Biography

The Fiery Gizzard String Band was officially formed in 1998, although the musicans had been playing music together for years. Charles Higgins and Bob Townsend have been collecting and playing old time fiddle tunes from the south end of the Cumberland Plateau / Sequatchie Valley area of Tennessee and Alabama for over thirty years. While playing in a bluegrass band, Bob and Charles wanted the chance to play more of their old time fiddle tune repertoire. A local contradance sponsored by the Chattanooga Traditional Dance Society, provided the perfect venue to perform these old tunes. With the enlistment of Charles’ son and member of the same bluegrass band, Tim Higgins, the Fiery Gizzard String Band was formed. Tim Higgins (banjo), Charles Higgins (guitar) and Bob Townsend (fiddle) have amassed a repertoire of old time tunes, many of which are local tunes not often ever heard out of the Cumberland Plateau / Sequatchie Valley area or being played by any other musicians living today.  The Fiery Gizzard String Band has played many festivals including the 2002 “Festival of American Fiddle Tunes” in Port Townsend, Washington, the 2003 “15th Annual Folk Alliance Conference” in Nashville, Tennessee and performed in Chattanooga, Tennessee for the "National Assembly of State Art Agencies" in 2008. They also were the house band for the “Mountain Goat”, a local radio show of music and skits from 2001 until 2005 and continue to play local and regional events.

Artist Statement

Our mission is to preserve and perform traditional mountain music from our local area of southeast Tennessee. We perform in public concerts, private gatherings, and dances.

A brief review of the CD “Old Time Fiddlin' Tunes from the South Cumberland"

A new CD documenting the traditional music of Tennessee's Marion and Grundy Counties has just been released. Independently produced by South Pittsburg fiddler Bob Townsend, the project presents a unique tune repertory he has learned from old home recordings made by local fiddlers of the past. Entitled "Old Time Fiddlin' Tunes from the South Cumberland," the CD contains 22 selections, well-performed by Townsend and his Fiery Gizzard String Band. Brief notes on the tunes and the source fiddlers are included. An unusual labor of love from an overlooked area, this valuable recording should be of interest to many people.

Roby Cogswell Director of Folklife Program, Tennessee Arts Commission

From the liner notes:

On the map of territories harvested for American fiddle tunes, the Tennessee –Alabama border where the Cumberland Mountains cross the state line has barely been registered. Lucky for us, Bob Townsend, an exceptional fiddler and a life-long resident of the region, has been listening for the past thirty years, and learning the tunes of his neighbors and their ancestors. This collection establishes a great regional repertoire, barely glimpsed through 78s by Jesse Young, Library of Congress field recordings of black fiddler John Lusk, and home and custom recordings by Bob Douglas. Bob Townsend plays a smooth, strong fiddling style with the clear authority to carry forward these fine creations that, otherwise, would never have enlivened another dance. His accompanists have been raised on old time fiddling like few living musicians. I wish every section of the United States had a fiddler like Bob Townsend -- he has put some great music back into his mountains.

Bobby Fulcher (Recipient of the 2000 “Benjamin A. Botkin Award” for Outstanding Work in Public Sector Folklore)