Mount Airy in Surry County, North Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)

Fred Cockerham

November 3, 1905-July 8, 1980

Photographed By Sandra Hughes Tidwell, October 23, 2021

1. Fred Cockerham Marker

Inscription. Fred Cockerham was born in the Beulah Community of Surry County and was a legendary Banjo player, fiddler player, and singer. He began playing banjo around the age of seven. He was known for his double noting old-time banjo playing technique which was widely used in the round peak area. He often played banjo with Tommy Jarrell, and also played the fiddle with Early Bluegrass Flavor. His banjo is now part of the Smithsonian Institution's collection in Washington, D.C.

Erected 2018.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Entertainment.

Location. 36° 30.091′ N, 80° 36.523′ W. Marker is in Mount Airy, North Carolina, in Surry County. Marker is on West Oak Street west of West Main Street, on the left when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Mount Airy NC 27030, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Ralph Epperson (here, next to this marker); Tommy Jarrell (here, next to this marker); The Whittling Wall (here, next to this marker); Donna Fargo (here, next to this marker); The Whittler (a few steps from this marker); Floyd Eugene "Flip" Rees (a few steps

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from this marker); The Mill Worker (a few steps from this marker); Leonidas Harold "L.H." Jones (a few steps from this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Mount Airy.

Also see . . . Historic Artist Fred Cockerham Old-time banjo player and fiddler Surry County, NC. Fred Cockerham was one of the most highly regarded musicians to come out of the Round Peak musical tradition for which the Mount Airy region is so well known. He was born in 1905 in Round Peak, in Surry County. As a child, Cockerham would sneak his older brother Pate’s fiddle, and he secretly taught himself how to play. When the secret was revealed, his family encouraged his music, and would play along with him. There were also local musicians who helped Fred fine-tune his music abilities, like Mal Smith and his uncle Troy Cockerham. His main inspiration came from the banjo playing of local legend Charlie Lowe, and the fiddling of Arthur Smith, which took Southern string band music by storm in the years just before World War II. (Submitted on November 6, 2021, by Sandra Hughes Tidwell of Killen, Alabama, USA.)

Photographed By Sandra Hughes Tidwell, October 23, 2021

2. Fred Cockerham Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on November 16, 2021. It was originally submitted on November 6, 2021, by Sandra Hughes Tidwell of Killen, Alabama, USA. This page has been viewed 162 times since then and 18 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on November 6, 2021, by Sandra Hughes Tidwell of Killen, Alabama, USA. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.