John Hartford Fiddle Tune Project: “The Julia Belle Swain”
Sharon Gilchrist, Rachel Baiman, and Ella Korth play a John Hartford classic live at the 2026 Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival.
Peghead Nation mandolin instructor Sharon Gilchrist, Rachel Baiman, and Ella Korth brought the excellent John Hartford Fiddle Tune Project to Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival in Oak Hill, NY, for a few sets this year. In this video from their set at the Creekside Stage, Sharon, Rachel, and Ella play “The Julia Belle Swain,” which was part of the Julia Belle: The John Hartford Fiddle Tune Project, Vol. 2 recording, released in 2025 and produced by Katie Hartford Hogue, Sharon Gilchrist, and Megan Lynch Chowning. As Sharon mentions in the introduction to this video, the project includes some of the most creative and sought-after artists on today’s roots music landscape: Alison Brown, Kathy Mattea, Della Mae, Rachel Baiman, Phoebe Hunt, Missy Raines, Ginger Boatwright, Natalie & Brittany Haas, Allison de Groot, The Price Sisters, Uncle Earl, Deanie Richardson, and many more. This stellar group of musicians has created a collection of previously unreleased fiddle tunes and a handful of beloved Hartford songs, and the Project is playing some live dates over the next several months.
John Hartford left behind a powerful legacy for the bluegrass, old-time, and modern acoustic music communities. He also left behind more than 2,000 fiddle tune charts in file cabinets under his desk, which his family began sifting through. In 2020, the John Hartford Fiddle Tune Project, Volume 1 was released, followed by Volume 2 in 2025.
The trio also played a set at the Grey Fox Grass Roots Stage, which Peghead Nation sponsored. During that workshop/set, they discussed the project, broke down a tune, and performed a few others, including “Tennessee Politics,” which Sharon teaches in her Intermediate Bluegrass Mandolin course on Peghead Nation. More from this session later!
Learn mandolin with Sharon on Peghead Nation in her courses Beginning Mandolin, Intermediate Bluegrass Mandolin, Bluegrass Mandolin Fingerboard Method, Melodic Embellishment, and Creative Mandolin Backup
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