Dennis Fetchet
American bluegrass musician who plays fiddle & mandolin and sings baritone

Dennis Fetchet

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American bluegrass musician who plays fiddle & mandolin and sings baritone
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Biography

Introduction

Dennis Fetchet, a Southern California bluegrass musician who plays fiddle & mandolin and sings baritone, tenor, and lead with the Grateful Dudes Bluegrass Band and Disneyland's Billy Hill and the Hillbillies. He is also accomplished on the guitar, and blues harp.

Fetchet has played all over the world with country music superstar Hoyt Axton. He was a member of Axton's band from 1978 until Hoyt's retirement from performing in 1987. He has also been a member of the LA Fiddle Band, The Wild Hickory Nuts, the Southland Bluegrass Band, and the Bluegrass Cardinals.

Since 1992, Fetchet has been a member of Billy Hill and the Hillbillies and can currently be seen at Disneyland as "Billy Fiddle" in the Billy Hill and the Hillbillies show at the Golden Horseshoe Saloon in Frontierland. There, he demonstrates "speed fiddling" five times daily (Saturday – Wednesday) with his specialty "The Orange Blossom", and also shows off his talents for comedy, guitar, mandolin, blues harp, and other assorted instruments.

He can also be seen most Saturday nights playing with The Grateful Dudes at Vincenzo's in Newhall.

Fetchet is currently retired and living in the southern California area, occasionally playing in local bluegrass bands as a guest.

Album credits

  • 15th Annual Topanga Banjo and Fiddle Contest – featuring various artists – 1975 – on fiddle playing the "Cotton Patch Rag", and "Black Mountain".
  • Bluegrass Cardinals – Bluegrass Cardinals – 1976 – on fiddle – playing on all tracks.
  • Rusty Old HaloHoyt Axton – 1979 – on fiddle and harmonica – playing on all tracks.
  • Where Did the Money Go?Hoyt Axton – 1980 – on fiddle and harmonica – playing on all tracks.
  • Hoyt Axton LiveHoyt Axton – 1981 – on fiddle and harmonica – featured as a solo on "Orange Blossom Special" and "Roanoake".
  • Pistol Packin’ MamaHoyt Axton – 1981 – on fiddle and harmonica on all tracks.
  • Lonesome FeelingHerb Pedersen – 1984 – on fiddle
  • PlungeMichael Stearns – 1986 – on fiddle
  • Polka Party!"Weird Al" Yankovic – 1986 – on fiddle for “Good Enough For Now” track.
  • Collected Thematic WorksMichael Stearns – 1987 – on fiddle
  • Songs of the Working People – featuring various artists – 1988 – on fiddle – on "Flying Fish" track.
  • Now They Are FourByron Berline – 1989 – on fiddle – on "Santa Ana" track
  • Back to the Future – featuring various artists – 1990 – on fiddle – ZZ Top song used in old west scene.
  • California Traveler – California Traveler – 1992 – on fiddle
  • Billy Hill and the Hillbillies – Billy Hill and the Hillbillies – 1996 – on fiddle, electric guitar, and harmonica – on all tracks.
  • What's Left? – The Foremen – 1996 – on fiddle
  • Highway to Here – Sharon Cort – 1997 – on fiddle
  • LandscapesJoyce Woodson – 1998 – on fiddle
  • Pistol Packin' Mama/Spin of the Wheel Re-release – Hoyt Axton – 1998 – on fiddle and Lap Steel Guitar.
  • Rusty Old Halo/Where Did the Money Go Re-release – Hoyt Axton – 1998 – on fiddle and mandolin.
  • Private EditionBobby Cochran – 1999 – on Fiddle.
  • Pickin' on Jerry Garcia – featuring Various Artists – 2001 – on Fiddle – on "Gomorrah" and "Rhapsody in Red" tracks.
  • None of Your Business – The Big Shots – released between 1997–2000 – on fiddle – on "Stop It" track.
  • I Want U 2 Want Me – The Billys – 2002 – on fiddle, vocals and mandolin – on all tracks.
  • The Billys Live – The Billys – 2006 – on fiddle, vocals and mandolin – on all tracks.

Film credit

  • Heart Like a Wheel – Dennis Fetchet 1983 plays fiddle player in Tex's band.