The Bogtrotters playing in front of Mary Guynn's cabin in Galax, VA - Mountain Harmony on the Crooked Road (2008). Cabin reconstruction by Bogtrotter Leon Frost.
Description — Old Fiddler's Convention.
Mary Guyjn's cabin in Galax — just down the road from the "Red Roof Inn." Mary was a highly respected member of the community who helped found the Blue Ridge Music Center.
The Old Fiddler's Convention featured untold numbers of contestants playing bluegrass music.
We were there for three days and used bracelets to verify payment of admission to re-enter the grounds
Rules for competition in the Old Fiddlers' Convention.
Musicians played on a stage under a tent - this was the 73rd annual convention, sponsored by the Galax Moose Lodge # 733.
Another view of the audience from the grand stand.
Hundreds of people sat in lawn chairs arranged in neat rows in semi-circles around the stage
We sat in the grand stand in chairs in the back row - look closely - you can see Vie and Betty.
There they are. Vie brought chairs on Monday morning and tied them to a post so they would not blow away in case of a storm - nobody moved them — they stayed safely in place.
This gentleman's perch was quite high — his folding chair had very long legs.
This fellow sat in front of us in the grand stand. Notice the marble in the mouth of the animal head of his cane. Nobody can say he's lost his marble. (I took this pic for my brother who carries a marble in his pocket to prove he's not lost his.)
SECURITY (he's got a chaw, too — and a cane).
More security.
Night-time view - notice again the neatly arrayed rows of lawn chairs.
Snacks and souvenirs were also available around the convention grounds.
These guys sang a song about "I Met My Sweet Heart in the Portajohn Line."
Contestants concentrated on their music and didn't worry too much about what they were wearing.
Bands had to have stringed instruments to qualify. Clothing: whatever they put on that morning.
