[Magdalen] R.I.P. "Smoky George" Gilbertsen

[Jay Weigel]

One of the finest and funniest musicians I ever knew has died. George
Gilbertsen, part of the group indigenous to Madison, WI, to my youth, and
to Glen 'n Ann's (of blessed memory), the Goose Island Ramblers, died on
Monday. He was 91.

George was not only a fine musician who played several instruments, most
notably the fiddle, he was possessed of an incredible comedic sense and on
occasion would bring the house down with an unexpected zinger or facial
expression (he had an amazingly mobile face and eyes he could bug out a la
Marty Feldman). Like my grandfather, he was a woodworker and repairer of
violins. I knew a little of his back story but not much. You can read about
him here
http://host.madison.com/news/local/obituaries/gilbertsen-george-karsten/article_18f4ac5c-493e-5261-bea7-ffd71e2e3e81.html

The heavenly orchestra just got louder....but George will be cutting up
somewhere in the fiddle section!