Brian Rumsey was born and raised in San Juan Islands in Wash state. Attended Central Washington University prior to joining the USAF. Spent one year in South East Asia during the Vietnam conflict. Graduated from Oregon Institute of Technology with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. Worked career primarily in manufacture of pollution control equipment.

First trip to Pony in December of 1981. Married Cynthia Drake from Pony in 1982. Became a resident of Pony in August of 1994.

Active as a life member of the VFW being the quartermaster of post 3831 in Pony since 2010 and was district 4 commander for two years. Enjoys fishing, hunting and music. Been a member and officer of district 3 of the Montana Old Time Fiddlers and have been playing Banjo with Left For Dead for a number of years playing in SW Montana. Brian is a long-standing PHC board member.

Brian’s Wife Cynthia Drake Rumsey is a 5th generation Pony resident. She attended the Pony school thru 4th grade till it closed in 1959, and then attended and graduated from Harrison. Cynthia’s father Ed was born in Pony and also attended some of his schooling in the Pony school. Cynthia left Pony for Billings in 1967 and traveled extensively with Brian on numerous work assignments, always knowing she’d return to Pony.

Some of the pictures here feature Brian and Dave Zimmerman. They make up the Left for Dead fiddle and banjo duo that plays an exciting array of Old Time, Folk, and Country Genres. Together they take you on an exciting journey of familiar and some not so familiar tunes with roots reaching back as far as the 1700’s and up to the present. Left For Dead plays at numerous Distilleries, Breweries, and events in Madison County, Helena, and Bozeman.

Dave and Brian are members and officers of District 3 of the Montana State Old Time Fiddlers Association, who’s mission is the preservation and performance of traditional old-time acoustic fiddle music throughout Montana.  Left For Dead enjoys playing traditional tunes, original tunes, and tunes by such artists as Tom Paxton, John Prine, Woody Guthrie, Hank Williams, The Dillards, Bob Dylan and many more.

You’ll find details of this year’s Pony FiddleFest linked here.