Fiddler Doug Kershaw, The Ragin' Cajun, Endorses Barcus-Berry Violins

Feb. 18, 2010 - PRLog -- Barcus-Berry, a manufacturer of transducer/preamp systems and acoustic-electric violins, is happy to announce fiddler Doug Kershaw as the newest endorser of the Barcus-Berry Vibrato-AE™ Violin in Red Berry Burst!

After proudly declaring support and sponsorship of Barcus-Berry, Doug Kershaw remarked, “I worked with Barcus-Berry for several years when they first started. I’ve used a Barcus-Berry bridge ever since then. I thought it was time for me to see where they were at on their electric violins and wham-o, I am now The Ragin Barcus-Berry Electric Fiddlin' Cajun!”

Doug Kershaw, known as the Ragin’ Cajun, is considered by most to be the king of the fiddle players.  He was born and raised on a houseboat, and since his early days on a Louisiana bayou, he still takes the fiddle beyond what most people think possible.  With tremendous energy, he plays so incredibly fast and passionately, that his worldwide audiences are infused with foot stomping excitement. Having been self-taught, Doug Kershaw has mastered over 20 instruments, and because of his signature style of music making and story telling, many of his peers consider him as the best musician, performer, singer, and songwriter to ever come out of Southwest Louisiana.

Starting at the age of 9, he has been captivating audiences with his live performances for 60 years. In addition, he has had a prolific television career with his first network television appearance on the “Johnny Cash Show.” Other appearances include: Ed Sullivan; Tonight Show with Johnny Carson; Mike Douglas; Music Country USA; Merv Griffin; Dinah Shore; Mary Tyler Moore Special; John Wayne Special; Midnight Special with Wolf-Man Jack; and a member of the Fiddlers Three with Itzhak Perlman and Jean-Luc Ponty.   He wrote and recorded the title song for the movie Heaven’s Gate, the Mamou Two-Step, and had acting roles in the movies Zechariah, Days of Heaven, and Medicine Ball Caravan.   He was instrumental in helping launch the careers of Jay Leno, Dolly Parton, Little Richard, Willie Nelson, Steve Martin, and others by encouraging management to book them for the opening act of many of his shows.  Even though he does not read or write music, he has composed thousands of songs, having recorded 410 with labels such as Hickory Records, RCA, Columbia, and Warner Brothers Records.  Songs such as “Diggy, Diggy Lo”, “Cajun Joe”, and “Rita Put Your Black Shoes On”, are familiar tunes to Doug Kershaw fans, but none of his works reached the fame of his 1961 autobiographical recording of Louisiana Man, which was the first song ever broadcast back to earth from the moon during the 1969 Apollo 12 Mission.  Kershaw has been a member of the Grand Ole Opry for 20 years and has also performed at the White House.  He is a recent inductee to the Colorado Country Music Hall of Fame, in addition to being honored as the first inductee to the Cajun Zydeco Hall of Fame in Louisiana in August 2007.

People of all ages love the music and performance of Doug Kershaw.  He spends enormous amounts of time with his fans, especially the young people.  Liberally, Kershaw gives his time, inspiration, gifts, and encouragement to countless numbers from the younger generation.  He is a wonderful role model, and has inspired many young people to become involved with their own musical expression.

To find out more about Doug Kershaw, visit his website: http://www.myspace.com/dougkershawragincajun

Barcus-Berry products are exclusively distributed by Musicorp and include pickups and preamps for pianos, violins and guitars in addition to the Chromatic-AE™ and Vibrato-AE™ Series Acoustic-Electric Violins. For more information visit http://www.barcusberry.com.

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Barcus-Berry is a quality manufacturer of acoustic-electric violins and inventor of the first piezo transducer preamp system for guitars, pianos, brass and woodwind orchestral instruments, harmonicas, drums, tap floors and more. Since 1963, Barcus-Berry products have been delivering true reproduction of acoustic sound. Barcus-Berry is used and endorsed by professional musicians, bands and dancers such as Herbie Hancock, Rascal Flatts, Louise Mandrell, The Corrs, Pat Green Band, Clay Walker Band, Tracy Bonham and Broadway performer, Savion Glover. Learn more about Barcus-Berry products and its users at www.barcusberry.com.