Ellington

Writer: Merrell McGinness

If the devil went down to Tennessee, Fletcher Bright could add a golden fiddle to his vast collection. But for now, he sticks to the wooden variety. After all, the melody he produces on it from deft movements of fingers and bow seems to have its own supernatural quality. Equally impressive is that he’s spent nearly a lifetime in the same band, The Dismembered Tennesseans. When asked the secret to his longevity, he pauses to think.

“There are times I wonder what I’m doing, coming up at 80 years old, going around playing music,” Bright muses. “We have fun. I guess that’s why.”

In the morning light of his home office on Lookout Mountain, Bright fields calls about a Knoxville gig later that night and the details of a CD they plan to record with the Chattanooga Symphony mid-month. Bright manages the band in addition to working fulltime for the real estate company bearing his name. The tight-knit group plays approximately 75 venues across the country each year, flying to long-distance concerts in Bright’s plane. (The fiddle phenom is also a pilot.)

In his office, bookshelves are crammed with music books, but they don’t compare to the volumes stored in his memory. It’s been said that Bright has more old-time and bluegrass tunes in his head than most folks will hear their entire lives. Largely self-taught, he is an internationally sought fiddle teacher who was honored in 2005 with Tennessee’s Folklife Heritage Award. Beyond bluegrass, Bright will occasionally sit in on jazz combos to “stretch the brain,” and describes himself as a frustrated jazz pianist.

But the bluegrass fiddle isn’t a solo act, and much of Bright’s musical journey is intertwined with that of his band. It was formed in 1945 with McCallie classmates Frank McDonald, Ansley Moses and Ed Cullis. Bluegrass wasn’t even a coined term yet; it was just “hillbilly music.” Inspired by a popular band at the time called Lost John and the Allied Kentuckians, the boys decided on the name Found Sammy and the Dismembered Tennesseans. When bandleader Sammy moved on, they became The Dismembered Tennesseans.

“If we’d have known we were going to be playing for 65 years, we’d have picked a better name I think,” Bright laughs.

Over the years, the band has evolved from teenagers in overalls to serious musicians. In the 1990s, they were invited to perform at Washington, D.C.’s Kennedy Center, and were profiled on ABC’s Nightly News. With remarkably low turnover, the nucleus of the group remained the four McCallie friends until McDonald’s death in 2001.

After six decades, the band has produced much more than just music. In fact, it’s likely the friendships—as well as the music— are what keep Bright going to the next gig.

Three Sisters Bluegrass Festival

Ricky Skaggs

Friday, October 1 • 6 p.m. until 11 p.m.

Saturday, October 2 • 12 p.m. until 11 p.m.

Now in its fourth year, several thousand are expected at the 3 Sisters Bluegrass Festival. With lawn-chair seating along Ross’s Landing, fans can enjoy the music for free as a gift from Fletcher Bright Reality. Conceived by Bright’s oldest son, George, the annual festival attracts several national acts, including Ricky Skaggs and The Boxcars this year. For a complete lineup, visit www.3sistersbluegrass.com.