Steve Bing — Houston, TX, USA

More About Me

I have been playing musical instruments since I was seven years old and playing the fiddle since 1977 and teaching the fiddle full-time since 2003. Today, I play and teach many fiddling styles including Old Time, Bluegrass, Cajun, and Texas-style. I have taught fiddle at old-time music festivals and workshops in Louisiana and Texas.

My approach to teaching:
I admire the fiddle styles of many fiddle players from different genres. They all have their unique way of pulling the bow across the strings to make wonderful music. But, there is a common denominator among fiddle players, and that is, how they utilize the bow. As you may have already been aware, the bow is the name of the game. My teaching method has as a goal to show you how to make your instrument "sound like a fiddle" using some basic bowing patterns which, in turn, will make you sound like a "fiddler". I look at these bowing patterns as tools in your toolbox. They are there to use as you need them. As you progress you will learn how to develop these bowing patterns whereby they become automatic and second nature. And, from thence forward, your interpretation of musical phrases, passages, and entire tunes will have you sounding like a "fiddler". Then we work on filling up your repertoire of tunes. Whether your goal is to play just for your own enjoyment, or with a group, or in a jam session, my teaching method will have you on the right road.

I am originally from Ohio and have lived in southern Kentucky, Louisiana, and presently Houston, Texas. Music has always been a major part of my life, since I was seven years old, playing guitar, which eventually led to playing in rock bands in high school and college. I have played music professionally and headed up bands continuously for the past thirty-plus years.

In addition to playing the fiddle I also play the Cajun accordion, guitar, mandolin, and bass. I have a music studio in my home where I teach here in Houston, Texas.

Here are some of my interesting musical highlights. In 1985, I appeared in a made-for-TV movie entitled "Hoedown", shown nationally on PBS, playing the fiddle and calling square dances. I have placed several times in fiddle contests in the midwest and south. I ran and emceed the Ohio State Championship Fiddle contest for six years from 1987 to 1992. I have played the fiddle for several spotlight stories for radio and TV broadcasts, including one about a chicken who could predict the winner of the Kentucky Derby. For ten years during the summer months from 1985 to 1994 I organized, managed, and emceed "Hoedown In The Park" near Cincinnati featuring bands, entertainers, and clogging groups from all over the midwest with an average Saturday night attendance of over 1,000 people. In 1992 I was commissioned an honorary "Kentucky Colonel". In 2005, I toured nationally and recorded with folk music legend Glenn Yarbrough playing six different instruments and doing harmony vocals in the Havenstock River Band. Along with legendary Louisiana Creole musician Goldman Thibodeaux we recorded a "roots music" CD that was considered for a 2008 Grammy Award in the "folk music category."

I have two bands, the "Bayou Hot Shots" (www.bayouhotshots.com) playing traditional Cajun and Texas Swing music and the "Laughing Lizards String Band" (www.laughinglizardsband.com) playing old-time Southern Appalachian music. Listen to my music at my websites

I am a member of "Renaissance Cadienne" (www.renaissancecadienne.org) based out of Lafayette, Louisiana. I also play with a bluegrass band here in Houston - "Skyline Bluegrass Band".

My hobbies include restoring vintage violins and I am a licensed Amateur Radio Operator, call sign KY4N.

Please feel free to reach me at (832) 433-7914 or via my email address at stevecajun@aol.com