This past weekend, I had the pleasure of experiencing the Old Fiddlers’ Convention in Galax, Virginia — a gathering that’s as much about the heart and soul of Appalachian music as it is about competition. While the stage performances were impressive, the real magic was in the spontaneous jam sessions — fiddles, banjos, dulcimers, and guitars filling the summer air on Main Street and in the fields near the competition stage. It’s music you don’t just hear — you feel.
