Glenn Hendrix, born in January of 1954, began his musical career as a violinist with his school orchestra. He pursued formal violin study into college, but also began playing for square dances. It was during his collegiate years that he was encouraged to pursue fiddling by a college friend, folk musician Sally Rogers. The two shared a connection to Beaver Island, Michigan,where Glenn’s family summered. In just a matter of years, Glenn was caught up in the swirl of folk and fiddle music activities of Michigan in the 1970s. He joined the Pretty Shaky String Band as well as participated in other musical groups throughout the state. He has played with a catalogue of bands including the Finnish band Thimbleberry in the Keweenaw Peninsula during a three year stay in Houghton while he pursued his master’s degree. Glenn has lived in the areas of Grand Rapids, Lansing, Ann Arbor, and Houghton and in each place has been involved in the music scene, playing across a diverse range of styles and delving into the traditions of Michigan. Dance music has been a consistent part of Glenn’s fiddling career, and Glenn still plays for contras. As it has been his whole life, it would be hard to pigeonhole Glenn’s music. Regular Irish music in a pub and a Taize worship service at his church are examples of diversity of style in Glenn’s current musical life.
Glenn took a special interest in the fiddle music and songs of Beaver Island, and he began a transcription collection of tunes from Ivan Walton’s recordings of island fiddler Patrick Bonner. Glenn did not limit his interest in Beaver Island music to fiddling, but also published research on Beaver Island song traditions in the Journal of Beaver Island History. Concerned that Michigan’s own trove of fiddle music was being neglected amidst other styles of fiddling, Glenn eventually published two books of fiddle tunes. Michigan Jamboree takes a broad look at Michigan’s traditions, and An Island of Fiddlers is a collection of Patrick Bonner history and transcriptions. Glenn continues his transcription efforts to the present in hopes of making the traditional tunes of Michigan available to people. Glenn has recently been organizing a yearly Irish music jam on Beaver Island.
Bio by Trae McMaken for the Michigan Traditional Arts Program.
