On the 50-year anniversary of Hee Haw, Jae said, “It is very exciting. It is very hard to believe that 50 years have passed. It is still watched by families in America. RFD-TV is still broadcasting that show every week, and it’s their most popular show.”
Jae praised her fellow Hee Haw cast-mates Lulu Roman and Misty Rowe. “Lulu has such a beautiful voice, and she is a natural comedian,” she said. “Misty played the cute blonde girl with the big blue eyes. I love being with both of them on the show,” she said.
Regarding her love for fiddle playing, she said, “I won’t tell you how long I’ve been playing the fiddle, but I have loved every year. Buck Owens hired me as the first female instrumentalist in all of the country bands at the time. The band was usually men, and he hired me and now there are a lot of female fiddle players around. We have a lot of fun with it. I sure enjoy what I am doing.”
For aspiring fiddle players, Jae encouraged them to “keep on picking.” “I have loved playing my entire life. It’s like a language and music is the universal language, and hopefully, it unites everyone during this time of political division,” she said. “The fiddle is so much fun. Just keep playing and honing your talent. Enjoy learning all the different styles. That’s what’s really fun. It’s a great bluegrass instrument.”
She revealed that she does a fiddle camp each year around Labor Day in Northeastern Oklahoma on Grand Lake. “We have a blast,” she said. “There is no better sound than a fiddle and a steel guitar.”
Jae noted that she does three festivals in Oklahoma. “In addition to my fiddle camp, we do a big American heritage festival and a Cajun festival,” she said.
Digital transformation of the music industry
On the impact of technology on the music business, Jae said, “I love iTunes because that is where I sell my music. It is quite a change. We need to keep adjusting. All the booking is now done online via e-mail and by sending electronic press kits. Booking used to done by phone calls to booking agents. It is pretty fast for me but it works very well. We are living in a very technological age.”
She defined the word success as “enjoying what you are doing.” “I live for the moment of every day, and I live to the fullest. I love music and I embrace music of all types. I just loved the Hee Haw family because it was camaraderie that has gone on for years and years, and that is country music as well. They are an extended family that takes care of each other,” she said. “If you are enjoying what you are doing, you are a total success.”
For more information on the “Queen of Country Fiddle” Jana Jae, check out her official website.
To learn more about Kornfield Friends and their tour dates, check out its official homepage.
