Georgia Old-Time Fiddlers' Conventions
The Georgia Old-Time Fiddlers' Conventions were annual celebrations followed by competition. The conventions started on a Thursday every year with fiddler concerts, balls and cabarets. On Saturday night, the Fiddlers competed against each other for the title of Best Fiddler of the State . The festival was held in the Atlanta Municipal Auditorium .
history
The first Fiddlers' Convention was held in Atlanta , Georgia in 1913 . The event was organized by the Georgia Old-Time Fiddlers' Association at the time . Contestants traveled from across Georgia to take part in the competition. Well-known musicians included Clayton McMichen , Fiddlin 'John Carson and Gid Tanner . JB Singley won the first competition. Over the years the conventions have grown in popularity and attracted national press interest. The participating Fiddlers were only allowed to play songs that had never been recorded in writing, which, according to the leaders and Prof. Alecs Smart, an influential organizer of the conventions, was very important. In addition, only old fiddle melodies such as Soldier's Joy , Bonaparte's Retreat or Old Joe Clark were permitted; Popular music or jazz were completely forbidden until the 1920s. For entertainment, you were allowed to play on the evenings before, but not for competition, classical, pop or jazz.
In the mid-1930s, however, the popularity waned until it was decided in 1935 to discontinue the event.
winner
- 1913: JB Singley
- 1914: Fiddlin 'John Carson
- 1915: Shorty Harper
- 1916: Shorty Harper
- 1917: John Silvey
- 1918: AA Gray
- 1919: FB Coupland
- 1920: RM Stanley
- 1921: AA Gray
- 1922: AA Gray
- 1923: Fiddlin 'John Carson
- 1924: Lowe Stokes
- 1925: Lowe Stokes
- 1926: Earl Johnson
- 1927: Fiddlin 'John Carson
- 1928: Gid Tanner
- 1929: AA Gray
- 1930: Joe Collins
- 1931: Anita Sorrell's Wheeler
- 1932: unknown
- 1933: unknown
- 1934: Anita Sorrell's Wheeler