Hughes Violins

06/13/2026

WOW what an amazing event... She is so talented!!! Wow good job! 👏

So proud to see Strings becoming cool again... better yet... thank you to the promoters and artists for not ever giving up!

The 50th Anniversary season is almost here! Begins June 14 (flag day) at Holy Cross Episcopal. As always - a FREE concert! Come join us.

06/10/2026

As a proud sponsor of the Shreveport Symphony Orchestra, seeing this lineup genuinely makes me smile.

For years, people have said orchestras, violins, violas, cellos, and classical music were fading into the background. Looking around today, I see the exact opposite happening. We are watching strings find their way into rock, jazz, hip-hop, film, education, and live events in ways that are bringing entirely new audiences to the arts.

Seeing The American Tragedy perform alongside the Shreveport Symphony Orchestra at the 50th Red River Revel is another reminder that great music has never been about genres—it's about bringing people together.

Between organizations like the Shreveport Symphony, artists willing to think outside the box, educators, young musicians, and the many people working behind the scenes, there is a real energy building around music in our community.

Congratulations to everyone involved with the Red River Revel on 50 years of supporting arts and culture in Northwest Louisiana. This is exactly the kind of collaboration that keeps music alive for the next generation.

Here's to making strings, orchestras, and live music exciting and accessible for everyone.

See you at the Revel.

Quinterrian WhiteThe American TragedyShreveport Symphony OrchestraRed River RevelThe Shreveport-Bossier City AdvocateWade Marshall

Revel 50 is calling you home! The 50th Annual Red River Revel Arts Festival kicks off with a Fireworks & Drone Show celebrating 50 Years of the Revel & Technologies Independence Bowl. Taking place from October 8-11 and October 15-18, 2026 in downtown Shreveport's Festival Plaza, the music lineup features performers with strong connections to the area and celebrates the rich musical heritage of the region. Here's your headliners by weekend:

October 8th – 11th (Weekend One)
💿 The American Tragedy featuring the Shreveport Symphony Orchestra – Rock group from Shreveport, LA who defined an entire era of the local scene. This performance is their first in 5 years and will be supported by the Shreveport Symphony Orchestra with an all-new and original orchestral composition.
🥁Cowboy Mouth – New Orleans-based band fusing rock, roots, and jam influences.
🪗Squonk – The rock opera group who was a smash hit at Revel 49 returns with boisterous outdoor spectacles of fantastical visual design, playful staging, and high-energy original music.
🐴Jeter Jones – Award-winning southern soul and blues recording artist from Shreveport.
📺Brady Blade & Friends – A Drummer, composer, and producer from Shreveport Louisiana, Brady Blade returns home for a special performance with a special cast of dynamic musicians from all over the world.

October 15th – 18th (Weekend Two)
🐯Better Than Ezra – Alternative rock band formed at LSU and known for their melodic, post-grunge hooks and high-energy live shows.
☮The Highland Collective featuring Dylan Leblanc, Seratones, Maggie Koerner, The Lackadaisies, & The Peekers – Representing an entire generation of acclaimed songwriters and musicians from Shreveport’s Highland neighborhood, this mega-concert will feature various lineups and collaborations over the three-and-half-hour Saturday night performance.
🎷Shinyribs – Austin, TX-based nine-piece supergroup known for its eclectic ‘swamp-funk” and “country-soul” sound, Shinyribs is fronted by the charismatic singer, multi-instrumentalist, and Shreveport native Kevin Russell.
👨‍👩‍👦‍👦The Family – This is what a family band sounds like when it’s built on Muscle Shoals sound: James Leblanc is a hit songwriter, Angela Hacker won Nashville Star, Dylan Leblanc is an acclaimed solo artist, and Bay Simpson just wrapped up a run on The Voice. They join forces for a sound that is powerful, familiar, and raw.
🎸Windstorm – This legendary 7-piece soul-funk-R&B band based in Shreveport was formed in 1983 by vaunted guitarist Ron Johnson.

The full festival schedule will be released soon, but you can view headliner dates online at: https://redriverrevel.com/rrr/music-lineup/

Reveler tickets are on sale now! Mark your calendars and get full festival passes at: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/50th-annual-red-river-revel-arts-festival

06/04/2026

The Historic Discovery via Jazz Times:

I know many of you have been waiting to hear the story behind the F. E. Martinez violin.

Today, that story is finally being shared through Jazz Times.

What began as a routine restoration became a historical investigation that connected this remarkable instrument to New Orleans' Seventh Ward, its Creole musical traditions, and the cultural history that helped shape American music.

I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to the Amistad Research Center, the Hogan Archive of New Orleans Music and New Orleans Jazz at Tulane University, and the New Orleans Jazz Museum for preserving the historical records, archives, and resources that helped make this research possible. These institutions continue to safeguard the history and voices of the communities that built New Orleans music and culture.

I would also like to thank Dr. Steven Lewis of the Smithsonian Institution for his guidance, encouragement, and insight throughout this project. His expertise helped connect pieces of a story that may otherwise have remained hidden. As well as David for taking the time to publish this article!

Most importantly, this project has always been about the instrument itself—a Seventh Ward masterpiece that survived generations and still has a story to tell.

Thank you to everyone who followed this journey, supported the research, and believed this violin deserved a closer look.

The full Jazz Times article is linked below.

https://www.jazztimes.com/features/special-feature/historic-instrument-find-the-1939-f-e-martinez-violin-fully-restored/?v=0b3b97fa6688

Editor’s note: Master luthier William T. Hughes, of Hughes Violins in Shreveport, Louisiana, reached out to JazzTimes in the hope of documenting his forensic analysis … Read More "Historic Instrument Find: The 1939 F. E. Martinez Violin, Fully Restored"

05/30/2026

Random thought...

If Peter Ratcliff can analyze tree rings from high-resolution photographs and potentially tell you where the wood came from and when the tree was growing...

Then don't let anyone tell you that good photos are worthless.

A trained expert can learn a tremendous amount from photographs.

The real question isn't whether someone can tell you something from photos.

The question is whether they know what they're looking at.

- MORE EXCITING NEWS to come for the F E Martinez 7th Ward Fiddle!

😉 Will Hughes

Marcus Juneau Quinterrian White

05/27/2026

Appreciate the continued support from The Shreveport-Bossier City Advocate and featuring Hughes Violins again!
It means a lot to see local Louisiana artistry and restoration work continuing to gain attention on a larger platform. The past year has been incredible and we are just getting started.
Some major news regarding the historic F. E. Martinez discovery will be published soon.
Excited to finally share this piece of 7th ward history.
- Will Hughes

William Hughes is a luthier who makes and repairs violins, violas and other stringed instruments for affordable prices. https://www.shreveportbossieradvocate.com/news/violin-shop-affordable-shreveport-bossier-la-luthier/article_2ca7df79-3b91-4a25-872f-affe66d1be70.html?utm_campaign=trueanthem&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook

05/11/2026

Our team is consistently engaged in productive endeavors, and we are particularly pleased with the quality of our P bass. Great job Marcus Juneau

We are preparing to make a significant announcement.

The development of our Shadow model has spanned over two years. This extensive process has involved numerous iterations of ordering, receiving, adjusting, and reordering, approximately ten cycles in total, to achieve the optimal $500 violin outfit. We are thrilled to confirm that we are eagerly anticipating the introduction of the Shadow model.

We will be offering all size violins from 1/4 to 4/4 this fall for the next school year...

Also more big new from "The Pope's Violin" coming soon!

04/26/2026

Let's go Q! Amazing seeing all the hard work pay off!!! We love our team!

04/24/2026

I remember when I got my first stamp.
It meant something. It meant responsibility. It meant your work speaks before you do.
Today, I’m proud to see Marcus R. Juneau step into that same space.
This is his stamp. This is accountability. This is ownership.
Anything that leaves this shop with that name on it—he stands behind it. And that’s how you build real craftsmen, not just workers.
Proud of you, Marcus.
Let’s keep dominating.
— HUGHES VIOLINS

04/24/2026

LA Tech ... Bows are ready! Thank you again... For all of your support. We will always be here for you!

04/21/2026

Always proud to partner with our local Orchestras!