Native plays toe-tappin' fiddle

Native American violinist inspires East Tennessee studentsArvel Bird discovered his voice when he was only nine years old. That voice is the violin.

"I'm a mixed blood Indian of southern Paiute on my mother's side and Scottish ancestry on my father's side," Arvel tells the class. "I use my music to honor my Native American heritage and my celtic roots."

"I felt an inner calling to bring out the music I had inside me."

A blend of tribal sounds are usually played on the flute and drums in the Native American culture. But as a trained classical musician, Bird often brings out the toe tappin' fiddle.Comment:  For more on the subject, see Concerto for Violin and Native Flute.