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Music fans flock to fiddlers convention

Arguably, some locals take this area’s famed mountain music for granted — maybe because it’s always here — but their appreciation deficit is offset by those flocking to the Mount Airy Bluegrass and Old-Time Fiddlers Convention from faraway places.

A peek at the Veterans Memorial Park camping areas Saturday afternoon revealed license plates from states including Illinois, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Tennessee, Maryland, Ohio, Georgia and Kentucky in addition to North Carolina and Virginia.

Other sources at the 51st-annual convention staged at that venue on West Lebanon Street reported that California, Indiana and Louisiana also were represented among the visitors.

Alhough they hailed from different locales both south and north of the Mason-Dixon Line, all seemed to have something in common which drew them here — as if on a pilgrimage to a place where they can commune with like-minded individuals for days on end.

Just what is that drawing card, exactly?

“Oh, gosh — the jamming,” northern Georgia resident John Day said without hesitation Saturday as spirited tunes emanated nearby from a half-dozen impromptu performances around the park grounds.

“It’s like a big family reunion,” added Day, who describes himself as mostly a guitarist and pointed out how his group from Georgia always seems to reconnect with other musicians at the Mount Airy Bluegrass and Old-Time Fiddlers Convention.

“I’ve come about five years I guess,” he said. “You see some folks you don’t get to see too often.”

That same sense of camaraderie was echoed by Ted Klein of Wilmington, Delaware, elsewhere on the convention grounds as he took a break from jamming with a group of fellow musicians.

“What brings me here?” Klein said, considering the idea. “First is the music — just hanging out and playing music.”

Klein referred to all the turmoil occurring in the country now in observing how that art form has a way of cutting across all political party lines in promoting a universal sense of community.

While the local convention includes the usual competition element of band and individual instrument categories offering cash, trophies or what-not, many musicians interviewed Saturday did not seem interested in having their talents officially judged onstage.

“Competition is too much like work,” joked Dan Gellert, an acclaimed musician from northeastern Ohio who is considered a master on the banjo, guitar and fiddle.

“That’s not my main motivation,” Klein, the Delaware resident, agreed in reference to being crowned the best.

Some festival attendees arrived more than a week before the official convention days on Friday and Saturday, and spent that time plying their craft with others.

Old-time attraction

Musician couple Gary and Claudia Kaufman from central Illinois said Saturday that the old-time brand of music featured at the Mount Airy convention — along with bluegrass — is one of its attractions for them.

That’s in addition to getting reacquainted with people here “that you have already met,” Gary said.

Not many conventions cater to the old-time variety, and certainly not in Illinois, the couple agreed.

Day, the guitarist from Georgia, concurred.

“Old-time is more laid-back,” he said in mentioning how that style of music is conducive to the carefree setting provided at Veterans Memorial Park. Day said he became a primary fan of old-time about 10 years ago after being more in tune with bluegrass.

The Kaufmans also are regular attendees of the Mount Airy Bluegrass and Old-Time Fiddlers Convention.

“We missed two years, but I think it may be our fifth or sixth time here,” said Claudia Kaufman, who also praised the host community.

“The town is beautiful,” she commented “and the town is so hospitable,” with nice restaurants and friendly people.

“We stay at a hotel,” the festival attendee disclosed, rather than camping out, saying the fact Veterans Memorial Park is easy to get in and out of is a plus in this way.

A key convention organizer, Doug Joyner, the president of the Veterans Memorial Park governing board, seemed pleased Saturday with how the Mount Airy Bluegrass and Old-Time Fiddlers Convention was shaping up heading toward a conclusion later that night.

“It’s turned out really good,” Joyner said of the overall situation that reflected a mixed bag. While contestant numbers are up, “(fan) attendance is down, I’m going to say three or four percent.”

Again, the music seems to be the main currency involved, making the Mount Airy Bluegrass and Old-Time Fiddlers Convention always a winner in the view of Houston Young, another person who has helped put on the event for multiple years.

“It’s really good,” Young said.

“Really good music and some of the best talent around.”

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Source: https://www.mtairynews.com

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