Mountain City in Johnson County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)
The Historic 1925 Fiddler's Convention
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, May 16, 2021
1. The Historic 1925 Fiddler's Convention Marker
(right panel)
(right panel)
1. Edgar Hickman 2. Demp Harris 3. Eva Ashley 4. Ralph Story 5. BK "Bertie" Jenkins 6. Walt Bacon 7. Charlie Bowman 8. Argil Bowman 9. Roby Chinouth 10. Lonnie Durham 11. John Hopkins 12. Joe Hopkins 13. Uncle "Am" Stuart 14. John Rector 15. Fiddlin' John Carson 16. Alonso Elvis "Tony" Alderman 17. Al Hopkins 18. Fiddlin' Powers (John Cowan Powers) 19. Opha Lou Powers 20. Carrie Belle Powers 21. Ada Powers 22. Charlie Powers 23. Clarence "Tom" Ashley 24. GB Grayson 25. Roe Greene 26. Sam Dykes 27. Fiddlin' Dud Vance 28. This might be Smokey Davis 29. Dedrick Harris 30. Waits "Whiskers" Wiseman
Created by participants in the 2017 Long Journey Home Mural Workshop
Led by artist Cristy Dunn
Funded by the Tennessee Arts Commission
Kathy Dawson Ayla Dunn Michael Eggers Chloe Eller Leanna Garrett Dottie Harmon Jason Hughes Jana Jones Amber Icenhour Melvin Martin Andrew Matherly Sheila Matherly Rebecca Mink Logan Mink Mariyona Poole Brionna Reece Temple Reece Kevin Stout Carol Peterson Andy Wright Cortney Wilson Grace Young Reese Young Framed by Chris Vannoy
Erected by Tennessee
this page online
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Entertainment. A significant historical month for this entry is May 1925.
Location. 36° 28.54′ N, 81° 48.296′ W. Marker is in Mountain City, Tennessee, in Johnson County. It is on College Street just east of Mulberry Street, on the right when traveling east. The mural and marker are mounted on the east facade of the Johnson County Center for the Arts building. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 127 College Street, Mountain City TN 37683, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in East Tennessee. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, in Appalachia, and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the original Cherokee Nation, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the Confederate States of America, the State of Franklin, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, May 16, 2021
2. The Historic 1925 Fiddler's Convention Mural
The markers are located at the bottom left and bottom right corners of the mural.
Also see . . .
1. Mountain City Fiddlers Convention (Wikipedia).
Excerpt: 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 musicians, and pioneers of bluegrass and country music, such as G. B. Grayson, Charlie Bowman, 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 of 1928 and 1929, it is regarded as one of the events which helped to launch the modern country music industry.(Submitted on March 4, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)Dudley Vance [Fiddlin' Dud Vance], of Bluff City, Tennessee, 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 Mountain City convention has been the inspiration for other festivals and competitions, each featuring fiddlers and other old-time musicians.
2. The Historic 1925 Fiddler's Convention (Long Journey Home).
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, May 16, 2021
3. The Historic 1925 Fiddler's Convention Marker
(left panel)
(left panel)
Excerpt: This was the first big event of its kind, and the biggest names in early country music traveled from far and wide to compete for over $50 in prize money. The Old High School auditorium was filled to capacity and the floor nearly collapsed under the press of the crowd. The nearby courthouse and elementary school were opened to accommodate the overflow. This was the early days of radio and Tony Alderman of the Hill Billies set up a small, portable radio station to broadcast the event. Dud Vance and Charlie Bowman both took home prize money that day. The $20 gold piece offered by Buster Brown Shoe Company would have been worth more than $1000 today. Several legendary musicians were inspired to begin their recording careers by this watershed event. Clarence "Tom" Ashley, Bertie Jenkins, Walt Bacon, Argil Bowman, Uncle "Am" Stuart, John Rector, Fiddlin' John Carson, Al Hopkins, Fiddlin' Powers, G. B. Grayson, and Henry Whitter all went on to create records, and the original Hillbillies gave one of their earliest performances here.(Submitted on March 4, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, May 16, 2021
4. Johnson County Center for the Arts Education Center
Credits. This page was last revised on March 4, 2025. It was originally submitted on March 4, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 533 times since then and 69 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on March 4, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
