American Fiddler

Tim Johnson, the 2007 recipient of the Western Music Association's 'Instrumentalist of the Year' award, and is the band leader for Sierra Riders, a well-known band which performs a wide range of western, early jazz, swing, and gospel music with an emphasis on the history and educational values of the American West. Tim has performed a wide-range of music since the age of eight, winning local and regional music contests as a fiddler and classical violinist. A versatile mult-instrumentalist musician/songwriter who performs all styles of music, Tim is in demand as a session player in country, western, gospel, blues, jazz, and rock music genres. From 2000 to 2007, Tim was fiddler with The Sons of the San Joaquin. A soughtafter music educator, Tim holds a B.A. in Business management with an emphasis in the management of music artists. He also holds an M.A. in music education from California State University-Fresno, with an emphasis in violin studies and music of the American West. Tim is the founder and music director of the Merced College Orchestra and the Oakhurst Community String Orchestra and is currently the host and bandleader for the weekly Cowboy - Gospel Services at the Oakhurst Lutheran Church in Oakhurst, California.