Mountain City Fiddlers Convention

Celebrate 100 years of Old Time Music at the Mountain City Fiddlers' Convention!

A lot has certainly changed since the first Mountain City Fiddlers’ Convention was held at the old high school auditorium in May of 1925. Still, one thing that hasn’t changed is that this little corner of Northeast Tennessee continues to be the home of the Old Time Music that became the incubator for early country music.  This is self-evident as The Kody Norris Show, an award-winning Bluegrass band headquartered in Johnson County, assumed the mantle for sustaining this cornerstone of musical heritage in 2022 after the COVID pandemic caused a three-year hiatus and threatened the future of this signature event.

While The Kody Norris Show considers the preservation of the historical aspects of this treasured convention, their expertise as professional Bluegrass performers has enhanced the event to include entertainment experiences that draw competitors and spectators from across the region and from around the world. The 2024 convention included amateur performers from three states, with two competitors from foreign countries. One of those international competitors, Timon Veelenturf from Holland, impressed the audience and judges who awarded him the 2024 Mountain City Fiddlers’ Convention Grand Champion.

The 2025 Mountain City Fiddlers’ Convention will have a special kick-off celebration on Friday, October 3rd. The convention, scheduled for Saturday, October 4th, will feature the competition as well as live performances by leading Old-Time and Bluegrass performers, including professional musicians, singers, storytellers, and cloggers at the Heritage Hall Theatre in Mountain City. Admissions for spectators this year is FREE and competitor fees have been kept at $15 per performer, per cateogory. There is over $6,500 in cash awards plus the coveted custom fiddle and special gold coin!

GRAND PRIZE FOR THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE MOUNTAIN CITY FIDDLERS’ CONVENTION ANNOUNCED!

In celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the Mountain City Fiddlers Convention, The Kody Norris Show has announced that the Grand Champion Fiddle-Off Prize for this year’s competition will be a 1925 Gold Piece, currently valued at over $3,000. 

Nearly a century ago, “Fiddlin’ Dud” (Dudley Vance) from Bluff City, Tennessee, won the First Prize of a $20 gold piece for his performance of “Twinkle Little Star” at the 1925 Mountain City Fiddlers Convention. Vance, a pioneer in the emerging recording industry, was renowned throughout the Southeast and held championships in Tennessee, Florida, and Oklahoma. G. B. Grayson, a native of Johnson County, also received recognition for his rendition of “Cumberland Gap.” This contest significantly influenced the music of East Tennessee and, alongside the Bristol recording sessions of 1927 and the Johnson City sessions of 1928 and 1929, is considered instrumental in launching the modern country music industry.

Maintaining the traditions of the inaugural convention, this year’s event is anticipated to attract amateur Old Time and Bluegrass artists from across the United States and internationally. With categories for both youth and adults, performers will compete for nearly $12,000 in cash and prizes, a substantial increase from the $40 awarded back in 1925.

Enthusiasts of the Mountain City Fiddlers' Convention will have the opportunity to purchase a vinyl re-release of the original 1925 “A Fiddlers’ Convention in Mountain City” by Rebel Records during the event or through the Kody Norris Show. The opening celebrations are scheduled for Friday, October 3, with free concerts featuring prominent Old Time and Bluegrass musicians, storytellers, and cloggers as part of the 2025 convention on Saturday, October 4 at Heritage Hall Theatre in Mountain City.

To learn more or to download sponsorship information, visit MountainCityFC.com and follow the event on Facebook.com/MountainCityFiddlersConvention.