What's Up - Your guide to what's happening in Fayetteville, AR this week!
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Editor's Note: This story originally appeared June 20 in What's Up! LARA JO HIGHTOWER NWA Democrat-Gazette T here's no two ways about it: People love Jenee Fleenor. Even if you haven't heard of the Springdale native — whose maiden name was Keener — it's a good bet you've heard (and love) her fiddle playing. She regularly tours with country music star Blake Shelton, has toured and recorded with rock legend Steven Tyler, plays in the band for the NBC television show "The Voice" and is a session player for countless musicians in Nashville. In addition to the fiddle, which she's played since she was 3, she also plays the mandolin and acoustic guitar and has written songs recorded by luminaries like Dolly Parton. Her achievements are so impressive, in fact, that, in 2019, Fleenor became the first woman to win the Country Music Association's Musician of the Year award — also the first time a fiddler had been recognized for the award in two decades. She then repeated the victory in 2020. She's also been nominated for two successive years for the Academy of Country Music Awards Specialty Instrument(s) Player of the Year and has won two Arkansas CMA Awards. Despite the superstar resume, talking about the upcoming June 25-27 Hometown Celebration Springdale has planned to honor her many successes brings this humble talent to tears. "I was just beside myself when people started reaching out to me, saying, 'We really want to celebrate you — what can we do to make this happen?'" Fleenor says, getting choked up. "I'm just so overwhelmed and blessed by all of the messages I've received. You've heard the saying 'I'm over the moon' — well, I'm over the moon, sun, stars, galaxy." In a testament to how down- to-earth and accessible Fleenor is, the plan to celebrate her the weekend of June 25 started in a conversation on Facebook between Fleenor and Sarah King, a fan of Fleenor's. King had written a letter to the editor, published in this newspaper, asking why Springdale doesn't brag more about its homegrown superstar. "Is it just Ozark humility that makes us afraid to brag? That's the only explanation I can figure for why Springdale doesn't have a giant 'Home of Jenee Fleenor' sign at the city limits," King wrote. She closed out the letter with: "As we work to put these hard times behind us, let's celebrate one of the world's best fiddlers! Come on, Springdale!" "I heard Jenee play years ago at a house concert at Mike Shirkey's on Block Street in DECEMBER 26, 2021-JANUARY 1, 2022 WHAT'S UP! 7 YEAR IN REVIEW Hometown Honors Springdale celebrates award-winning fiddler See Fleenor Page 39 "I'm just so used to being kind of in the 'side spotlight,' I guess, and, oh my goodness, this is actually all about me," Fleenor says of the upcoming celebration. "A couple times, I kind of stopped in my tracks and thought about it, and a few times, honestly, I just broke down and bawled — which I could probably do right now. It's very humbling. I can think of the times, before I moved to Nashville, when everyone was so supportive. I can think of people who prayed for me before my journey to Nashville. All the people who have been so supportive and been with me along the way — I'm so grateful." (Courtesy Photo)