[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 144 (Wednesday, October 15, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2040]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          TRIBUTE TO RON POAST

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                           HON. TAMMY BALDWIN

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, October 15, 2003

  Ms. BALDWIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a person who 
is a gifted artisan. Mr. Ron Poast is one of our nation's rare makers 
of the Hardanger fiddles. Mr. Poast's skill in this art has brought him 
nationwide acclaim.
  Ron has recently been awarded the National Heritage Fellowship Award. 
This very prestigious award was presented to only 16 artists from 
across the nation.
  The Hardanger fiddle is recognized as the national instrument of 
Norway. Norwegian cultural influences are prevalent in Mr. Poast's 
hometown of Black Earth, as they are in much of Wisconsin. Ron's 
passion for the Hardanger was shaped by his Norwegian-American parents 
and his grandfathers who were both fiddlers. The Hardanger fiddle has a 
dragonhead scroll, four bowed violin strings, and five sympathetic 
understrings that produce a unique droning sound. Before shipping each 
hand-crafted fiddle that he makes, Ron carefully ``plays it in'' to 
make sure that it has the right distinctive sound. In addition to his 
rare talent with the Hardanger, he also makes fine banjos, violins, 
mandolins, and guitars.
  Ron has received wide recognition for his excellence in this craft. 
At the national level, he was recognized by the Smithsonian Folklife 
Festival. The Wisconsin State Strings Museum Hall of Fame named him 
Master Luthier of the Year in 1992, and former Governor Tommy Thompson 
nominated Mr. Poast for the National Living Treasure of the United 
States Award. When I served in the Wisconsin State Legislature, a 
photograph of Mr. Poast's great craftsmanship graced the cover of the 
State of Wisconsin Telephone Directory, a listing of thousands of state 
employees and their agencies. In 2000, Ron was given the opportunity to 
display his beautiful instruments internationally at the Chiba People's 
Days festival in Makuhari, Japan.
  Mr. Speaker, I join the National Endowment for the Arts in 
recognizing Mr. Poast's achievements and congratulate him as he accepts 
the National Heritage Fellowship Award.

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