Gabe Witcher

Gabriel Witcher (born June 11, 1978) is an American multi-instrumentalist, producer, composer, and arranger, best known as a fiddle player and singer. He is a founding member of the string ensemble Punch Brothers. Witcher and his fellow Punch Brothers won the 2019 Grammy for Best Folk Album and were named Affiliate Scholars of Oberlin Conservatory in 2014.

History Gabe Witcher began his performing career in 1984, at the age of six, at the Strawberry Music Festival in Yosemite when he was invited on stage by Bill Monroe to perform a duet in front of a workshop crowd. Later that day Witcher, along with his father, were invited to perform three songs on the main stage in between acts. This launched the formation of "The Witcher Brothers" which performed throughout the southwest United States for 25 years.

In 1993 Witcher contributed original compositions to the soundtrack of the 1993 film The Skateboard Kid. Many of these pieces he performed with his band, Trashkittens. This includes a music video rendition of the electric guitar–driven "Hard to Find", which ends the film.

In 1995 Witcher was asked to join the Laurel Canyon Ramblers, led by veteran bluegrass/country musician, Herb Pedersen, after their original fiddler Byron Berline relocated to a new city. He was with the Ramblers four years and recorded two albums with them.

In 1999, Witcher joined Béla Fleck's "The Bluegrass Sessions: Tales from the Acoustic Planet, Vol. 2" tour (filling in for fiddler Stuart Duncan) with Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Bryan Sutton and Mark Schatz. In 2002 Witcher joined Jerry Douglas' band and was a regular member until the formation of Punch Brothers in 2008.

Witcher spent 2005 working with Kenny Loggins and Jim Messina on the Loggins and Messina "Sittin' In Again" tour where he played fiddle, mandolin, dobro, and percussion as well as singing.

In 2010, he joined the Dave Rawlings Machine for two weeks of tour dates. The lineup consisted of Rawlings, Gillian Welch, two members of Old Crow Medicine Show, and Witcher.

He performed with Eve 6 on the Horrorscope tour (2000–2001) performing bass and backing vocals, allowing vocalist Max Collins more mobility onstage (Collins plays bass guitar on the album). He also performed on the track "Anytime" from the 2001 film Out Cold.

Witcher has appeared on film & television scores including as The Good Dinosaur, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2, Inside Llewyn Davis, The Hunger Games, Brokeback Mountain, Cars, Toy Story, True Detective, Nashville, Better Call Saul, Sons of Anarchy and many others. He co-produced music with T Bone Burnett for the television shows Nashville and True Detective.

Witcher has one Grammy win and ten Grammy nominations. He had six nominations with Punch Brothers and four Grammy nominations as a producer: 2017 Best Bluegrass Album for Noam Pikelny's Universal Favorite, 2017 Best Contemporary Instrumental Album for Julian Lage & Chris Eldridge Mount Royal, 2015 Bluegrass Album of the Year for Noam Pikelny Plays Kenny Baker Plays Bill Monroe, and 2013 Bluegrass Album of the Year for Noam Pikelny's Beat the Devil and Carry a Rail, which also won "Album of the Year" at the IBMA Awards in 2014. He has also appeared on records by Paul Simon, Eric Clapton, Elton John, Beck, Willie Nelson, Neil Diamond, Fiona Apple, and Shania Twain.

Witcher has written arrangements for Elton John, Kronos Quartet, Punch Brothers, Rhiannon Giddens, Boston Pops, San Francisco Symphony, l'Orchestre Symphonique de Bretagne, North Carolina Symphony, The Secret Sisters, Nashville, and True Detective.

Witcher composed and arranged music for Red Dead Redemption 2 and was music director and conductor for the live performance of the score at the Red Bull Music Festival in Los Angeles in the Spring of 2019.

Personal life On September 15, 2013, Witcher married actress Mary Faber. They have two sons.

Music Director Sara Bareilles: Saturday Night Live, Ellen, Good Morning America, The Late Late Show w/ James Corden, The Talk, "Amidst The Chaos" Album Release Tour (2019)

The Music of Red Dead Redemption 2: Red Bull Music Festival Los Angeles (2019)

Kennedy Center presents: American Acoustic w Chris Thile – All Star Jam (2016)

Another Day, Another Time: f/ the music of Inside Llewyn Davis – Los Angeles (2013)

Discography

Punch Brothers

Christina Courtin

Jerry Douglas

Laurel Canyon Ramblers

Credits

Albums

Artist Project RolePaul Simon So Beautiful or So What Fiddle Stranger to Stranger Fiddle, VocalsEric Clapton Old Sock FiddleElton John Wonderful Crazy Night Arranger, ConductorWillie Nelson The Great Divide FiddleNeil Diamond Dreams FiddleBeck Return of the Grievous Angel FiddleShania Twain Now FiddleRosanne Cash The River & the Thread † FiddleFiona Apple/Jon Brion So Sleepy FiddleEmmylou Harris Return of the Grievous Angel FiddleMerle Haggard Chicago Wind FiddleJohn Denver All Aboard† FiddleBette Midler It's the Girls! FiddlePunch Brothers/ VariousArtists Another Day, Another Time Fiddle, VocalsDierks Bentley Up on the Ridge ^ FiddleThe Chieftains Voice of Ages FiddleEddy Mitchell Heros, Jumbalaya FiddleJohnny Hallyday Rester Vivant FiddleTravis Tritt The Storm FiddleLee Ann Womack Something Worth Leaving Behind FiddleDwight Yoakam Dwights Used Records FiddleSara Watkins Young in All the Wrong Ways Producer, guitars, Fiddle, ArrangementsRhiannon Giddens Tomorrow Is My Turn Fiddle, Violin, Guitar, Arranger (Strings, Horns)Phoebe BridgersStranger in the Alps ViolinNoam Pikelny Noam Pikelny Plays Kenny Baker Plays Bill Monroe ^ ProducerNoam Pikelny Beat The Devil and Carry a Rail^ Producer Jerry Douglas The Best Kept Secret ^ Fiddle, StringsChris Thile How to Grow a Woman from the Ground ^ Fiddle, Vocals, ArrangingThe Secret Sisters Put Your Needle Down Fiddle, Violin, Arranger (Strings)Chris Hillman The Other Side FiddleTom Brosseau What I Mean to Say Is Goodbye Fiddle

Film

Title Composer RoleThe Peanut Butter Falcon Gabe Witcher, Jonathan Sadoff, Noam Pikelny, Zach Dawes FiddleThe Ballad of Buster Scruggs Additional Music FiddleThe Good Dinosaur Mychael & Jeff Danna FiddleThe Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 Additional music ComposerToy Story^! Randy Newman FiddleCars † Randy Newman FiddleCars 3 Randy Newman FiddleThe Princess and the Frog Randy Newman FiddleInside Llewyn Davis T Bone Burnett Fiddle, VocalsThe Hunger Games James Newton Howard FiddleBrokeback Mountainº Gustavo Santaolalla FiddleBabelº Gustavo Santaolalla ViolinCharlie Wilson's War James Newton Howard FiddleThis Is 40 Jon Brion Fiddle, ViolinKingsman: The Golden Circle Henry Jackman, Matthew Margeson FiddleA Million Ways to Die in the West Joel McNeely FiddleWild Hogs Teddy Castellucci FiddleThe Homesman Marco Beltrami ViolinRobin HoodMarc Streitenfeld FiddleThe SpongeBob SquarePants Movie Andy Paley FiddleNights in Rodanthe Jeanine Tesori FiddleSoul Men Stanley Clarke FiddleThe Dukes of Hazzard Nathan Barr FiddleWithout a Paddle Chris Beck FiddleWelcome Home Roscoe Jenkins David Newman FiddleThe Best Of Me Aaron Zigman FiddleBridge to Terabithia Aaron Zigman FiddleChristmas Cottage Aaron Zigman FiddleFlicka Aaron Zigman FiddleThe Wendell Baker Story Aaron Zigman FiddleThe Notebook Aaron Zigman FiddleMater and the Ghostlight Bruno Coon FiddleBigger, Stronger, Faster* Dave Porter FiddleVenom James L. Venable FiddleThe Cave Reinhold Heil Violin

Television

^ Emmy Nominated

Title Selection RoleTrue Detective Season 3ScoreRecordist, Additional Music, performerTrue Detective Season 2 Score Violin, Electric Violin, Electric BassTrue Detective The Angry River Composer, Arranger (strings), ViolinNashville Nothing in This World Will Ever Break My Heart Again^ Co-Producer (w/ T Bone Burnett), Arranger (Strings, Background vocals), ViolinNashville Ho Hey Co-Producer (w/ T Bone Burnett), Guitar, Fiddle, MandolinNashville Used Co-Producer (w/ T Bone Burnett), Arranger (Strings, Background vocals), FiddleNashville Consider Me Co-Producer (w/ T Bone Burnett), Arranger (Strings, Background vocals), FiddleNashville We Are Water Co-Producer (w/ T Bone Burnett), Arranger (Strings, Background vocals), FiddleNashville Looking for a Place To Shine Co-Producer (w/ T Bone Burnett), Arranger (Strings, Background vocals), Fiddle, Mandolin, KeyboardsNashville Hanging on a Lie Co-Producer (w/ T Bone Burnett), Arranger (Strings, Background vocals), Fiddle, Mandolin, KeyboardsNashville Stomping Ground Co-Producer (w/ T Bone Burnett), Arranger (Strings, Background vocals), Fiddle,Mandolin, Nashville Gun for a Mouth FiddleNashville Tough All Over FiddleNashville Let There Be Lonely KeyboardsBetter Call Saul Score ViolinSons of Anarchy All Along The Watchtower FiddleLegends of TomorrowScoreFiddleJustified Score FiddleTurn: Washington's Spies Score FiddleParty of Five Score ViolinKing of the Hill Score FiddleCrossing Jordan Innocent When You Dream FiddleHeartland Score FiddlePoint of Honor Score FiddleTexas Rising Score FiddleBonnie & Clyde Score FiddleHatfields & McCoys Score FiddleSarah Silverman Show Score FiddleNews Radio Score FiddleJust Shoot Me! Score FiddleWorst Week Score FiddleCurious George Score FiddleBerenstain Bears Theme Song FiddleThree Moons Over Milford Score FiddleAny Day Now Score FiddleGeorge and Leo Score FiddleThe Lazarus Man Score FiddleDilbert Score Fiddle

Live Television

Artists ShowPunch Brothers Conan The Tonight Show with Jay Leno Austin City Limits Jools Holland CBS Saturday Morning Late Show with David LettermanPunch Brothers w/ Steve MartinLate Show with David LettermanDolly Parton78th Academy Awards ShowBeck and Willie NelsonThe Tonight Show with Jay Leno Farm AidWillie Nelson and Lee Ann WomackThe Tonight Show with Jay LenoWillie NelsonAcademy of Country Music Awards

Bands/Tours

Dates Artist Role(2006–2023) Punch BrothersFiddle, Vocals, Drums(2014)Steve Martin and Martin ShortFiddle(2012)Paul Simon Fiddle(2010)Dave Rawlings MachineFiddle, Guitar, Vocals(2006)k.d. langFiddle, Guitar(2005)Loggins and Messina Sittin' In Again Reunion TourFiddle, Mandolin, Dobro, Percussion, Vocals(2002–2008)Jerry Douglas BandFiddle(2000–2001)Eve 6Bass(1999)The Bluegrass Sessions f/ Béla Fleck, Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Bryan Sutton, Mark SchatzFiddle(1995–2000)Laurel Canyon RamblersFiddle(1984–2008)The Witcher BrothersFiddle, Vocals