Lizzie Yeehaw was born Elizabeth Hummel, daughter of Barbara Cornell Clark Hummel, daughter of Sara Grace (Pennel) Wilkinson Cornell, daughter of Florence Wilkinson, daughter of Sarah Smith Wilkinson.

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She was born October 29, 1968 in the Bedford Hospital.  She went to Smith Elementary and lived on a small farm outside of Everett in Tatesville, PA .  In 1980, her mother moved the family to Everett and she attended the Everett High School.  She was an athlete and held the girls' javelin record for a number of years.

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Lizzie was a self-taught musician, who started on a piano as a toddler.  She recalls going to her Aunt Jean Rose's home before she could read and write, trying to play on her white Schaffer upright piano.  "It was one of my first memories.  I just looked at the book and tried to teach myself how to play the notes."

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When she was six years old, Lizzie went to Old Bedford Village, where some wimin were playing bluegrass and singing their parts.  She immediately fell in love with the music style.  Her mom, Barbara bought a violin that was handmade by Kevin Kutz and his father.  Lizzie said that Kutz used to make solid body violins using a fork for the tailpiece.  She said that it was a very unique instrument and sounded great.  So, that is when she started tinkering with the fiddle, though she didn't start playing the fiddle, oficially until she was forty....

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**For the complete article, check out the upcoming book release They Came From Bedford County due out soon.

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**Information for this article was obtained through a phone interview with Lizzie Yeehaw

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**Photos were provided by Lizzie Yeehaw.