How a slide show became a fiddle festival

These young fiddlers from Redding competed in the 1980 competition.

by Mary Jo Winter

The 37th annual Old Time Fiddle Festival takes over the Cloverdale Citrus Fairgrounds January 21-22, with doors opening each day at 9 a.m.

The funny thing is, back in 1975 this event didn’t start out to be a fiddle contest, much less a fiddle festival. It was just going to be a slide show at the theater to raise a little money for the Cloverdale Historical Society.

The group had recently acquired the historically significant Gould-Shaw House and needed funds to restore it. A Cloverdale lady by the name of Alice Osborn came up with the idea of renting the movie theater and having Society member Les Herring show some of his slides.

She then suggested asking a local guy named Doc Quam to do a little fiddling while the slides were being shown. Society members Jack Howell, Bee Maio and Neil Miller liked the idea and contacted Quam, who jumped at the chance to bring old time fiddling to Cloverdale.

One thing led to another, and when January 10, 1976, rolled around, Cloverdale’s Old Time Fiddle Contest debuted.

The first advertising flyer, hand drawn by Howell, advertised $1 admission and a full-fledged fiddle contest, with proceeds benefitting the Museum Building Fund.

Unlike today, when contestants of similar ages and skill levels compete in divisions like Pee Wee, Junior-Junior, Junior, Adult and Senior, everyone competed against each other. The oldest contestant was 79-year-old Van Cunningham from Bodfish, near Bakersfield. The youngest was 8-year-old Stacy Pater of Santa Clara.

Aunt Edith Thompson was an icon of Cloverdale's Old Time Fiddle Contest for 24 years.

In 2011, the oldest was 80-year-old Billy D. Whitfield from Patterson, the youngest was 5-year-old Clara Boyle from Cottonwood. John Francis of Salt Lake City traveled the furthest to compete.

From the start, the talented and knowledgeable Aunt Edith Thompson was the Master of Ceremonies. She and her husband Neal had been regulars on the circuit for many years, traveling from contest to contest. Neal and his twin brother played fiddle, and she played piano, often also serving as emcee.

Coming back every year for 24 years, Aunt Edith became something of an icon at the festival. Following her death in May 1999, Historical Society volunteer Nancy Jehn took over.

Compared to her predecessor, Jehn said she feels more like a commentator than a real emcee.

Nancy Jehn gives some last minute reassurance to a young contestant. (Photo courtesy of Mikala Kennan)

“Aunt Edith remembered everyone’s accomplishments, especially the kids, and would announce them to the audience,” Jehn said. “She could almost always distinguish who the teacher was by the way a child played.”

Over the years contestants have ranged in age from 3 to more than 90. In 1985, organizers presented 93-year-old Alva Ingram of Boonville with a Special Lifetime Achievement Award. He played a fiddle built by his grandfather for nearly 80 years until a series of strokes prevented him from continuing.

The event, known for its friendly competition and good old-fashioned fun, draws fans who come back year after year, with one person reportedly attending for 25 years.

Festival-goers will also enjoy the many impromptu jam sessions going on throughout the day.

When the City of Cloverdale announced in September 2010 that it could no longer provide financial sponsorship, the Fiddle Festival’s future was threatened. Thanks to last minute financial commitments from the Reuser family, Reuser, Inc. and VinePro Vineyard Management, all of Cloverdale, and Lagunitas Brewing Company of Petaluma, the event went on as planned.

Under the direction of new Volunteer Coordinator Mark Hogan, this year’s Fiddle Festival will also feature more bands, bluegrass and old-time music played on instruments such as banjo and guitar in an attempt to attract an even wider audience.

General admission is $12.50 per day, or $20 for two days, with discounts offered to children, seniors and groups of 5 or more. Children 4 and under are free. Tickets can be purchased at the door.

For more information, visit www.cloverdalefiddles.com or call 894-2067.