Pete McMahan; Champion Missouri Fiddler

Pete McMahan, 81, champion fiddler despite his inability to read music. Although he lacked formal musical training, McMahan delighted listeners with his Little Dixie style in fast, beat-filled tunes that encouraged people to dance. He recorded four albums in the 1970s. In 1990, McMahan and a dozen other Missouri fiddlers recorded “Now That’s a Good Tune: Masters of Traditional Missouri Fiddling,” which was nominated for two Grammys. After the Missouri State Old-Time Fiddlers Assn. resumed statewide competition in 1979, McMahan won the championship for three straight years. On Friday in Columbia, Mo.