I have went to a lot of fiddlers' conventions through the years. Back in the late 60s/early 70s, a new fiddle player came onto the scene that was winning a whole lot of fiddle contests for a couple years. He sounded smooth and good in the contests, but that was about all I had heard him play. Well, I went to the Independence Fiddlers' Convention, went through the door, and there were three or four folks jamming, and this feller was fiddling. I noticed there was a bass laying next to him as well. And he said, "Come here, get your fiddle out, and play some with us. I ain't no fiddler, I'm a bass player." I said, "Well, heck, you've been winning a lot of the fiddle contests if you ain't a fiddler!" Well I played some with him, and sure enough, after a few tunes, he didn't know too many numbers. He quit the fiddle, and picked up the bass. We played a long time, and there were some good musicians there. After the jam, he said, "I decided to take a fiddle, and learn 3-4 tunes really well, and practice nothing else, to strictly win the fiddlers' conventions. And those are the only tunes I can really play." He told me he wasn't sure how many more contests he would compete in, and so he would tell me several tricks to winning. He said, "I have been watching you at the fiddlers' conventions, and you're playing good enough to win more, and you got to use your head on these things. The first thing I do is find out who is judging, a lot of the same people judge these contests at different places." At that time, the fiddle contest was open, wasn't divided into old time and bluegrass. He said, "I see what certain judges like and try to pick a tune that they would favor. Also, you need to get the best guitar player you can find that can back up you up the best, and ask him to back you up in the fiddle contest; it doesn't he matter if he's playing in your band or not."
Well, the next fiddlers' convention I went to was in Lambsburg, VA. And I did what was recommended. I saw that Kyle Creed was one of the judges, so I decided to play a real old tune that I thought he would like. Sure enough, I won the contest.
Well, the next fiddlers' convention I went to was in Lambsburg, VA. And I did what was recommended. I saw that Kyle Creed was one of the judges, so I decided to play a real old tune that I thought he would like. Sure enough, I won the contest.