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Chattanooga’s Gone to Fiddlin’
I wanna hear an old-time fiddle / Like you never get to hear anymore.
— Vince Gill, “Old Time Fiddle”
Fiddlin’s a funny thing. A concert violin sings a polished melody, while a fiddle warbles a raw tune. That raw, inimitable sound quality only associated with an old-time fiddle is almost nonexistent in modern times, even though it is a staple of the American musical repertoire. Like Vince Gill says, you never hear it anymore.
Well, that’s about to change. The Great Southern Old Time Fiddlers’ Convention begins a new chapter in Chattanooga history by reviving a tradition that began in the Scenic City back in 1925. Stephanie Smith interviewed Matt Downer, organizer of the event.
Stephanie Smith: Why did you decide to produce this event?
Matt Downer: My original intent was to revive interest in old-time fiddling music in this area. A long time ago I started playing with the band Citico, which was the only band [making old-time music] at the time. One of those guys, Ken Par, put together Chattanooga Times articles from 1925 to 1929 that documented that music scene; I wasn’t more »
