“The Stringbean Fiddle Train”
Words and music by Sally Svenson
with Miss Venhuizen’s 5th Grade Class
©2024 Sally Svenson
Chorus
Hi-Dee-Ho, he grabs his fiddle and his bow
Plays the Orange Blossom Special everywhere he goes
Those fiddle strings like railroad tracks have carried him around the globe
That fiddle sings and saws and clacks, and everybody knows
Stringbean’s at the helm, the conductor of this train
He plays those fiddle tunes and rides those rails again
Hi-Dee-Ho, clap your hands and tap your toes
Get onboard the Stringbean Fiddle Train. Enjoy the ride. LET’S GO!
Inbound at the station, Stringbean arrived in thirty-nine
Jack and Oma were overjoyed, how their faces shined
His first years on the Dakota plains, were in his father’s fields
His pets were wild critters, his favorite toy was an iron wheel
In forty-nine the three of them move to their Black Hills home
That fiddle in the closest sat alone without a bow
If he repaired a broken garden pump, a promise was made
Dad would buy him a fiddle bow; it was fixed in just one day
Chorus
A 4-H competition was the ticket to his fiddling line
He won at the State Fair; a Chicago trip was his prize
Back home a special invite came from local TV
Soon he was a regular on the Hoedown Jamboree
He fiddled ‘round from town to town with Buddy and the boys
By seventy-six a new direction on the outbound was deployed
He hooked up with a Vegas group, played music is distant lands
In USO to bases, for the troops and their commands.
Chorus
The locomotive whistle blares with joy in Stringbean’s life
His days are filled with love for his three sons and his wife
What a thrill to blend great music as a four-piece family band
Living in the good times, and making lots of friends
All along those steel rails, fiddle notes fill the air
They leave behind a message; one he longs to share
Be honest and be truthful, live by the Golden Rule
Never lose track of life’s purpose in everything you do
Chorus
What do you feel is your life’s purpose? When we asked Stringbean Svenson this question, he humbly replied that he felt his life’s purpose was to bring joy to the people he met. With more than 70 years of creating and playing beautiful music, we would say that he has done just that.
Stringbean was born on November 16, 1939, in Pierre, South Dakota. He was the only child of Arther (Jack) and Oma Svenson. Stringbean grew up on a wheat farm in Onida, SD before moving to Hermosa in 1949, at the age of nine. He remembers his mom as a great baker. His dad was a skilled carpenter and musician with a love for animals. Stringbean grew up with several unique pets, including a porcupine, skunk, badger, and coyote.
Jack gave Stringbean his first fiddle, but there was one catch… There was no bow. Stringbean really wanted to learn how to play, so his dad made him a deal. The deal was if he fixed the broken irrigation pump, his dad would buy a bow. While his dad was at work, Stringbean fixed the pump and received the bow as promised.
Stringbean quickly learned how to play the fiddle, which led him on many great adventures. As a child, Stringbean played his fiddle in a 4-H competition and was invited to play on the KOTA TV Hoedown Jamboree at the age of 15. That is how the Stringbean fiddle train got rolling!
As an adult, Stringbean had the opportunity to record in Nashville, Tennessee, where he learned to play the five-string fiddle. In 1963, he was drafted into the US Army and was stationed in Hawaii. Stringbean then played for military servicemen on overseas military bases as part of the United Service Organizations (USO). He visited many cities and countries including London, the Caribbean, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Japan, and Korea. We asked Stringbean what he cared about most – his response was “the health of his family.” He has been married to Sally for 34 years, and they have three sons: Shannon, Neil, and Curtis. They have played music as a family for years, and Stringbean taught his family the importance of being honest and truthful.
At the end of our time together, we asked Stringbean to share a life lesson with us. He said, “if you’re an honest person, you’ll be treated honestly.” Stringbean noted that he felt honored to be able to play music as a career. We aren’t sure what comes next for him, but we are betting he will continue to bless people with his music.