Clarence "Tater" Tate

Fiddler and bassist Clarence "Tater" Tate towers among the premier sideman in bluegrass history, supporting a who's who of roots music icons including Bill Monroe, Lester Flatt, and Jimmy Martin. Born in Gate City, VA, on February 4, 1931, Tate was one of nine children, all of but two of whom later pursued careers as performers. At age four, he began playing guitar and a year later made his local radio debut. Citing Art Wooten's potent contributions to Flatt & Scruggs' classic "Train 45" as his seminal influence, Tate adopted the fiddle as a teen and by 1950 he was a sought-af...