He's the two-time winner of the Canadian Open Fiddle Contest, the two-time winner of the Canadian Grand Masters Fiddling Championships, AND was named Canadian Fiddle Entertainer of the Year and soon Scott Woods will be in Yorkton, bringing with him a high energy show that won't disappoint.
From Fergus, Ontario he says, "I'm the youngest of four... My dad started a band when he was about 12 years old and the band has continued ever since." While it has evolved and changed up members over the years, that same band continues to today except Scott is at the helm.
"In fact that's how my mom and dad met. My dad hired my mom as a piano player when she was just a teenager. They hit it off, got married and had four kids."
When he was four, his older siblings were already playing the fiddle and that's when he began taking lessons.
Lessons and playing continued and it was in the mid 80s when Scotts dad encouraged him to take over leading the band. He stayed on as management and Scotts mom remained on the piano. She still play with Scott today.
"We've continually operated since 1944..."
With the changeover in members Wood's nephew joined the band. "He plays bass, he can play just about anything. We were all kind of the same when we were growing up. If there was no bass player that night and we needed a bass player then that's what we had to play. We learned all the instruments."
The trio is joined on stage by 17-year-old step dancer, Kyle Waymouth. "He plays bass for us but he is also a champion step dancer... it's kind of a cross between step dancing and clogging... he's a real hit. He goes about 100 miles an hour with his feet when he gets fired up."
Wood and band were last in Yorkton about five years back with a tribute to Don Messer show. This time he has a fresh performance, filled with old time fiddling, dancing, tricks and plenty of humour.
"This year's show is called Fiddle Legends. It's kind of the same idea. We're honoring fiddlers who've come before and inspired and in whose footsteps we're following. People like Don Messer, Al Cherny, Graham Townsend, Ward Allen...
"A lot of the great fiddlers... we're playing tunes that they've composed, tunes that they recorded and other tunes that maybe reminded me of them when I play the tune... It's a very loving, humble kind of tribute. We're not imitating, we're recognizing and honoring..."
The evening promises to be high energy, entertaining and a show for all ages.
Woods maintains there's just no other instrument quite like the fiddle.
"It's really tough to be in a bad mood when you're listening to a fiddle tune," he says with a chuckle. "And the tunes that we play are very melodic. They are upbeat... you get that melody in your head and you're tapping your toes. We're bopping around on the stage having fun. It's just really happy, fun music.
"We mix it up. We play some Scottish tunes, some Irish tunes. We actually have a Ukrainian polka... big band, swing, country... we have a real variety... we do some gospel. At one point we have all three fiddles together in harmony. We do some two steps, waltzes... there's a real traditional variety.
"It's kind of like a Hee Haw type of show. If you remember Hee Haw... we have a lot of fun. It's maybe not quite as corny but it's very much a funs show."
And don't forget the tricks. Anyone who is familiar with Woods will know what that means.
"My nick name has become the flippin fiddler... I do some tricks where I play behind my back with the fiddle and under my legs, I use a broom or a coat hanger instead of a bow. I walk on a barrel as I play Roll out the Barrel and I do a front running summersault like a flip as I'm playing... there will be tricks!"
It's a show for all ages and for all people. "You don't have to be a fiddle fan... It's faced paced... it goes from vocals to step dancing, to instrumental, to humour... You can bring your grandparents or your grand kids and feel comfortable... It's a community event."
Scott Woods and his band will be in Yorkton on Monday, May 14. They'll be performing at the Royal Canadian Legion beginning at 7 p.m. For tickets call or stop by the legion or call 1-855-726-8896 to charge. Visit: www.scottwoods.ca for more details.
