Carol Ann Wheeler

Carol Ann was a lifelong musician who started out as a classical violinist, but ultimately found a permanent home with the Oregon Old-time fiddling community. She spent her life as a performer, instructor, competitor, recording artist, and author, writing several fiddle instruction books published by Mel Bay and recorded a series of fiddle albums released under the “Joy of Fiddlin’” banner.  As a competitor, she garnered innumerable awards and honors including the 1979 Women’s National Champion and she was the first woman to ever win the Oregon State Open Champion title.

Through private lessons and countless workshops, Carol Ann taught hundreds of students over the years, many of whom have gone on to become instructors themselves. Carol Ann wanted to be remembered as someone who contributed to the preservation and propagation of the living art form that is fiddling. A more detailed exploration of her story can be seen in the short documentary “Carol Ann Wheeler: A Life in Love with Fiddling” available on the “Joy of Fiddling” YouTube channel, so named in her honor.

Carol Ann Wheeler: A Life in Love with Fiddling: https://youtu.be/SUNihiwCrDc?si=wV6NzOba8K2vJMGJ