First person: Young fiddler full of talent

CNJ staff photo: Liliana Castillo Portales’ Coby Carter said he started playing the fiddle after hearing George Strait play. The 13-year-old has been playing five years.

Thirteen-year-old Coby Carter has been playing fiddle for five years. He has played with big name bands, including Restless Heart at last year’s Dairy Fest. This year, he’ll be opening for Dairy Fest headliner Sammy Kershaw.

Whiz kid fiddler: I saw on TV or heard George Strait playing the fiddle and kinda out of the blue I knew I wanted to start playing the fiddle. I started out on the piano but I didn’t like it. It wasn’t portable enough, I guess.

Another gig: I don’t remember when my first big gig was, honestly. I’ve played with Jodi Hicks, Bobby Flores, and the Texas Playboys. I’m a little nervous about this year’s Dairy Fest. You gotta be nervous a little bit.

New kid on the block: I live in Portales and will be attending Portales High School this coming year. I’m a little nervous about going into high school. I’m worried about getting stuffed into trash cans, I guess.

Thriller: I like the thrill of getting to play with a huge star like Restless Heart or somebody else that is really well-known. It’s very cool.

Fiddle preference: I like the fiddle better than the guitar because it’s a whole lot easier for me to play. I understand it. I’m learning from Dale and Toby Morris out of Decatur, Texas. We do our lessons over the phone. We put it on speaker phone and they have such a good ear they can hear if my bow is going the right direction or what note I need to be playing different or anything like that.