Governor Bill Lee and wife Maria Visit Smithville for the Jamboree’s 50th Anniversary

July 3, 2021
By: Dwayne Page

Governor Bill Lee and his wife Maria were in Smithville Friday evening to pay a visit to the Smithville Fiddlers Jamboree and to join in the celebration of the festival’s golden anniversary.

It was part of the governor’s three county tour Friday to commemorate Tennessee’s 225 years of statehood. He kicked off the day at Rock Island State Park followed by a stop over in Sparta at the 3rd Annual Freedom Celebration before his visit to Smithville.

During his remarks during the opening ceremony, Governor Lee commended the Fiddlers Jamboree on its 50 year history and also spoke of the state’s 225th birthday observance before presenting an award on behalf of the Jamboree to festival President and Coordinator Sam Stout for his dedication in keeping the Jamboree tradition alive for future generations.

“What a great opportunity it is for us to all come back together again and celebrate 50 years of this very special historic event. That means so much not just to Tennessee but really to the country. Maria and I are very proud to be here. Tennessee is 225 years old this year. President George Washington signed a document 225 years ago that made Tennessee the 16th state in the nation and I am a strong believer that it is the greatest state in the greatest nation in the world. I have the incredible honor to serve as the Governor of this state because of the people of this state. As such I have come to realize that this is the greatest nation in the world but it will only stay that way if we protect and defend the freedoms and the liberties and the rights that are ours and I am grateful for the opportunity to be able to do that. Thankful for the men and women of the military. Thankful for the men and women of law enforcement. Thankful most importantly for the men and women of the community that make Tennessee the remarkable place it is. Our government leaders are not what makes a state great. What makes a state great are the people and the people of DeKalb County, Smithville, and the people all across this state make me very proud as I travel the country and interact with governors all across the country. We are very fortunate to be Tennesseans and I am very fortunate to be on this stage on this night on this weekend when we celebrate the greatest nation in the world and we thank God for his great favor on America and we together, I say to you Happy Fourth of July and may God Bless the great state of Tennessee and the United States of America,” said Governor Lee.

The Governor also presented an award on behalf of the Jamboree to Jack Barton, a former Fiddlers Jamboree President and Coordinator for his years of dedicated service.

Sixth District Congressman John Rose also praised the Fiddlers Jamboree reaching this 50 year milestone and presented Stout a framed copy of his remarks on the floor of the US House of Representatives made part of the Congressional Record which reads as follows:

“Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the 50th Anniversary of the Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree and Crafts Festival, also known also known as the Official Festival of the state of Tennessee, located in Smithville, Tennessee. The Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree and Crafts Festival is dedicated to the furtherance and preservation of old time Appalachian country music, dance, and authentic art and culture”.

“In 1972 Congressman Joe L. Evins, a Smithville native conceived a gathering of a group of area musicians to stage an old time Appalachian country show in Smithville, Tennessee and suggested the same to Berry C. Williams. Congressman Evins and Berry C. Williams, along with JG “Bobo” Driver, Charles Gentry, Ralph Vaughn, Neil Dudney, and Linda Pack formed a committee to organize such an event. On July 1, 1972, 714 musicians representing 16 states entertained an audience of 8,000 people.

Now, 50 years later, this exemplary event has grown to the point that it is now estimated that 40,000 people attended the two day event in 2019, with over 250 contestants. The long and fruitful history of the Jamboree is a culmination of multiple cultural and historical threads that, woven together over time, have situated the festival as a staple of local heritage and is representative of tireless community engagement”.

“Madam Speaker, I want to thank the Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree and Crafts Festival organizers, committees, volunteers, and the people of Smithville and DeKalb County, Tennessee for their tireless work to make this event an overwhelming success. Tennesseans take great pride in institutions and events that seek to make the community a better place to live, and I am honored to recognize the Smithville Jamboree as one of those events. Therefore, I would like my colleagues to join me in honoring and commending the Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree and Crafts Festival for 50 years of tribute to Appalachian art and culture”.

Meanwhile State Senator Mark Pody and State Representatives Terri Lynn Weaver and Clark Boyd presented a framed copy of a joint resolution adopted by the Tennessee State Senate and House of Representatives paying tribute to the Fiddlers’ Jamboree.

The joint resolution reads as follows:

“WHEREAS, each year, the Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree and Crafts Festival draws hundreds of musicians and crafts people and many thousands of spectators from around the world; and WHEREAS, the first Smithville Jamboree opened on July 1, 1972, and the event has been held every year since on the Friday and Saturday nearest to the 4th of July; and

WHEREAS, the first Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree attracted 714 musicians representing sixteen states with an estimated audience of 8,000; today’s audience is estimated at 25,000- 30,000 over the course of the two-day event; and

WHEREAS, the first Jamboree featured thirteen categories of competition with prize money of $1,200; today there are thirty-one categories with more than $12,000 in prize money; and

WHEREAS, in 1972, a broader tribute to Appalachian art and culture was initiated when 100 crafts people from twelve states participated in the first Crafts Festival at the Jamboree; this event has since grown to include more than 250 artisans who sell and display authentic pioneer and contemporary crafts that are subject to the highest standards; and

WHEREAS, a new category, “The National Championship for Country Musician Beginners, Ages 12 and Under,” was added in 1984 to provide an opportunity for young people to determine the champion of their chosen instrument through friendly competition; the trophy for this popular event is now named in honor of one of the Jamboree’s founding fathers, James G. “Bobo” Driver; and

WHEREAS, in the very beginning, the Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree was recorded for television by the British Broadcasting Company and many others; WCTE of Cookeville now televises the Jamboree annually, and through the magic of public television, the event is shown all over the country; and
WHEREAS, the popularity of the Jamboree is attested to by its selection as a “Top 20 Tourist Favorite” by the Southern Tourism Society for each of the past sixteen years; also listed as one of the top 100 tourist events in North America, the Jamboree has been rated fourth best in the U.S. for summer vacations by Vacation magazine; and

WHEREAS, the beautiful Appalachian Arts and Crafts Center that overlooks Center Hill Lake is named in honor of the late Congressman Joe L. Evins, in honor of his seminal role in the creation of the Jamboree and his commitment to preserving Appalachian art, music, and culture; and

WHEREAS, the Junior and Senior Fiddle-Off Grand Champion receives a trophy named in honor of another Jamboree founding father, Berry C. Williams; and

WHEREAS, in 1997, the Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree and Crafts Festival became “The Official Tennessee and National Jamboree and Crafts Festival”; and

WHEREAS, this Independence Day tradition started in 1972 is still going strong today, as the Festival continues to preserve and pay homage to the music and art of our ancestors and celebrate the simple pleasure of listening to pure, unadulterated live Appalachian music ringing through the streets of downtown Smithville, population 4,305; and

WHEREAS, the Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree and Crafts Festival and its board of directors are committed to preserving the heritage of country and bluegrass music and Appalachian arts and crafts, and they are richly deserving of our recognition on this special anniversary; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED TWELFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING, that we join with the citizens of Smithville and Tennesseans from all walks of life in celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of the Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree and Crafts Festival”.

July 2, 2021
By: Dwayne Page

The 50th annual Smithville Fiddlers Jamboree and Crafts Festival is underway with plenty of on stage entertainment along with shade tree picking and singing too (View video below)

July 2, 2021
By: Dwayne Page

Fifty years of Fiddlin’

The Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree & Crafts Festival is back again alive and kicking today ( Friday) and tomorrow July 2-3 downtown Smithville.TN. This year’s festival will be celebrating 50 years of the Jamboree with a visit by Governor Bill Lee, a special line-up of entertainment and nostalgia for attendees, along with a newly constructed main stage, and secondary performance stage.

WJLE AM 1480 and FM 101.7 will broadcast LIVE and on the LIVE stream at www.wjle.com.

Gov. Lee will provide the official welcome to kick-off the Celebration this evening (Friday, July 2nd) at 6:00 p.m. as part of the opening ceremony featuring other local and state dignitaries. The Community Chorus will also present a patriotic musical and dance program during the 6 p.m. hour.

Multi-GRAMMY nominated duo Dailey & Vincent will be recognized at the Fiddlers’ Jamboree on Saturday, July 3 for their contributions as one of the most popular bands in contemporary American music, embracing bluegrass, country and gospel.

Darrin Vincent will be celebrated by the State of Tennessee with an unveiling of his “Tennessee Music Pathways” marker on the square during the Fiddlers’ Jamboree at 5 p.m. CT. Launched by the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development in 2018, Tennessee Music Pathways is an online planning guide that connects visitors to the state’s rich musical heritage at tnmusicpathways.com. From the largest cities to the smallest communities, Tennessee Music Pathways stretches across all 95 counties and features hundreds of landmarks from the seven genres of music that call Tennessee home.

Jamie Dailey will also be honored at the event as the recipient of the Fiddlers’ Jamboree’s 2021 Blue Blaze Award. The Blue Blaze Award is designed to honor an individual or group that keeps the embers of bluegrass music burning for future generations. The Blue Blaze Panel Committee for the Jamboree voted unanimously for Dailey’s nomination for the 2021 award citing his long-running contributions to bluegrass music. Following the presentations, Dailey & Vincent will perform a mini-concert on the main stage.

“For the 50th Anniversary Celebration, we wanted it to be extra special for everyone attending. For us, it’s like a giant family reunion as we plan to bring back former champions, past hosts, and lots of historical moments thrown into this year’s schedule of events,” said Sam Stout – President and Coordinator of the Jamboree, “We look forward to all of the special moments celebrating our long-running history, along with a commemorative knife and book available in very limited quantities.”

Former hosts of the Jamboree have been invited to come and participate once more in the on-stage festivities.

For musicians competing in this year’s event, the prize money has been raised to $15,000 with a donation from the James G. Bobo Driver Family, making the Berry C. Williams Award prize money at $875, and the Bobo Driver Award raised to $775. “It is our hope that with the elevation of cash prizes, we can entice even more musicians to compete for the 50th Celebration.” said Kim Driver Luton – spokesperson for the James G. Bobo Driver Family. “At the heart of the Jamboree, it has always been about celebrating the music and contestants, and we are so proud of our family’s heritage in continuing the James G. Bobo Driver National Championship for Country Musician Beginners for fifty years and counting.”

“In addition to all of these great new changes added to this year’s Jamboree, we will also have more prize money for Craft Booth Competitors for 2021. There will be a $150 Cash Prize for Best of Show, and $50 each for Best Display/Best Appalachian Craft/Best Newcomer,” said Olivia Southard – Crafts Director for the Jamboree.

The Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree and Crafts Festival welcomes the community to come out and support the 50th Anniversary Jamboree on July 2nd and 3rd, with many surprises in store including a special Saturday concert by this year’s Blue Blaze Award Winner, new craft booths, and a NEW second performance stage. You don’t want to miss this great moment in our county’s history, so bring your smiles…and the Jamboree will provide the fun! For more information on the 50th Annual Jamboree, go to: www.smithvillejamboree.com or follow their FaceBook page.

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