By Nigel Maxwell

Young fiddle player on the road to stardom

Oct 19, 2015 | 6:20 AM

Jonathan Daniels is not your average 12-year-old, friends and family are calling him a fiddle prodigy.

Only ten months ago Daniels began learning how to play the fiddle, and he has already been asked to play along with some big name acts including Donny Parenteau, Dallas Boyer and the Rez Boys.

“And he will play a tune that he was listening to in the vehicle through a CD,” said father Leonard Daniels.  “And when he got home he would go into his room and play it.”

Jonathan’s passion for music may be genetically inherited. 

His dad is a fiddle player too and when Jonathan was young he would watch his dad play at shows. Leonard Daniels recalled a time when his son was nine months old.

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“He picked up my fiddle and crawled on top of the couch and then he took a drum stick and he started rubbing the strings with the drum stick,” said Daniels.

Daniels said he recognized his son’s passion for music early and bought him a drum set; but Jonathan wanted nothing to do with the drum set and it would eventually get sold.

Soon after he was allowed to start playing the fiddle.

Jonathan Daniels was quite shy when interviewed by paNOW. 

He said he practices “lots and lots”, and it is one of his favourite things to do besides watching TV.

Among his favourite songs to play is the Orange Blossom Special, but he also enjoys playing a slow waltz.

His parents said it’s not uncommon for him to play in the morning and before going to bed at night.

Recently Jonathan was asked to tour with the Northern Prairie Dancers.

“One of them texted me and said somebody is playing over at Leon’s, check it out, the boy can really play.  So I zoomed over and there it’s this guy and I was like ‘oh wow this is awesome,” said Marlene Bear, who mentors the group.

She said Jonathan will be a big asset to the group.

“I am just so happy to have him because of his ability to play the fiddle so he can learn where we need to really move our feet,” she said.

During the jigging routines, the dancers must dance in sync and listen for cues from the fiddle player when to make turns.  Jonathan will essentially lead the dances.

Jonathan is now busy getting ready for his next show.

He will perform with the group when they play at the University of Saskatchewan on Nov. 17.

nmaxwell@panow.com

Follow on Twitter: @nigelmaxwell