The musical legacy of John Hartford continues with The John Hartford Fiddle Tune Project: The Tour. Mandolinist Sharon Gilchrist, fiddle player Rachel Baiman, and banjo/guitarist Ella Korth bring newly discovered Hartford tunes to old-time and bluegrass fans everywhere. These compositions, found handwritten in 60 notebooks after John’s death, were compiled in The John Hartford Mammoth Collection of Fiddle Tunes, and recorded on the GRAMMY-nominated album, The John Hartford Fiddle Tune Project Vol. 1, and Vol. 2: Julia Belle. Julia Belle was co-produced by Gilchrist and released in February 2025. The John Hartford Fiddle Tune Project is passionate about sharing these tunes far and wide so that they can become part of the roots music canon for future musicians to love and enjoy.
The John Hartford Fiddle Project has performed at festivals such as The Earl Scruggs Music Festival, Cowichan Bluegrass Festival, the Folky Fish Festival and has toured house concerts throughout the States. The Project also presents workshops teaching tunes from Hartford’s Mammoth Collection of Fiddle Tunes book, aspects of Hartford's iconic songwriting and creative ensemble practices that Hartford implimented in his own band.
About
Renowned mandolinist Sharon Gilchrist has performed and recorded with several of John Hartford’s musical contemporaries including the Peter Rowan & Tony Rice Quartet, Scott Nygaard & John Reischman in the Harmonic Tone Revealers, Darol Anger, Laurie Lewis & the Right Hands. Sharon has also performed and recorded with the acoustic string bands Uncle Earl and Della Mae who, like Hartford are known for creating their own sound within traditional music. She is an influential music educator offering multiple online mandolin courses at pegheadnation.com and teaching at music camps around the globe. In 2024, Sharon joined the John Hartford Fiddle Tune Project, Vol. 2 as an artist and co-producer alongside Katie Harford Hogue, Megan Lynch Chowning and guest producer Alison Brown.
Rachel Baiman has spent the last decade working as a musician in a wide variety of roles, from session musician (Molly Tuttle, Kelsey Waldon, Caroline Spence), to live sidewoman (Kacey Musgraves, Amy Ray), to bandmate and producer (Nicholas Jamerson, Josie Tonney). Known in the bluegrass and old-time world for her work with progressive fiddle duo 10 String Symphony, Rachel represents the new generation that carries on John Hartford’s legacy as both an instrumentalist and songwriter. Since 2017, Baiman has toured her solo project internationally with appearances at the Kilkenny Roots Festival in Ireland, the Mullum Music Festival in Australia, and the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage in Washington, DC.
Guitar and Banjo phenom Ella Korth has been touring as a side musician with Leith Ross in Europe, the US and Canada, and played guitar for GRAMMY Award-winning John Reischman’s band at the Canadian Folk Music Awards. With her own musical project, Ella has played a number of festivals, including Kluane Mountain Bluegrass Festival, NimbleFingers, Cowichan Valley Bluegrass Festival, Oly Old Time and Folk’n Fiddle Music Festival. Passionate about songwriting and co-writing, Ella won a Kootenay Music award for “Best Roots Song” in 2018.
Workshops + Music Camps
Whenever the members of the Fiddle Tune Project head out on the road, they look for an opportunity to not only play these wonderful John Hartford tunes, but teach them as well. All workshops will teach tunes from the recently discovered collection of John Hartford's original music, as well as a deep dive into John Hartford's songwriting style and an exploration of his infamous Windows Exercise which is all about learning to get creative and improvise.
Fiddle tunes from the Vol. 2 album
Elements in Hartford’s songwriting
Hartford’s Stringband excercise to encourage creative interplay in back-up
Hartford’s impact on fiddle playing
Fiddle with Rachel Baiman
Clawhammer banjo and guitar with Ella Korth
Mandolin and bass with Sharon Gilchrist
Ensemble work with Rachel, Sharon and Ella
Photo Credit: Snap Jackson
Sharon Gilchrist
Renowned mandolinist Sharon Gilchrist is an influential music educator offering multiple online mandolin courses at pegheadnation.com and teaching at music camps around the globe.
Photo Credit: Nick Helderman
Known in the bluegrass and old-time world for her work with progressive fiddle duo 10 String Symphony, Rachel represents the new generation that carries on John Hartford’s legacy as both an instrumentalist and songwriter.
Rachel Baimain
Photo Credit: Victoria Jeffrey
Ella Korth is guitar player and singer-songwriter who has toured as a side musician with Leith Ross in Europe, the US and Canada, and played guitar for GRAMMY Award-winning John Reischman’s band at the Canadian Folk Music Awards.