Jon Glik on the fiddle again
Jon Glik, 56, one of bluegrass music’s top fiddlers, is fit enough able to play again after a year where he almost died, according to a report on Baltimore’s Eyewitness News a few days ago.
Regular readers will recall our previous posting of a story regarding his very serious illness. Glik had been suffering for a long time with liver failure, during which time he was in pain almost all the time and was unable to use his hands. Evidently, he was unable to play music during that time.
Glik had been a member of Del McCoury’s Dixie Pals and worked with David Grisman and Frank Wakefield. He was a fixture on the Baltimore/Washington bluegrass scene since the 1970s.
Musicians from across the country have participated in several benefit shows to raise money to help meet considerable medical costs. As is common with many bluegrass musicians, Glik didn’t have any medical insurance. One gathering took place in Upperco, Maryland, in October to help raise money for Glik and to boost his spirits.
Glik comments …..
“I heard from friends I hadn’t heard from in 20 or 30 years. Their support helped me have a positive attitude.”
Thankfully, a liver became available and transplant surgery was performed November 18 at the University Of Maryland Medical Center. Transplant surgeon Dr Luis Campos was frank about Glik’s condition and his prospects ‚Ķ.
“Without the new liver, I doubt if Jon would have lived till the new year.”
For his part, Jon encourages people to donate organs for transplant ….
“I urge everyone to please donate their organs. Without it, I would not be here today.”
Glik, his girlfriend, guitar player Tracey Eldridge, and banjo playing pal Mike Munford helped show how far Jon has come back by playing several tunes for Eyewitness News.
For those who would like to contribute to help Glik’s medical costs or send a Get Well card can do so by writing to Jon’s sister at ‚Ķ
PO Box 4005
Annapolis, MD 21403
Checks should be made payable to Jon Glik Medical Fund.
Footnote: I remember Glik during better times as a tourist in England during the early 1980s, performing with Del McCoury and the Dixie Pals.
Get well soon, Jon.


Thanks go to reader David Hobby, who passed along this link to a feature that ran in yesterday's edition of The Baltimore Sun.
The story is about a regular Friday night jam session in Deale, MD and describes a scenario that will be familiar to most of our readers.
You can read the story on the...
Wild Card is the new album by James Reams, Walter Hensley & The Barons Of Bluegrass. The band includes longtime bluegrass sidemen Jon Glik, Mark Farrell and Carl Hayano, and includes some traditional material, a few originals, and couple of tunes drawn from unexpected places. It was recorded in one weekend...
I'm am very sorry to report that mandolin legend, Butch Baldassari passed away yesterday, January 10. Here is his obituary from the Tennesean News:
"Acclaimed musician Butch Baldassari, a mandolin virtuoso whose work bridged genres, communities and centuries, died today at Saint Thomas Hospital's...
We got a note last week from our friend Big Mike Ramsey about an event that many of our readers will want to support. It's a benefit show scheduled for this weekend (5/9) for John Shuffler, one of the unsung heroes from the early days of bluegrass music.
His brother George may be better known to bluegrass...




Leave a comment
Comments are open and unmoderated for our registered users, only your first comment will require approval before publication. Comments do not necessarily reflect the views of The Bluegrass Blog. Obscene, abusive, silly, or annoying remarks may be deleted, but the fact that particular comments remain on the site in no way constitutes an endorsement of their content by The Bluegrass Blog.
You must