2024 Fiddler's Convention coming Saturday to Heritage Hall in Mountain City

In May 1925 the Town of Mountain City hosted the first Fiddler's Convention, a musical gathering that was the first fiddle contest of its kind at that time."The Mountain City Fiddlers convention is a very special event given that it's one of the oldest Fiddle contests in the country," said Kody Norris.That very first event saw the biggest names in Appalachian sound come from all over to compete for a chance to win the prize of a twenty-dollar gold piece."So many of the pioneers of early country music were discovered because of the historic 1925 convention," said Norris.The early legends who played the 1925 convention included G.B. Grayson, Clarence Ashley, Fiddlin' John Carson and Al Hopkins, to name a few.Little did those early bluegrass and country musicians know the festivities they pioneered would be the start of a musical tradition and the start of much-awaited annual event for years to come.Fast forward to ninety-nine years after that first concert, the Fiddler's Convention is still going strong and remains as popular as ever.The convention is presented by the Kody Norris Show and organizers expressed great appreciation for the heritage passed on to them."We love this wonderful community and are so thankful for the opportunity to present the 99th Mountain City Fiddlers Convention," said Norris."We are so happy to be carrying it on and preserving a piece of Johnson County music history."The very first Fiddler's Convention was held in at Heritage Hall in Mountain City, TN and Norris emphasized how special it is to him personally to resume the venue."In my opinion The Fiddlers convention is an integral part of our heritage. When Mary Rachel and I were asked to take on the task of promoting this great event our thoughts immediately went to Heritage Hall," he said.What a fitting tribute to take the music back to the place where it all started."The beautifully restored Auditorium is the original location of the 1925 Convention and what a better place to present the music than where it all began. We feel so blessed that the location is still alive and well," he said.Making this year even more special, Norris increased excitement for the contest by hosting a concert the night before.While the competition officially begins on Saturday September 7, Heritage Hall will come alive on Friday night with an all-star lineup of three music groups sure to give an exciting kickoff to start the festivities."We are so happy to present an all-star lineup of artists at the Heritage Hall Theater. A package show of this caliber doesn't come to town very often," said Norris.The stellar lineup includes not only one, but three performing acts who are deeply rooted in old-time and bluegrass music sure to wow the crowd."The multi award-winning Appalachian Roadshow will definitely bring a lively performance to the Heritage Hall Stage," he said adding, "The Tennessee Bluegrass Band is a hot up and coming band based in Flagpond, TN that feature a very pleasant blend of bluegrass with their own unique flair. Ralph Stanley ll and the Clinch Mountain Boys are sure to delight the audience with their old-time mountain style of Bluegrass Music."Expectation is high around Johnson County for the beloved music tradition to return, and this year is slated to be one of the most epic yet.In addition to adding the Friday night opening concert, a new category has been included in the competition.For the first time in the almost one hundred years since its inception, the Fiddler's Convention will be hosting a clogging category.Another new for this year, up and coming bluegrass musicians are invited to attend workshops being hosted at Local's Deli.Kody and Rachel Nally Norris have spent considerable time and effort to make the 99th Fiddler's Convention memorable and expressed appreciation for the community outpouring of support to make the event happen."We are so thankful for the outpouring of community support for this year's convention. Everyone has been so upbeat and willing to help. This has enabled us to not only bring this year's competition back but also feature a package stage show on Friday night at the hall to kickoff this year's convention," said Norris.Competitors for the event have a chance to win a portion of the $7,000 in cash prizes and the top fiddle player competing in the Fiddle-Off will receive a custom-made Jason Barie Fiddle valued at $5,000.Who will win remains to be seen but it is safe to say the 2024 Fiddler's Convention is slated to be one of the best yet.The 2024 Fiddler's Convention will be held Saturday September 7. The first competition will begin at 10 a.m. at Heritage Hall 211 North Church Street, Mountain City, TN.For more information or to purchase advance tickets www.mountaincityfc.com or stop by Nalley's Shirt Shop at 118 West Main Street in Mountain City, TN.