Texas Folklife Presents “The Devil's Box"
Austin, TX – Texas Folklife presents an afternoon of Texas-style fiddle music with a screening of The Devil’s Box, a feature-length documentary, and award-winning Texas State Champ fiddlers at the Moose Lodge on the east side of Austin from 2:00 to 5:00 PM on Sunday, July 8.
The film is directed by UT Film School grad Jason Hammond, and produced by Austinite Beth Jasper, partners in production company Dog On Fire Films, LLC and is streaming by New York’s IndiePix Films. Hammond and Jasper spent three years immersed in fiddle culture in Hallettsville’s ‘fiddle festival.’ Not musical themselves, they came to realize that fiddle wasn't just music, it was family. For over 100 years, fiddle contests have been held all across the country, drawing contestants of all ages. And from the contests was born Texas-style fiddling. The Devil’s Box is a tribute to fiddle music and the players who have passed it on, knee-to-knee, from generation to generation.
The film features fiddlers from across the country, and includes: Texans Johnny Gimble who played with Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys; Wes Westmoreland III who played with Mel Tillis for many years; Larry Franklin, successful Nashville session fiddler, and Dennis Ludiker and Brian Beken whose band MilkDrive has gained national attention. Film also features Ray Benson, founder of Asleep at the Wheel, who has, at one time or another, employed many of the most well known Texas-style fiddlers, including Franklin, Ludiker and Ricky Turpin.
The Devil’s Box had its World Premiere at the 2011 SXSW Film Festival and has played at several fests around the country, most recently at REEL Music in Portland.
The Devil’s Box afternoon of music will present some of the film’s featured musicians live, including Wes Westmoreland III (seven-time champion), Bubba Hopkins, Mia Orosco, Ricky Turpin (two-time champion and two-time Grammy award winner), legendary rhythm guitarist Ray Franklin, and Texas State Champion Fiddlers’ Frolics co-founders Kenneth Henneke and Stuart Fryer.
You can purchase the Devil's Box Film online in our shop
