Weekend

By KENNETH DEAN
Staff Writer

ATHENS - Are the strings breaking on a fiddling tradition once revered across the south?

The crowds at the 77th annual Texas Fiddlers Contest and Reunion seemed much smaller Friday than in previous years when the Henderson County Courthouse lawn was teeming with those listening to the fiddle players and other musicians.

Mary Ensign, secretary of the Texas Fiddlers Association, Inc., said she believed gas prices had a lot to do with some yearly contestants not showing up this year.

"These gas prices are killing us. Some of the younger contestants have showed up, but we are down from this time last year and previous years," she said.

But despite gas prices for some the tradition is something they plan on sticking with.

"I was brought here by my parents, I brought my kids and now I am bringing my grandkids," Teri Henshaw of Athens said.

Elizabeth Roberts and her sister Lindzey (4 and 5 years-old respectively) sat next to their grandmother as they tapped their little feet to the old Bob Wills classic "San Antonio Rose." Their hair pulled in pig tails and smiles on their faces the sisters stayed close to their grandmother who has been taking the girls since they were born.

"It's a tradition and it's a good one. They haven't changed a thing and that is why it's so good year after year," she said.

The Fiddlers Contest is broken down into five divisions - the over 65, the under 65, the 19 to 30, the 18 and under, and the ladies division. There are five prizes in each division ranging from $25 to $200.

The first place winner of each division will compete for the title of Grand Champion. The winner will receive $500 in addition to the $200 they won in the division.

Some of the fiddle players are local, but some drive several hundred miles to rosin their bow and play for the crowd and a chance to win the pot.

For the 39-year-old Ava, Mo. fiddler, Junior Marriott, this was his second year to perform in the Athens contest, but he has been aware of the contest for years.

"I have tapes of this contest dating back to the late 1960s and 70s and I just thought last year I would come try it out," the former Missouri State Fiddle champion said.

When asked if the gas prices would discourage him from attending other events around the nation this year Marriott said he didn't believe they would.

"It's just good fun and a good time to get together with these guys and just have a jam session," he said.

Around on the opposite side of the courthouse underneath the sprawling branches of a towering magnolia tree the likes of Hoot Hamman and 12-year-old Emily Williams gathered together in the cool shade and had an impromptu jam session.

First there was one fiddle mixed with the steel-guitar, guitar and banjo, but soon other fiddlers joined in and some even began singing.

Hoot's wife of 59 years Dorothy said the session is what her husband loved the most about the reunion.

"He won't compete in the contest, but he just loves to come out here and just start playing with anyone," she said.

After 59 years of marriage Mrs. Hamman said she has sat through countless jam sessions on the Henderson County Courthouse lawn and added that she and her husband have the trip down to an art.

She said they take their travel trailer down to a spot not far from the Athens Police station the day before the contest then drive the short distance to the place where the tunes will flow.

As she talked about her husband Hoot and the boys, Emily and another teenage girl just jumped right in and began sawing on the strings and showing their stuff.

"Where we used to live she played violin and classical music, but when we moved to Noonday she fell in love with the fiddle. See what happens when you move to Texas?" Gloria Williams said about her daughter.

Mrs. Williams watched her daughter play with a smile on her face.

Other gathered around the group said the mixed age jam sessions were like a passing down of knowledge from the old timers to the young up starts.

"They are really good with the younger ones and they know they are just starting to get a feel for this," Mrs. Williams said.

While some said the attendance has fallen off from previous years, Ms. Ensign scoffed at the idea the contest was beginning to lose its luster and said the crowds would arrive later in the day.

"This is a popular tradition and it always picks up near the end of the day," she said.

Kerri Allred from Midlothian practices some runs she will most likely compete with during the Fiddlers Reunion Competition in Athens. Her grandfather John got her interested in learning how to play the fiddle and later on she took formal lessons with Valerie O'Brien from Mansfield. Kerri is 14 years old.
(Staff Photo By Jaime R. Carrero)