Patrick Coleman McAvinue is an American fiddler, combining in his music aspects of bluegrass, swing, and Celtic music. He is also a private music educator. He is the IBMA's 2017 Fiddle Player of the Year.

Biography

Early years

McAvinue is a native of Hereford, Maryland. He began playing fiddle at age 7 and was trained as a classical violinist. At age 10, Peabody graduate Amy Hopkins taught him fiddle tunes from all over the world. Then he received training from multi-instrumentalist Troy Engle. At age 12, McAvinue formed The Salem Bottom Boys, his first band. In 2003, 2004, and 2005, McAvinue won the Delaware State Fiddle Championship. In 2004, he joined the band Smooth Kentucky after hearing the band on a local radio show. The band also included Ed Hough (guitar, vocals), B.J. Lazarus (mandolin), Cris Jacobs (guitar, vocals), Dave Frieman (bass), Jordan Tice (guitar, vocals) and Dave Giegerich (resonator guitar). In 2011, McAvinue received a

Bachelor of Music A Bachelor of Music (BMus; sometimes conferred as Bachelor of Musical Arts) is an academic degree awarded by a college, university, or conservatory upon completion of a program of study in music. The degree may be awarded for performance, music ed ...

degree in Jazz Performance from

Towson University Towson University (TU or Towson) is a public university in Towson, Maryland, United States. Founded in 1866 as Maryland's first training school for teachers, Towson University is a part of the University System of Maryland. Since its foundin ...

, where he studied under pianist Tim Murphy, trumpeter David Ballou, and violinist Dr. Jeffrey Howard.

Audie Blaylock and Redline

In 2006, at age 16, McAvinue joined

Audie Blaylock Audie Blaylock (August 18, 1962 – January 10, 2024) was an American singer, guitarist, mandolinist and composer in the bluegrass tradition. Biography Early years Blaylock was born in El Paso, Texas, but was raised in Lansing, Michigan. Growin ...

and Redline. He has recorded seven albums with them, including 2016's ''The Road That Winds.''

Solo recordings

On McAvinue's 2006 solo album ''Grave Run'', he was assisted by

Dudley Connell Dudley Dale Connell (born February 18, 1956) is an American singer in the bluegrass tradition. He is best known for his work with the Johnson Mountain Boys, Longview, and The Seldom Scene. Biography Early years Connell grew up in Rockville, Mar ...

, Sammy Shelor, Chris Warner, Troy Engle, David McLaughlin,

Marshall Wilborn Marshall Wilborn is an American bluegrass music bass player and composer best known for his work with the Johnson Mountain Boys, Longview, Michael Cleveland and Flamekeeper, and the Lynn Morris Band. Biography Early years Wilborn was raised ...

, and

Mike Auldridge Mike Auldridge (December 30, 1938 – December 29, 2012) was an American Dobro player and a founding member of the bluegrass group The Seldom Scene. The ''New York Times'' described Auldridge as "one of the most distinctive dobro players in th ...

. ''Rutland's Reel'' in 2008 featured Audie Blaylock,

Jesse Brock Jesse Davis Brock (born July 18, 1972, in Decatur, Illinois) is an American Bluegrass music, bluegrass artist who plays the mandolin and sings both lead vocals, lead and supporting vocals. He records and tours with the East Tennessee based Authe ...

Michael Cleveland Charles Michael Cleveland (born September 18, 1980) is an American bluegrass fiddle player. Early life Cleveland was born in Henryville, Indiana. He was born completely blind and a childhood ear infection caused him to lose 80% of his hearing ...

, Barry Reid, Pete Kelly, and Chris Warner.

Charm City Junction

In 2014, McAvinue formed the band Charm City Junction with Brad Kolodner (banjo), Sean McComiskey (accordion) and Alex Lacquement (bass). Charm City is a nickname for Baltimore. Charm City Junction plays a mix of Celtic music. The band began when McAvinue, Kolodner, and McComiskey met at an old-time music jam. They synced well, and added Lacquement to the new band.

Dailey & Vincent

In 2016, McAvinue moved to

Nashville, Tennessee Nashville, often known as Music City, is the capital and List of municipalities in Tennessee, most populous city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County in Middle Tennessee, locat ...

to be part of the

Dailey & Vincent Dailey & Vincent is an American bluegrass music group composed of Jamie Dailey (guitar, bass, vocals), Darrin Vincent (mandolin, guitar, bass, vocals), Aaron McCune (guitar, bass vocals), Wesley Smith (vocals), Patrick McAvinue (fiddle), Shaun ...

touring band, replacing B. J. Cherryholmes on fiddle.

Artist in Residence

In 2016, McAvinue accepted the position of Artist in Residence at the Strathmore Arts Center in

Bethesda, Maryland Bethesda () is an unincorporated, census-designated place in southern Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. Located just northwest of Washington, D.C., it is a major business and government center of the Washington metropolitan region ...

Awards

McAvinue received the

International Bluegrass Music Association The International Bluegrass Music Association, or IBMA, is a trade association to promote bluegrass music. Formed in 1985, IBMA established its first headquarters in Owensboro, Kentucky. In 1988 they announced plans to create the International ...

’s 2015 Momentum Instrumentalist of the Year award. In 2017, McAvinue won the IBMA award for Fiddle Player of the Year.

Discography

Solo albums

* 2006: ''Grave Run'' (

Patuxent Music Patuxent Music is an independent record label in Rockville, Maryland. History Bluegrass musician Tom Mindte started recording music by other artists in 1984 with a reel to reel recorder in his father's air conditioning shop. In 1990 Tom opened ...

) * 2008: ''Rutland's Reel'' (Patuxent Music) * 2019: ''Perfect Fit'' (McAvinue Music)

With Smooth Kentucky

* 2009: ''A Few More Miles'' (

CD Baby CD Baby, Inc. is a Portland, Oregon based online distributor of independent music. The company was described as an "anti-label" by its parent company's Chief Operating Officer Tracy Maddux. It was established in 1998 and offered distribution fo ...

)

With
Audie Blaylock Audie Blaylock (August 18, 1962 – January 10, 2024) was an American singer, guitarist, mandolinist and composer in the bluegrass tradition. Biography Early years Blaylock was born in El Paso, Texas, but was raised in Lansing, Michigan. Growin ...
and Redline

* 2009: ''Audie Blaylock and Redline'' ( Rural Rhythm) * 2010: ''Cryin Heart Blues'' (Rural Rhythm) * 2010: ''Live at Graves Mountain'' (Rural Rhythm) * 2011: ''I'm Going Back to Old Kentucky: A Bill Monroe Celebration'' (Rural Rhythm) * 2011: ''Live at Bean Blossom'' (Rural Rhythm) * 2012: ''Hard Country'' (Rural Rhythm) * 2016: ''The Road That Winds'' (Patuxent Music)

With Charm City Junction

* 2015: ''Charm City Junction'' (Patuxent Music) * 2018: ''Duckpin'' (Tater Patch Records) * 2019: ''Snowball'' (Tater Patch Records)

Also appears on

* 2007: The Bridge - ''The Bridge'' (Hyena) * 2008: The Bridge - ''Blind Man's Hill'' (Hyena) * 2009: Arty Hill and the Long Gone Daddies - ''Montgomery on My Mind'' (Cow Island Music) * 2009: Jessie Baker - ''Yessir!'' (Patuxent Music) * 2014: Alexander Peters - ''Youth Belongs to the Young'' (Independent / Red Bridge Studios) * 2015: Brent & Co. - ''Brent & Co.'' (self-released) * 2015:

John McCutcheon John McCutcheon (born August 14, 1952) is an American folk music singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who has produced 45 albums since the 1970s. He is regarded as a master of the hammered dulcimer, and is also proficient on many other in ...

- ''Joe Hill's Last Will'' (Appalsongs) * 2016: Robert Mabe - ''Somewhere in the Middle'' (Frogtown Music) * 2017: Zane Campbell - ''Ola Wave'' (Emperor) * 2017: Mary Battiata and Little Pink - ''The Heart, Regardless'' (

) * 2017: Jesse Burdick - ''Hops & Spirits'' (Patuxent Music) * 2019: Julie Keough - ''Every Other Color'' (Cd Baby) * 2021: Brad Kolodner - ''Chimney Swifts'' (Fenchurch Music)

References

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:McAvinue, Patrick Living people American bluegrass musicians Musicians from Maryland American bluegrass fiddlers 1988 births