Who’d ever thunk it? This Horace Maynard High School Class of 1976 graduate has already been successful in three careers. Young as he is, he may add to those. Reverend Keith Williams worked for a number of years as a Machinist/Toolmaker. When he became a full time pastor he, of course, gave up that job. Keith is the son of A. J. And Betty Williams of Tater Valley, where he grew up. His father taught Keith to play fiddle when he was just about 13 years old, but he didn’t become a serious fiddle player until he was 20. He did not attempt fiddle making until about four years ago. He has already made ten fiddles such as the one he’s holding in the picture. He says he tries to make about three a year. He signs his fiddles under the left “f” hole on a card as James Keith Williams with the number of the fiddle and the year the fiddle was made. A Bible verse is also hidden in the fiddle.

He works primarily with tiger maple and needs wood measuring 8-1/2 inches wide and 16 inches in length. The top of the fiddle is made from fir or spruce to obtain a good tone. He uses ebony for the tuners, chin rest, apron and finger board. Yes, it is a finger board because a fiddle has no frets. Keith’s fiddles have a scroll neck, and the neck is not lacquered as is the rest of the fiddle. The player needs the smoothness of the natural wood for movement and to better finger the strings. Keith names mentors as J. W. Green of White Pine and Gene Horner of Rockwood.

Keith has played with names such as Byron Doss, Jerry Moore, his Uncle Ben Williams who plays banjo, Ted Wyrick, Voyd Rogers, Danny Peters and Lewis Jr. and Oscar Brewer of the Big Valley Boys, Ray and Earl Bull; Gail Lee and the Dixie Partners, Jim and Jessie McReynolds.; Palmer “Bit” Rouse and the Union County Ramblers. He’s recorded with Knoxville Grass as well as Jim and Jessie. Before he became a pastor, he traveled with Paul Williams and the Victory Trio. Keith’s first instrument was guitar as back-up for his father playing fiddle. To settle some little fights over the guitar between Keith and his brother, Darrell who is now a minister, their father bought Keith a mandolin, which he learned to play. Younger brother Kenny is also a fiddler. What a wonderfully gifted musical family! Keith says he just can’t give enough credit to his father, to Voyd Rogers and to Ted Wyrick as teachers. He says he used to keep Ted up about all night playing and practicing. This October has found him at Dollywood about two days a week working with Gene Horner to demonstrate fiddlemaking during the Dollywood Craft Festival.

While playing a gig with New Bluegrass Season in Gatlinburg, Keith met a pretty little Greene County banjo picker named Myna Belle Keller who was playing with the Smoky Mountain Travelers. Myna Belle won his heart and became Mrs. Keith Williams. They formed a band called Hard Times. He says she is his inspiration to achieve. Myna holds a degree in Electronics from East Tennessee State University, works full time, and serves as a pastor’s wife. They have two children in college, Andy and Haley. Looks like she wears three hats, too–mother, professional, and pastor’s wife. They live at Chuckey. Reverend Williams is now the full time minister at New Haven Church near Greeneville. Both Myna Belle and Keith played at the Museum of Appalachia’s Fall Homecoming.

Remember at the beginning of this piece I said Reverend Williams may add to his three hats–Well, he told me he’s now trying his hand at two mandolins! For anyone wishing to own a JKW fiddle, start saving. These fiddles go for two grand.