Voices of Americana: Gary Eller
When you’re born and raised in West Virginia, you just somehow have music in your DNA. You play or sing the songs, or you just savor them — but they are always a part of your life. Such is the story of Gary Eller. He’s a sort of detective for the old songs of the nineteenth century. He brought the love of music to Idaho in 2005 after a long career in nuclear engineering — at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, where the first nuclear bombs were built.
Now, in retirement, he spends his days in old archives and traveling Idaho singing the songs from the early days of the state. He will tell you about the nineteenth century visitors that came through Idaho, on the Oregon Trail. They rarely stopped — just kept heading west.
But in the 1860’s — when gold was discovered here — small towns and settlements started springing up all over the territory. And especially on cold winter nights, those first settlers would write their songs and sing their music. In those lyrics you can glean the early history of Idaho. Such is Gary’s mission. 
With a grant from the Idaho Humanities Council, Gary created The Idaho Songbag, a collection of over two dozen songs based on historical Idaho people, and places. He created the Idaho Songs Project, and travels the state singing the old songs and giving presentations. He also has done a podcast series with the Idaho Bluegrass Association.
He also served as a board member with the National Oldtime Fiddlers, Inc. in Weiser.
Each years, for more than 70 years now, the group puts on the Old Time Fiddler Contest and Festival. Some of the best and newest musicians in the country gather in the town of Weiser, and the jam sessions are legendary. 
Gary also created an annual banjo camp and contest and a number of other music-related camps supporting the fiddle contest organization’s mission.
With the help of The Idaho Commission on the Arts, here is the story of man hunting our history through the old music.
Voices of Americana: Gary Eller
When you’re born and raised in West Virginia, you just somehow have music in your DNA. You play or sing the songs, or you just savor them — but they are always a part of your life. Such is the story of Gary Eller. He’s a sort of detective for the old songs of the nineteenth century. He brought the love of music to Idaho in 2005 after a long career in nuclear engineering — at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, where the first nuclear bombs were built.
Now, in retirement, he spends his days in old archives and traveling Idaho singing the songs from the early days of the state. He will tell you about the nineteenth century visitors that came through Idaho, on the Oregon Trail. They rarely stopped — just kept heading west.
But in the 1860’s — when gold was discovered here — small towns and settlements started springing up all over the territory. And especially on cold winter nights, those first settlers would write their songs and sing their music. In those lyrics you can glean the early history of Idaho. Such is Gary’s mission. With a grant from the Idaho Humanities Council, Gary created The Idaho Songbag, a collection of over two dozen songs based on historical Idaho people, and places. He created the Idaho Songs Project, and travels the state singing the old songs and giving presentations. He also has done a podcast series with the Idaho Bluegrass Association.
He also served as a board member with the National Oldtime Fiddlers, Inc. in Weiser.
Each years, for more than 70 years now, the group puts on the Old Time Fiddler Contest and Festival. Some of the best and newest musicians in the country gather in the town of Weiser, and the jam sessions are legendary. Gary also created an annual banjo camp and contest and a number of other music-related camps supporting the fiddle contest organization’s mission.
With the help of The Idaho Commission on the Arts, here is the story of man hunting our history through the old music.
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Ah, Gary. We know you so well, whiskers and all! Thank you for sharing all your musical talents with us and so many others. With sweet envy, I listen to your music and wish I had the same level of passion. Since my passion lies elsewhere, at least at the moment, I will simply enjoy yours. Thanks for sharing.