Brian Jiguere: Mandolin

Brian comes from a musical family and was taught how to play guitar at a very early age. During his school days Brian played lead guitar with many local country bands, turning his attentions to Bluegrass after attending a Joe Val concert, eventually joining up with friends and forming the Yankee Strings Band. They traveled New England and Canada, sometimes playing the same festivals as many famous Bluegrass people. One of Brian’s most memorable moments was at a festival Joe Val broke his ankle and Brian was asked to take his place in Joe’s band for the night. Brian said he was so nervous he could barely pick. Brian joined with Smokey Greene and the Boys and for years that band became very popular and it was while playing and traveling the country and Canada that Brian met and became friends with many famous bluegrass musicians such as Bill Harrell, Raymond Fairchild, Bill Monroe, Charlie Moore, Mac Wiseman, and many bluegrass bands. Upon Smokey Green’s retirement and relocating to Florida, Brian accepted an invitation to play mandolin with the popular band Blistered Fingers based in Waterville Maine. After three years the traveling became too much and Brain had to give up. After all, through all these years Brian still worked a day job at IPCo in Corinth NY. Brian finally after 7 years of missing playing with a group reached early retirement with the closing of IPCo’s mill in Corinth. Brian was attending a concert one night when he was told by Mike Tirella of The Cabin Fever Band that any time he wished to he could come along and play. Stating that music was the best therapy for him, Brain accepted the invitation and can be found doing just that.