Michael Cleveland
Micheal Cleveland
(November 2, 2024 7:00pm)
The tension between tradition and innovation is at the core of bluegrass music and the fiddle
playing of Michael Cleveland exemplifies this musical tug-of-war. As a boy, Cleveland heard a
local fiddler play “Orange Blossom Special” which sparked a lifelong obsession with the tune
that mimics the sound of a train. Cleveland’s improvisational versions push the piece’s
descriptive tones and percussive bowing to a new level. With an encyclopedic memory for
melodies and an uncanny intuition for improvisation, Cleveland’s music is both rooted in
tradition and fueled by his melodic imagination.
From an early age, Cleveland heard old-time and bluegrass music at local jams and festivals
near his hometown of Henryville, Indiana. His grandparents hosted regular bluegrass gatherings
at the American Legion, and at age four, he began playing the fiddle. He attended the Kentucky
School for the Blind in Louisville where he learned the Suzuki method of violin. While he
practiced the violin at school, he played fiddle at home. Traveling with his grandparents to area
bluegrass festivals, he heard many legendary players perform at Bill Monroe’s Bluegrass Festival
in Bean Blossom, Indiana. At the age of nine, Cleveland got to play with Monroe - himself a
recipient of the National Heritage Fellowship in the inaugural class of 1982 - at the festival.
When Cleveland was 12, he met music historian Dave Samuelson who recognized the young
musician’s interest and talent. Samuelson curated several Braille-labeled tapes for the young
musician, which served as Cleveland’s essential listening guide to bluegrass music. Cleveland’s
repertoire and musicianship grew, and in 1993, he played at the International Bluegrass Music
Association (IBMA) awards show with the Bluegrass Youth All-Stars.
Cleveland began playing professionally after he graduated from high school, first with Jeff
White and later with Dale Ann Bradley and Rhonda Vincent. Since he was young, however,
Cleveland had dreamed of leading his own band. In 2006, he formed Flamekeeper, the seven-
time recipient of the IBMA’s “Instrumental Group of the Year” award. Flamekeeper includes
Josh Richards (vocals and guitar), Nathan Livers (vocals and mandolin), Jasiah Shrode (banjo),
and Chris Douglas (vocals and bass). In addition to touring with his band, Cleveland has
performed with a legendary list of bluegrass greats. Nevertheless, he remains rooted in his local
Southern Indiana community, where he continues to play with friends when he is not on tour.
Widely considered the bluegrass fiddler of his generation, Cleveland has been recognized 12
times as the IBMA’s “Fiddler of the Year” and in 2018 was inducted into the National Fiddler’s
Hall of Fame. His recording Fiddler’s Dream was nominated in 2018 for a Grammy for Best
Bluegrass Album, and in 2019, he won a Grammy for his album Tall Fiddler. In 2019, Cleveland’s
amazing life of adversity and achievement was featured in the documentary film Flamekeeper:
The Michael Cleveland Story. The National Endowment for the Arts named him a Heritage
Fellow in 2022. His latest album, The Lovin’ of the Game, is a 2024 Grammy Nominee.
(November 2, 2024 7:00pm)
The tension between tradition and innovation is at the core of bluegrass music and the fiddle
playing of Michael Cleveland exemplifies this musical tug-of-war. As a boy, Cleveland heard a
local fiddler play “Orange Blossom Special” which sparked a lifelong obsession with the tune
that mimics the sound of a train. Cleveland’s improvisational versions push the piece’s
descriptive tones and percussive bowing to a new level. With an encyclopedic memory for
melodies and an uncanny intuition for improvisation, Cleveland’s music is both rooted in
tradition and fueled by his melodic imagination.
From an early age, Cleveland heard old-time and bluegrass music at local jams and festivals
near his hometown of Henryville, Indiana. His grandparents hosted regular bluegrass gatherings
at the American Legion, and at age four, he began playing the fiddle. He attended the Kentucky
School for the Blind in Louisville where he learned the Suzuki method of violin. While he
practiced the violin at school, he played fiddle at home. Traveling with his grandparents to area
bluegrass festivals, he heard many legendary players perform at Bill Monroe’s Bluegrass Festival
in Bean Blossom, Indiana. At the age of nine, Cleveland got to play with Monroe - himself a
recipient of the National Heritage Fellowship in the inaugural class of 1982 - at the festival.
When Cleveland was 12, he met music historian Dave Samuelson who recognized the young
musician’s interest and talent. Samuelson curated several Braille-labeled tapes for the young
musician, which served as Cleveland’s essential listening guide to bluegrass music. Cleveland’s
repertoire and musicianship grew, and in 1993, he played at the International Bluegrass Music
Association (IBMA) awards show with the Bluegrass Youth All-Stars.
Cleveland began playing professionally after he graduated from high school, first with Jeff
White and later with Dale Ann Bradley and Rhonda Vincent. Since he was young, however,
Cleveland had dreamed of leading his own band. In 2006, he formed Flamekeeper, the seven-
time recipient of the IBMA’s “Instrumental Group of the Year” award. Flamekeeper includes
Josh Richards (vocals and guitar), Nathan Livers (vocals and mandolin), Jasiah Shrode (banjo),
and Chris Douglas (vocals and bass). In addition to touring with his band, Cleveland has
performed with a legendary list of bluegrass greats. Nevertheless, he remains rooted in his local
Southern Indiana community, where he continues to play with friends when he is not on tour.
Widely considered the bluegrass fiddler of his generation, Cleveland has been recognized 12
times as the IBMA’s “Fiddler of the Year” and in 2018 was inducted into the National Fiddler’s
Hall of Fame. His recording Fiddler’s Dream was nominated in 2018 for a Grammy for Best
Bluegrass Album, and in 2019, he won a Grammy for his album Tall Fiddler. In 2019, Cleveland’s
amazing life of adversity and achievement was featured in the documentary film Flamekeeper:
The Michael Cleveland Story. The National Endowment for the Arts named him a Heritage
Fellow in 2022. His latest album, The Lovin’ of the Game, is a 2024 Grammy Nominee.
