TAUNY, Traditional Arts in Upstate New York, has announced its next Personal Collection Series exhibit, “Fiddles from Rick Streeter of The Adirondack Playboys Band,” which opens on August 26, 2017.

This display will feature fiddles from the collection of Rick Streeter, the fiddler in The Adirondack Playboys Band, one of TAUNY’s 2016 North Country Heritage Award recipients.

The Adirondack Playboys (also known as the Streeter Family Band) are a multi-generational square dance band based around Lewis County, particularly Beaver Falls and Croghan. Rick Streeter is an experienced fiddler and learned to play fiddle from his dad, Ralph, who was the original fiddler in the band.

Ralph collected fiddles for many years, buying them in garage sales and antique shops throughout the region. After Ralph’s passing, his son Rick inherited the collection of over 60 fiddles and has continued collecting. Rick started making his own fiddles around 1989. The red and black fiddle that Rick now plays was part of his dad’s original collection, though he stripped and refinished it to his liking.

The exhibit will be on view at The TAUNY Center through October 7, 2017.

The TAUNY Center is located at 53 Main Street, Downtown Canton. For more information, visit their website.

Photo: Fiddles from the personal collection of Rick Streeter, courtesy Jason Hunter/TAUNY Archives.