U.S. Grand Master Fiddle Champion, Daniel Carwile has competed in virtually every major fiddle competition in the United States. He has been crowned the Tennessee Valley Old-Time Fiddlers Convention “Fiddle King” an amazing 7 times. Other conquests include Alabama, Kentucky, and Tennessee State Championships as well as Lake Superior, North Cascades, Colorado Open, Grand Lake National, and The World Series of Fiddling Championships. Daniel can often be found in the judge’s seat, recently judging the Indiana State, Oregon State, Wyoming State, Northwest Regional, U.S. Grand Master Fiddle Contest, and the National Old-Time Fiddler’s Contest in Weiser, Idaho.
Daniel has performed with dozens of accomplished musicians such as Tim O’Brien, Mark O’Connor, Bela Fleck, Alasdair Fraser, The Moody Blues, Martin Hayes, The Battlefield Band, Bobby Hicks, Natalie MacMaster, Buddy Spicher, and many others. In a tribute to Roy Acuff, Daniel performed on the Grand Ole Opry with fiddling greats Vassar Clements and Aubrey Haynie. His performances also include playing for the 1996 Summer Olympics and appearing on the Country Music Association Awards Show with the band, Alabama. For eight years, Daniel was a member of the Celtic band, Full Moon Ensemble. Their unique blend of Irish, Scottish, and early American music was heard across the United States and worldwide from Ontario, Canada, to the hills of Campbeltown, Scotland.
A seasoned and diverse performer, Daniel is not only comfortable playing Old-time, Bluegrass, and Texas Contest-Style, but Celtic, and Classical as well. He studied violin privately for 8 years during which time he was concertmaster of The Huntsville Alabama Youth Orchestra and later a member of the Huntsville Symphony. Daniel’s studies led him to Vanderbilt’s Blair School of Music where he studied with Christian Teal. Daniel completed his Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education in 1995.
In addition to Daniel’s five personal recordings, he has played on various other projects on Rounder, Sugar Hill, and Rebel Records. From Fame Recording Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, to Music Row in Nashville, Tennessee, Daniel has recorded with Alison Krauss, Sam Bush, John Cowan, Vince Gill, Peter Rowan, Claire Lynch, Michael English, Larry Cordle, and others. His participation in, “Moody Bluegrass: A Nashville Tribute to the Moody Blues,” earned him a nomination for Recorded Event of the Year from the International Bluegrass Music Association and climbed to number 8 on Billboard’s Bluegrass Chart. Daniel can also be found on Kenny and Amanda Smith’s Grammy nominated project, “Tell Someone.” Daniel and Amy’s duo recording, “Col Arco” reached number 5 on the Acoustic/Folk Radio Charts in August of 2007.
Daniel maintains a busy schedule teaching privately and as an instructor at numerous camps and workshops. He and his wife Amy own and operate Carwile String Studio in Lexington, Kentucky. Please visit the Carwile String Studio for more information.