Some of the finest musicians in the field compete for honors at the Tennessee Valley Old Time Fiddlers Convention. For others it’s not the competition that attracts them, but rather a time to renew old acquaintances.

Hershel Landers of Hatton joined an impromptu picking session Friday to the tune of “Mary Ann” under a shade tree next to McCandless Auditorium on the campus of Athens State University. He has been attending the convention 40 of its 42 years and he’s got the hat to prove it. Hershel’s black felt cowboy hat is encircled several times over with official convention pins. It’s a heavy hat. He wears it high on his crown, because he would be risking injury to push it too low and imbed the backs of the pushpins in his scalp.

“This is the part I like best,” said Hershel, resting his guitar across his knees. “Just jamming. I’ve been coming here 40 years and I’ve made a lot of friends. But some of the old timers are now dead.”

However, Palmer Osborne, 88, of Hartselle is one of the old timers still going strong as he raps out the beat with a set of bracketed spoons on his knee.

Doesn’t he get a sore knee by the end of the day?

“Naw. I have a leather strap around my leg under my pants,” said Palmer.

Palmer said he grew up in a musical family.

“I was one of 11 children and most of my family made music, but we didn’t have enough money for instruments, so I wound up playing the spoons,” he said. “I play with a bluegrass band, Southern Heritage.”

Buck-dancing to the rhythm of Palmer’s spoons, 74-year-old Joe Hood of Leoma, Tenn., showed remarkable stamina.

“Everyone in my family buck-danced,” he said. “My old man was the best dancer in the country, but he died and I carried on. I’m not as good as he was but I’ve been national champion seven times. I’ll dance for anything.”

Crafts

Music isn’t the only attraction that draws thousands to the Fiddlers Convention. Dozens of crafters display their wares. One unique attraction in the craft area this year is a potter’s wheel.

Friday, Valerie Smith of Madison, an Athens State student, manned the wheel, inviting passersby to “come throw a pot.” Valerie is not an art major, but an “interdisciplinary” student who does pottery “just for fun.” She won’t say how long she’s been throwing pots.

“I started doing it in high school and if I told you how long ago that was you’d know how old I am,” she said.