Mike Barnett

Mike Barnett (fiddle, lead/harmony vocals) an 18-year-old native of Nashville, Tennessee, has played with the Gordon Stone Band and toured nationally with the legendary Jesse McReynolds & the Virginia Boys, including appearances on the Grand Ole Opry. He also plays with the New England-based folk/bluegrass group, Northern Lights, as well as Amy Gallatin, and the well renouned banjoist, Tony Trischka. Mike is a real child prodigy, following in the footsteps of Mark O'Connor--he's even mentioned on Mark's website. He is the youngest instructor ever to teach at the Fiddle School at Vanderbilt University (at age 15), and he put out his own CD, “Lost Indian”, in 2004, followed by performing on the Gordon Stone album “Rhymes with Orange”, in 2005. Also in 2005, Mike placed in the top 10 in the Grand Master Fiddler Championship in Nashville. Crystal Plohman, Mike’s mentor and Director of Vanderbilt’s Fiddling Program at Blair School of Music, describes Mike as “one of the hottest, fastest rising musicians in bluegrass music”. Mike is currently a resident of Longmeadow, MA. His website is mikebarnettfiddle.com.