Banjo legend Alan Munde shared this lovely remembrance of his friend and bandmate, fiddler Dave Ferguson, who died recently at 75 years of age.
I learned through Dave Ferguson’s bother, Greg, that Dave died of a brain tumor. Dave was the fiddle player in Country Gazette following Byron Berline’s departure from the group in late 1974. There couldn’t have been a better musical choice to take Byron’s place.
Dave came up in the rich musical milieu that was Fort Worth, Texas in the ’60s and ’70s. North Texas was full of many great fiddlers, influencing Byron and in turn Dave. Dave loved Byron’s playing and could play Sally Goodin’ as close to Byron as anyone. But he was more than just a Byron clone. He had grown up with the music of Delbert McClinton, later playing in his band. He played with his Fort Worth buddy, award-winning singer, songwriter, and actor Stephen Bruton. He was a much sought after musician in his area and could cover many musical bases. Country Gazette was fortunate that Dave accepted the gig with the group.
Almost immediately in 1975 Gazette did a tour of Europe with Dave. He filled the bill perfectly, he played fiddle the best, he played mandolin, and could sing the parts. He was great. Because of family considerations, he left the group near the end of that same year. Even though he left the group, we stayed in contact and Dave participated on many recordings with the group, and with me. He was on the Country Gazette album, Out To Lunch on the Flying Fish label, he was the fiddle player on my first album, Banjo Sandwich, and later I played on his solo album, Somewhere Over the Rainbow. Much later Dave helped me with Cotton Patch Rag and Powder Creek, for the Stelling Banjo project.
Dave came to a few Country Gazette reunions hosted by Byron Berline at the Oklahoma International Bluegrass Festival in Guthrie, Oklahoma. It was there that I saw and played with Dave the last time.
Dave was in all ways a great musician, and a dear and joyous friend.
Here is a clip of Dave playing Huckleberry Hornpipe at a contest, possibly the Grand Masters in Nashville, TN.
R.I.P., Dave Ferguson.
