMS’ frontman and lead fiddler, Ketch Secor.
If you were to take the fiddle out of this song, then it would still be a great song, don’t get us wrong. However, its heart and soul, and ode to the traveling spirit, would be greatly diminished. In other words, “Wagon Wheel” is a fiddle song, and one of the best in country music.
“Thank God I’m A Country Boy” by John Denver
If you find a wood floor and a dance partner on a summer night with John Denver‘s “Thank God I’m A Country Boy” playing, then you’d better bet that venue is going to be burnt to ashes by the time the song is over. This country classic is intoxicatingly joyful, and we are going to say that’s all because of the fiddle.
The fiddle usage in this John Denver staple could not be more exhilarating. If you’ve ever listened to this song, then you know how the fiddle just puts you in a physical trance of motion. If you’re looking for a good ol’ low-down time, then look no further than this song.
Photo by Paul Natkin/Getty Images
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