The Mountain City Fiddlers Convention was held in the East Tennessee town of Mountain City, in May 1925. The gathering was attended by many acclaimed

Appalachian music Appalachian music is the music of the region of Appalachia in the Eastern United States. Traditional Appalachian music is derived from various influences, including the ballads, hymns and fiddle music of the British Isles (particularly Scotland) ...

ians, and pioneers of bluegrass and

country music Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...

, such as G. B. Grayson,

Charlie Bowman Charles Thomas Bowman (July 30, 1889 – May 20, 1962) was an American old-time fiddle player and string band leader. He was a major influence on the distinctive fiddle sound that helped shape and develop early Country music in the 1920s and 19 ...

, and Al Hopkins. The contest helped to define the music of East Tennessee, and along with the Bristol recording sessions of 1927, and the

Johnson City sessions The Johnson City Sessions were a series of influential recording auditions conducted in Johnson City, Tennessee, in 1928 and 1929 by Frank Buckley Walker, head of the Columbia Records "hillbilly" recordings division. Certain releases from the Jo ...

of 1928 and 1929, it is regarded as one of the events which helped to launch the modern country music industry. Dudley Vance, of

Bluff City, Tennessee Bluff City is a city in Sullivan County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 1,733 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Kingsport– Bristol (TN)– Bristol (VA) Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is a component of the Johns ...

, won first prize, with his performance of "Twinkle Little Star". G. B. Grayson, born in 1887, and a native of Johnson County, was also a prize winner for his version of

Cumberland Gap The Cumberland Gap is a pass through the long ridge of the Cumberland Mountains, within the Appalachian Mountains, near the junction of the U.S. states of Kentucky, Virginia, and Tennessee. It is famous in American colonial history for its r ...

Music festivals inspired by the original

The Mountain City convention has been the inspiration for other festivals and competitions, each featuring fiddlers and other

old-time music Old-time music is a genre of North American folk music. It developed along with various North American folk dances, such as square dancing, clogging, and buck dancing. It is played on acoustic instruments, generally centering on a combinati ...

ians.

Old Time Fiddler's Convention

The Old Time Fiddler's Convention takes place in the nearby town of Laurel Bloomery, and is held the Saturday before Labor Day weekend at the Old Mill Music Park. It commemorates the annual anniversary of the 1925 gathering. Local, regional, and international musicians travel to attend this festival, which is marked with old time folk and bluegrass music.

Upper East Tennessee Fiddler's Convention

In late April, 2017, the first annual Upper East Tennessee Fiddler's Convention was held in the community of Flag Pond, in

Unicoi County, Tennessee Unicoi County () is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2010 census, the population was 18,313. Its county seat is Erwin. ''Unicoi'' is a Cherokee word meaning "white," "hazy," "fog-like," or "fog draped," and refers to ...

. Among other goals, the event helps support Rocky Fork State Park.

References

External links

Old Time Fiddler's Convention onlineYouTube video of the Old Time Fiddler's Convention in Laurel BloomeryUpper East Tennessee Fiddler's Convention onlineUpper East Tennessee Fiddler's Convention on Facebook
{{authority control 1920s in American music 1925 music festivals 1925 in Tennessee American bluegrass fiddlers American country fiddlers American country music Appalachian culture Appalachian culture in Tennessee Appalachian music Appalachian old-time fiddlers Bluegrass festivals East Tennessee Folk festivals in the United States History of Tennessee Johnson County, Tennessee Mountain City, Tennessee Music competitions in the United States Music festivals in Tennessee Music of East Tennessee Music of Johnson County, Tennessee Music of Tennessee Old-time music festivals Southern old-time fiddlers Violin competitions