Robin Alexander, Secretary

A native of Stillwater, Oklahoma, Robin grew up in a musical family. Her grandfather and great-grandfather were both avid fiddle and guitar players. Her young son Evan, an accomplished competitive fiddle player inherited the family’s musical gift. Today Robin enjoys attending many fiddle competitions around the United States with her award-winning son, and watching her daughter Sarah compete in tennis tournaments. Currently, Robin is the Administrator for Jean Kelley Leadership Consulting. Her backround includes managing event planning, accounting and banking, research, writing and editing, and social media marketing and analytics.

Mack Bettis, Board Member

Mack Bettis first played fiddle in high school, which led to his lifelong interest in collecting violins and learning how they’re made, their makers, nations of origin and identification. As a result, he has an extensive reference library on violins as well. Mack worked as an Administrative Lawyer. Over the years, his career took him all the way to the White House…to help with the transition of several Federal agencies that would come under the then-new Department of Energy. Mack also served 10 years as the Oklahoma Board Member of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. But Mack could never stay away from fiddles or fiddle music. In his travels, Mack came to know top violin dealers and see some of the best-known Italian, French and other “Old Master” makers works. He eased off his passion for collecting and working on fiddles, even selling his major collection a few years back to good friend, Byron Berline. “But I can’t say no to some of the fiddlers I’ve known so long. Once ‘infected’ with fiddle music, you never get over it and there is no cure.” However, Mack found he couldn’t just quit ‘cold turkey,’ so he started a second, small and manageable collection of instruments he considers some of the best buys now (both new and old), especially Chinese and American Masters which are special now but will be ‘stars’ after some aging and playing.

Beth Clary, Board Member

Beth Clary is a writer and amateur musician who knows music often communicates far more effectively than words ever will. Born and raised in Massachusetts, Beth's life became more gypsy-like in adulthood living in six different states and traveling to all but four states across the country (so far), listening to local music every step of the way. Beth is an advocate for the arts, among other issues, and is currently working on a music-inspired novel entitled, "Stone Bruise".

Chuck Cissel, Board Member

Charles "Chuck" Cissel is the CEO of the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he is a producer, director, writer, vocalist, recording artist, songwriter, and has executive produced concerts and special events featuring Dave Brubeck, Freddy Cole, Lou Donaldson, Stanley Jordan, Ramsey Lewis, Oleta Adams, Marilyn Maye, Taj Mahal, Eddie Palmieri, Dr. Billy Taylor and other music greats. Prior to coming back to Tulsa in 2000 to head up the Jazz Hall of Fame, Chuck was a staple on the Broadway stage in New York City, performing in such hits as Hello Dolly, Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope, Purlie, Lost in the Stars, A Chorus Line and others. He has recorded solo albums on Arista records and performed in a number of national television commercials for Pepsi Cola, Coca Cola, Doublemint Chewing Gum, Care-Free Chewing Gum, 7-Up and others.  Chuck's first Arista album was titled Just For You and featured the hard-hitting international dance hit, Cisselin' Hot, written by Cissel. The second album was titled "If I Had the Chance" and was produced by the renowned Clive Davis and featured the hit single, "Love's Grown Deep."He has also toured with Diana Ross, recorded with Elton John and worked with Stevie Wonder, Liza Minnelli, Marvin Hamlisch and other stars.

Shelby Eicher, Vice President and Director of Education

As a member of Roy Clark's band for 15 years, Shelby recorded five albums with Roy and appeared numerous times on The Tonight Show and Hee Haw. Shelby serves on the Education Committee for the Tulsa Symphony Orchestra. Currently he performs 20 times a month and teaches fiddle, mandolin, and guitar to 30 students. Shelby recently released his latest CD titled Old Time Fiddling available at www.cdbaby.com/cd/shelbyeicher. You can sample his latest CD, check his performance schedule and book lessons at www.shelbyeicher.com.

Bob Fjeldsted, President and Acting Executive Director

Bob is founder and former president of Beauty-Crete, Inc. He also leads Tulsa's favorite Western Swing band, "The Round Up Boys". Visit the Round Up Boys www.roundupboys.com.

Glenn Godsey, Board Member

Glenn Godsey grew up hearing his uncles playing old-time fiddle. By the time he was 4, he started to play his own fiddle. At the age of 9, he was a regular musician at square dances. When old-time music faded from popularity, Glenn immersed himself in jazz, learning the bass, vibes, guitar and drums. Fiddling returned to Glenn’s life in the 1960s when he played with some bluegrass groups, including a stint with Mountain Smoke with a 17-year-old Vince Gill. Glenn’s love of old-time kept him playing and promoting music, emceeing festivals and running contests. He played with a lot of fiddlers, both on fiddle and clawhammer banjo. More recently, Glenn and a friend started “The Old-Time Good-Time Boys” and play for dancers, Glenn on fiddle and his musical partner on clawhammer banjo. “I am deeper into fiddling than ever,” Glenn says, “It is pure joy.”

Bill Hurtle, Webmaster

Bill currently is managing partner with Estech, LLC which provides sales, marketing and technology consulting. Formerly, Bill held the position of Vice President, Advanced Financial Solutions, a company he co-founded which provides computer hardware, software and services to the banking community. Bill has served on the board of directors of several local and national 501(c)(3) organizations.

Jana Jae, Board Member

The first female "Buckaroo" in Buck Owens' band, Jana went on to fame as the "First Lady of Country Fiddle" on Hee Haw. She continues to tour and perform, and founded the American Heritage Music Festival. She was inducted into the Idaho Hall of Fame in 2001 and received the Governor's Arts Award from Oklahoma in 2006. Please visit Jana Jae at www.janajae.com for a complete list of accomplishments. Granddad started me fiddling in Idaho when I was two, and it has become my language, my career, and my life. In turn, I love to introduce folks of all ages to fiddling through my performances, festivals and fiddle camp. The National Fiddler Hall of Fame will strengthen these efforts and provide a wonderful source of information for all. I am proud to be a part of this endeavor!

Guy Logsdon, Curator

Guy is an author and foremost musicologist of Cowboy and Western music. Guy Logsdon: Discusses the Life and Performs the Songs of Woody Guthrie. Guy accepted the Chester A. Reynolds Award during the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum's 45th Western Heritage Awards.

Jacob Mehlhouse, Board Member

Jacob Mehlhouse is a violin repairman and owner of Tulsa Strings Violin Shop in Tulsa. Jacob began working on musical instruments at age 16, and then studied violin repair in Minnesota before moving to Tulsa in 2000. Please visit the Tulsa Strings website at www.tulsastringsviolinshop.com.

Rick Morton, Board Member

Rick Morton has been playing Violin when he was 10 years old. In 1976 he began playing guitar and mandolin. In 1986 Rick was the Chili Bluegrass Fiddle Champ. In1988, he and Ronnie Dunn (of the famous country hit duo, “Brooks & Dunn”) won first place in the national “Marlboro Talent Round-up Contest” held in Nashville, TN. In 1989, he toured and played with Ricky Skaggs, George Strait and Kathy Mattea. In 1994, Rick recorded with the “Tractors,” whose country music CD sold over 3 million copies. He plays in his country band, “The Five Bucks” and takes fiddle music to the Tulsa public schools in a program entitled, “Harwelden, Artists-in-the-Schools,” performs this program about 40 times per year. He also has a serious head fiddle collection too. 

Morton, who once made a career of fighting fires, is currently the “ringmaster” for the up and coming band, ‘Rockin’ Acoustic Circus’ – a group of musically-talented teens who are developing a repertoire of acoustic-fused music influenced by bluegrass, jazz, classical, swing, blues, and rock-n-roll. “Working with the ‘Circus’ I’m part teacher, parent, and referee. We gather our musical ideas and material from what’s ‘out there,’ then settle on a style we think fits our “Circus” sound…which is a little different and has a unique feel. And,” he adds, “You can find me slaving over my old fiddle any day of the week...It's all about tone ...It's all about tone...”

 

Julie Watson, Board Member

 

Drew Wilson, Board Member

Drew Wilson is a writer and filmmaker whose works have appeared in journals nationwide and on the smallest of big-screens. He resolutely denies that he knows a thing about fiddling but travels to anywhere he can hear it being played to "do research" for a documentary he's producing about the legacy of Bob Wills.

Phil Ward, Treasurer