1997

EMMETT M. "LEFTY" SHAFER

Fiddler, whistler, and singer Emmett M. "Lefty" Shafer was born in rural Roane County in 1915, and recently lived in the Charleston area. A clean and meticulous fiddler, Lefty won literally hundreds of awards over the years including the 1987 award for the West Virginia State Fiddle Champion. Though he was a formidable competitor, Lefty was also a patient and encouraging teacher who shared his musical knowledge with many aspiring fiddlers over the years. He passed away in 2004. Photograph by Michael Keller.