Media Contact: Leanne Ingle, Communications Specialist, 360-704-4508; e-mail: lingle@trlib.org.

The Friends of the William G. Reed Library (Shelton Timberland Library) are inviting adults and families to Phil and Vivian Williams’ lively presentation, "Fiddle Tunes of the Lewis and Clark Era" at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 7 at the Shelton library, 710 W Alder Street. The performance is free of charge. It will be preceded by a short business meeting for the election of the Friends group’s 2005 officers.

Lewis and Clark brought to the Pacific Northwest the first fiddlers of which we have any record. The Corps of Discovery leaders knew that the Indians really liked fiddling and recruited fiddlers George Gibson and Pierre Cruzatte. The fiddle was used throughout the trip to make friends with the Indians and to help with trading for horses and the Natives’ assistance.

Considerable research by the Williams and Dr. Howard Marshall of the University of Missouri, has uncovered the tunes that were commonly played by fiddlers around 1800. The Williams will play authentic music of the era on fiddles, guitar, frame drum, sounden horn, and Jew's-harp – instruments used by members of the expedition. The program also includes some of the history of the tunes up to the present day as well as quotes from Corps of Discovery journals about fiddling, dancing and interchanges with the Indians.

The Williams have co-founded the Seattle Folklore Society, Northwest Folklife and the Washington Old Time Fiddlers Association to preserve the musical heritage of the Pacific Northwest. With their performances they keep the music itself alive.

For more information, please contact the Shelton Timberland Library at (360) 426-1362.