Fiddle and the forge: National music champ is also an Alberta blacksmith

Canada’s best fiddler Alberta’s Ethan Harty has won his second national fiddling title. Jeremy Thompson has his story.

Whether he's fiddling a tune for a national title or swinging a hammer at his day job, Ethan Harty says the key to his success is focusing on the "fine details."

That strategy is working for him. Not only is Harty a two-time Canadian Grand Masters Fiddling champion at age 20, he also makes a living as a blacksmith in 2022.

"I love watching the metal move under the hammer. I love using big machines, industrial machines," Harty explained to CTV News Edmonton at his home near Sedgewick, Alta.

His passion for forging a hand tool out of iron, on par with the thrill he gets from entertaining audiences with his stringed instrument.

"I'll typically play old-time fiddle tunes, cause that’s where my heart is at, the prairie old-time fiddle style," Harty explained. "I like it because I like the music. The music makes me want to dance."

In Winnipeg, Harty recently out played 34 other expert fiddlers from across Canada to capture his second grand masters title. He won his first in 2019, becoming the youngest ever to do it, at just 17 years old.

Harty has earned some prize money, plays at dances and events and has produced 2 studio albums.

"I love to see the feet tapping, and the heads bobbing, and the goosebumps on their arms if I'm playing, you know, a chord progression that’s really good," he said.

Harty hopes to capture his third national title next year. In the meantime, he'll probably be in rural Alberta, pounding out tools for carpenters and farriers.

With files from CTV News Edmonton's Jeremy Thompson