From the Southern Tier to the Library of Congress: Jehile Kirkhuff’s Legacy

Nestled just a few miles across the border from the Vestal Center area of New York, Lawton, Pennsylvania, might seem like just another sleepy little town. With only 301 residents according to the last census, it’s easy to overlook. But Lawton found itself on the map, in large part, thanks to a truly extraordinary old-time fiddler named Jehile Kirkhuff.

Jehile Kirkhuff was born in 1907, surrounded by the sounds of music. With his father, grandfather, and uncles all playing the fiddle, it was almost inevitable that Jehile would catch the music bug himself. By five, he had already picked up the instrument, and by the age of 19, he’d won his very first fiddle contest. His biggest moment came in 1954, when he took home the top prize at the World Championship Fiddler’s Contest in Texas.

One of the most remarkable parts of Kirkhuff’s story is that, as a teenager, he began to lose his eyesight. Eventually, he went completely blind, but that never slowed him down. As he grew into adulthood, Jehile continued performing at community events and took it upon himself to teach others to play, ensuring the tradition of old-time fiddling lived on.

When Jehile was 32, he married Lola, who was 24 years older than him. Their life together was anything but ordinary; they supported themselves by raising bees and sharing their love of music wherever they went.

People say Jehile Kirkhuff could play as many as 1,500 songs. With help from his musician friends and the Jehile Kirkhuff Old-Time Fiddle Music Fund, he managed to record over 400 of those tunes for the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress, a priceless gift for future generations of music lovers.

Jehile Kirkhuff passed away in 1981 and was laid to rest in his hometown. But his story didn’t end there. In 2003, Ken Oakley wrote a book about Jehile’s remarkable life, "Jehile-The Blind Fiddler From Lawton, Pennsylvania." The book has become quite a collector’s item; while you can’t find it on Amazon anymore, other retailers are asking upwards of $150 for a copy!