The last Saturday in March every year, folks
around these parts attend the Mooresville, NC
fiddlers convention at the local high school.
It was there in 1994 Red Tommy Malboeuf (premier
bluegrass fiddler) and I were walking down the
school hallway to our warm-up room when we
heard the “Roxanna Waltz” being fiddled as pretty
as you can imagine. “Baker must be here!”,
exclaimed Tommy and I pointed out that whoever
was playing it was certainly Tommy’s competition
that night.
We speculated as to who the seasoned professional might
be if indeed it wasn’t Kenny Baker. When we got to our
room, there before us was not an experienced veteran but
10 year old Nathan Leath fiddling his heart out for all he was
worth. He was amazing to watch. Nate very politely asked
us to show him a certain tune or lick; we’d play it for him and
immediately Nate would give it back to us - note for note. It
was like playing into a tape recorder. Nate’s ear was so
acute that when I fiddled something and bobbled it - sure
enough, Nate threw it back, bobble and all
Nate’s grandmother, Sandy Austin, was very influential
in furthering his musical interests as she encouraged him,
playing the classic bluegrass records at home and driving him
to conventions, festivals and music gatherings over the years.
Sandy asked Red Tommy if he’d give her grandson fiddle
lessons but Tommy declined saying he needed to take lessons
from Nate.
Roger Hart (Sandy’s brother) hand crafted a fiddle and gave it to
Nate when he was 9 years old and pointed the youngster in the
right direction. Roger is a good luthier and multi-instrumentalist
and advised Nate to listen to bluegrass records. As a result Nate
became quite adept at playing by ear. Some of the greats he listened
to were Kenny Baker, Scotty Stoneman, Bobby Hicks and Stuff Smith.
It was the latter that influenced Nate’s pension for jazz and improvisation.
By the time he was 11 years old, Nate took the Galax, VA fiddlers
convention by storm, performing a reprise of “Roxanna Waltz”. Not
only did he win first bluegrass fiddle but he garnered the best all-around
musician trophy as well. He told guitar accompanist Steve Kilby, “It felt
good while I was playing it. Maybe I’ll get in the finals and get a prize.”
Nate now has a wall covered with ribbons and trophies he has won at
various contests down South.
At 15, the urge to play music full time was so powerful and all consuming
that Nate went to Maryland at the offer of mentor and musician/recording
impresario Tom Mindte. At Tom’s insistence, Nate went off to Boston
to attend the prestigious Berklee School Of Music. There he fell under
the expert tutelage of fiddle instructors like Matt Glaser, Rob Thomas and
Eugene Friesen (cello). It was at Berklee that Nate was thrown head first
into the unfamiliar waters of music notation, structure and theory but
he retained his ear and is able to swim in the deepest part of the “improv”
lake. Now in his 21st year, Nate has been recording professionally
since he was 15. He tours with The Old School Freight Train band and
plays Dawg music with David Grisman’s stage gigs. Nate now gives
private fiddle and mandolin instruction and conducts workshops at
various festivals
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