Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-03-05
HEARERS PAT FEET
WHEN OLD FIDDLERS
PLAY IN ATLANTA
Fifty Artists" From Red Clay
Hills of Georgia Here for An
nuaI Meeting-OId Favorites
on Hand
RN ED III. BRADLEY

70 these who attended the opening
session Of the old-time Georgia fiddlers'
convention At the auditorium Thursday
night, il was perfectly apparent that
Old King Cole was a parsonage Of eN-
traOrdinary perception and discrimina-
ton. The only reason why he called in
only three fiddlers was because there
was probably no more To be found. He
should have heard the program render
ed by that galaxy of catgut-scraping
performers who cavorJed upon the
board Thursday night
Those Mischa Elmans from the old
rcd hills Of north Georgia were around
there" when il came TO stirring up the
Utmost feelings of their listeners and to
Judge by the continuous cibration OF
the huge building. every man, woman
and child in the auditorium was pat,
tin the foot" from the opening of the
program till the last number was fin
ished.
one frisky soul in his exuberance of
spirit orOse from his seat in one OF the
front sections of the audience and in
dUlged in an imprOmptu breakdown in
the aisle, 10 the great edification of his
immediate neighbors. And there were
a whole lot of others who almost for
got their dignity and followed his ex-
ample.
How those judges, who are going to
award the prizes on Saturday night at
the final performance, will manage to
make their selections will forever re-
main an unsolved mystery. 1t is en-
tirely thinkable that they will throw
up their hands in utter helplessness and
give prize to every one OF the fiddling
experts.
The jamboTee opened up with a gen.
eral melee of melody in which the en-
tire phalanx of fiddlers scraped away
with much energy and absolute aban-
don. The action was violent and en-
tireIy TO the taste of the audience, for
when Fiddlin' John Carson, master OF
ceremonies. sounded cease firing on
mis- old cOwbell. the applause was fairly
desfening. In response to the general
appeal for another ensemble selection,
the fiddlers again tuned up and tore
into Hop Light Ladies, Your Cakes
Are All Dough-" a classic dear to the
hearts of those whose feet refuse to ac-
Cept the mandates of advancing age.
Who could listen to Gid Tanner, the
ruby-featured denizen of Rockdale. or
to Shorty Harper. from Morgan county,
or TO Red-Necked Jim Lawson, from
Gwinnett, without feeling an impulse to
get up on the floor and balance alp"
Who could resist the clarion call that
eGndnaIeC from Ine Huule IN the ndnuS
of Arthur SiIvey. the boy wonder from
Rome?
And the "Lickskillet Band" composed
Of Cobb county's premier performers
on catgut, did yoeman service, while c.
4. Brooks, from Rsbun county, worked
on mis- old broomstick fiddle with a
skill that elected roars of approval.
Certain il is that the 1918 f1ddlers'
convention. if its remaining sessions
are as enjoyable as the first, should
prove the most successful in history
and the half a hundred 1ddlers who
have gathered from all corners of the
state will give Atlantians a thrill not
surpassed by grand operas. virtuosos
or temperamental artists of interna.
t.onal repute.
The fiddlers will gather again on Fri
day and Saturday nights. also present.
ing a program on Saturday afternoon.
Tickets are on sale at the drug store
Of Franklin & Cox, until o'clock in
the evening After that hour they can
be purchased at the auditorium.