Edgar Meyer was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma and raised in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.  His father directed the public school’s string orchestra program and taught young Edgar the double bass.  Edgar Meyer Sr also played double bass and acquired many different instruments for his son to play, including Edgar Jr’s first bass which had fallen off the back of a truck.  Indiana University was Meyer’s choice for music study after a brief time to study mathematics at Georgia Technological University didn’t work out.  At Indiana University, Meyer studied bass with Stuart Sankey.

Meyer is equally known as a composer and a performer.  His big break came in 1996 when he collaborated with Mark O’Connor and Yo-Yo Ma on a wildly popular release, “Appalachia Waltz.”  This led to a national television network appearance, and eventually performing at President Bill Clinton’s second Inauguration.  Meyer’s unique style combines the fiddle techniques of blue grass with jazz and the western music traditions.  He has numerous recordings available ranging from the Schubert “Trout” Quintet to a jam session with bluegrass friends.

The Duet #2 for Cello and Bass is a deceptively simple work that includes the influences of the music of Appalachia and the style of Bach, with a hint of a Shaker tune.