Upper East Tennessee Fiddler’s Convention | Appalachian Places

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To enjoy an accompanying track of selected audio recordings from the Convention as you peruse the image gallery, click here.

River Smith, son of former ETSU Appalachian Studies aide Leslie Smith, competes during the youth competition accompanied by Leslie on guitar

Former ETSU Bluegrass, Old-Time, and Roots Music student Isaac Mainer competes in the old-time banjo category. Mainer is a descendent of JE and Wade Mainer, two important figures in American folk music. Isaac won the third prize.

Many Flag Pond locals attend the event.

Linda Block of Madison County, North Carolina, competes in the dance competition and won first place.

A young group of musicians competes in the String band competition.

Convention organizers Roy Andrade (in hat) and Tim Pharis (with fiddle) along with Phil Smith (standing with guitar) and ETSU Bluegrass, Old-Time, and Roots Music student Tyler Chatham.

From left, Phil Smith, Tim Pharis and Ryan Bernard perform on stage. All three have played in old-time bands with the ETSU Bluegrass, Old-Time, and Roots Music program.

From left, serving as judges for the string band competition, former ETSU Old-Time student Keegan Luckey-Smith, current student Lizzie Cahalin, and Appalachian dance master Phil Jamison observe a performance.

Former ETSU Bluegrass, Old-Time, and Roots Music student Helena Hunt performs during the traditional song category. She won first prize.

Homemade trophies await recipients near the stage. The trophies were made by Little Branch Pottery in Flag Pond, Tennessee.

ETSU student Emily Dingler sits on the steps of the old Flag Pond School. Dingler recently completed her MA in Appalachian Studies at ETSU.

Maddy Mullany competes in the dance competition, backed by ETSU Bluegrass, Old-Time, and Roots Music student Conner Vlietstra, artist in residence Brittany Haas, and old-time master musician Joseph Decosimo.

The Owen Family String Band competes in the finals of the string band contest. The group won second prize.

The Harris brothers, members of Flag Pond Ruritan, prepare food. The brothers are descendants of James Deadrick Harris, one of the most influential fiddlers of the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

A square dance band performs, anchored by washtub bass player Janice Birchfield of the Roan Mountain Hilltoppers.

ETSU Bluegrass, Old-Time, and Roots Music artist in residence Brittny Haas sits at the judges’ table.

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