At this year's Tennessee Valley Old Time Fiddlers Convention at Athens State University, a free Fiddle and Guitar Workshop will be offered by Buddy Spicher and David Grier from 3-4:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4 in McCandless Auditorium.

Ace fiddler Buddy Spicher is one of the latest musicians honored by the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s on-gong Nashville Cats series. Born in Pennsylvania, Spicher toured in the bands of Patsy Cline, Faron Young, and Ray Price. As a session player, Spicher performed with nearly every country star of the 1960s and 1970s, including Country Music Hall of Fame members Waylon Jennings, George Jones, Loretta Lynn, Roger Miller, Charley Pride, Marty Robbins, Statler Brothers, Hank Thompson, and Bob Wills.

For the past several years, David Grier has been voted Best Guitar Player of the Year by the members of the International Bluegrass Music Association. He has also appeared on two Grammy- winning recordings: "True Life Blues-A Tribute to Bill Monroe" and "The Great Dobro Sessions." David is also included in the book, "1,000 Great Guitarists." His inspiration to learn guitar came from exposure to Bill Monroe while his father, Lamar Grier, played banjo for the Blue Grass Boys in the middle 1960s.

This workshop is offered free of charge and a reservation is not needed to participate - although seating is limited and participants are chosen on a first come basis