Cody Bauer discovered his passion for the fiddle through the influence of his grandfather, Tom Smith. Growing up in a musical family in Indiana, Cody and many of his cousins began learning traditional instruments at the same time, often playing together at family gatherings and music festivals across the state.
In 2015, Cody proudly carried on his family’s musical tradition to Nashville, where he had the honor of performing with Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys during Stanley’s final appearance at the Grand Ole Opry. Since then, Cody has earned first-place awards in fiddle contests throughout Central Appalachia in both bluegrass and old-time styles, and has toured internationally, sharing traditional music in Ireland, Canada, and Belize.
As a member of various ensembles, Cody has contributed to several notable first-place finishes at major competitions, including the SPBGMA Bluegrass Band Contest, RockyGrass, the Neo-Traditional Band Contest at the Appalachian String Band Festival (Clifftop), the Galax Fiddlers’ Convention and Freshgrass Festival (current finalist in both band and fiddle categories). A devoted connoisseur of Irish music and classic country fiddling, Cody is known for his ability to blend bluegrass, old-time, Irish, and classic country styles into a seamless and distinctive sound.
He has studied under respected musicians including Louie Popejoy, Andy Burton, Chad Manning, and acclaimed fiddler Hunter Berry. As an educator, Cody has taught students of all levels both in person and online, and has led group workshops and camps, sharing his deep knowledge and love of traditional music.
Currently, Cody serves as the Field Office Coordinator for Junior Appalachian Musicians, Inc. (JAM)—a nonprofit organization that provides after-school traditional old-time and bluegrass music programs to nearly 1,500 youth in 60 communities across seven Appalachian states. He holds a B.S. in Education and an M.A. in Religion.
