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Mark Ralston |
Mark Ralston posted a classified ad '78 RPM record collection' 72 days
Mark Ralston posted a classified ad 'Rope binding' 72 days
I started looking at old on-line references to get some info on the Ditson music publishing company and turned up some interesting newspaper clippings.
Now I'm hooked......... for the past few months I've been sniffing out old newspaper articles mentioning fiddle contests (and fiddlers conventions, fiddler's picnics, etc.). It is interesting to see the tunes that were "required" at the old fiddle contests, as well as the categories for fiddling prizes (oldest fiddler, oldest fiddle, biggest feet, see original post, etc.). Numerous citations of blind fiddlers, and people who made their own fiddles. Some events held cakewalks at which they had black minstrel bands. One article was an apology for an event where the sponsor announced the names of the black cakewalk musicians and some of the contestants stayed away because they didn't want to compete in a fiddle contest with blacks.
One newspaper article gave an opinion that fiddler's contests should be outlawed because they attracted a rough crowd. One article was a blow-by-blow account of a private fiddler's contest at which a monumental fight broke out (according to the article, the sponsor served moonshine with the refreshments) and an old family feud was re-kindled.
Fiddler's contests were used for fundraising for schools, fire companies, etc. Local businesses contributed merchandise for contest prizes (sacks of flour, butter, clothing, watches, produce). One guy who sponsored an old fiddler's contest asked for people to attend because he was blind and had no other way to support himself (playing the sympathy card).
I came across some other interesting contests at fairs and carnivals..... "ladies nail pulling contest", numerous "ugliest man contests", etc. It may be a function of the survival rate of old newspapers, but certain town newspapers (notably the Hopkinsville Kentuckian) had many more notices of fiddle contests and more creative / interesting write-ups of the contests. Even in the early 1900's people viewed fiddle contests as a nice reminder of "the good old days".
I'm having a lot of fun doing this, may compile the articles into a printed collection.
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Cyndy |
groundhogpeggy |
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DougD |
TuneWeaver |
Mainefiddlehead |
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Jesse Wade |
Genre: Old-Time
Playing Style: Unknown/None Chosen
Genre: Bluegrass
Playing Style: Unknown/None Chosen
Genre: Unknown/None Chosen
Playing Style: Unknown/None Chosen
Genre: Old-Time
Playing Style: Unknown/None Chosen
www.yellowstone-jewelry.com
Playing Since: 1974
Experience Level: Purty Good
Mark Ralston has made 2 recent additions to Fiddle Hangout
Occupation: geologist
Gender: Male
My Instruments:
http://www.yellowstone-jewelry.com/Banjos/Collection/instrument%20Gallery.htm
Favorite Bands/Musicians:
Tommy Jarrell, Allen Brothers, Clarence Ashley, Ballard's Branch Bogtrotters, John Baltzell, Barter Young & Smith, Humphrey Bate, Mac Benford, Bentley Boys, Birkhead and Lane, Dad Blackard's Moonshiners, Blue Ridge Highballers, Blue Sky Boys, Bird's Kentucky Corn Crackers, Doc Boggs, Buck Mountain Band, Burnett & Rutherford, Callahan Brothers, Camp Creek Boys, Bob Carlin, Gaither Carlton, Carolina Buddies, Carolina Tar Heels, Carter Brothers & Son, John Carson, Carter family, Carter & Young, Fred Cockerham, John Cohen, Grey Craig, Kyle Creed, everyone at Clifftop, Clyde Davenport, Delmore Brothers, Hazel Dickens, Dykes Magic City Trio, East Texas Serenaders, Eck Dunford, Norman Edmonds, John D. Foster, J. P. Fraley, Freeny's Barn Dance Band, Fuzzy Mt String Band, Georgia Yellowhammers, Georgia Wildcats, Ted Gossetts String Band, Grayson & Whittier, Grinnell Giggers, Gray & Nelson, Hale & Derry, Ed Haley, John Hammond, Edden Hammons, John Hartford, Hickory Nuts, Highwoods, Willard Hodgins, Hollow Rock String Band, Tommy Jarrell, Oscar Jenkins, Jimmy Johnson's String Band, Grandpa Jones, Karl & Harty, Alfred Karnes, Buell Kazee, Fiddlin Van Kidwell, Walt Koken, Leake County Revelers, Marty Lebenson, Charlie Lowe, Emmett Lundy, Bascom Lamar Lunsford, McFarland and Gardner, Dave Macon, J. E. Mainer's Mountaineers, Wade Mainer, Marcus Martin, Massey Family, Sam & Kirk McGee, Floyd Ming & Pep Steppers, Monroe Brothers, Byrd Moore, Narmour & Smith, NLCR, Nicholsons Players, North Carolina Cooper Boys, Chubby Parker, Phipps Holiness Quartet, Pickard Family, Charlie Poole, Pope's Arkansas Mountaineers, Dirk Powell, Prairie Ramblers, Price Family Sacred Singers, Obray Ramsey, Reaves White County Ramblers, Red Fox Chasers, Alfred Reed, Henry Reed, Ola Belle Reed, Don Richardson, Rigel's Fountain Citians, Jean Ritchie, Roan Mountain Hilltoppers, Fiddlin Doc Roberts, Art Rosenbaum, Rustical Quality String Band, Rutherford & Foster, John Salyer, Scottdale String Band, Mike Seeger, Shelor Family, Smiths Garage Fiddle Band, Smith's Sacred Singers, Arthur Smith, Walter Smith, Allen Sisson, Kilby Snow, Skillet Lickers, Carl Sprague, South Georgia HIghballers, Southern Melody Boys, Stamps Quartet, Stanley Brothers, Lowe Stokes, Stoneman family, Am Stuart, John W. Summers, Supertones, Taylor's Kentucky Boys, Tennessee Mountaineers, Benny Thomasson, Three Tobacco Tags, Stephen Tucker, Uncle Bud and his Plow Boys, Crockett Ward, Wade Ward, Doc Watson, Weems String Band, Whetstone Run, Whitmire Blue Sky Trio, Chris Wig, Dacosta Woltz, Tommy Jarrell
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Created 4/5/2008
Last Visit 12/13/2024