KENTUCKY
OLD-TIME MUSIC, INC.
News & Updates
Elliott County Fiddlers’ Convention - July 11 & 12, 2025
The Elliott County Fiddlers’ Convention is a campout festival for traditional mountain music enthusiasts held annually the second weekend of July at the Little Sandy Lodge in Sandy Hook, Kentucky. Based on traditional fiddlers’ conventions held in the Appalachian Mountains for the last 100+ years, the Elliott County Fiddlers’ Convention is focused on contests, while also featuring workshops and performances. Along with jam sessions, there are multiple ways for festival-goers to show off what they have been working on, enjoy a little good-natured competition amongst friends, as well as a chance to win a little money. Contests held in the past have been old-time fiddle, old-time banjo, mandolin, singing, dancing, youth fiddle, youth banjo and string band contests.
Enjoy these pics from last year’s event…
Thanks for attending The Lexington Gathering!
On March 15th we gathered at University of Kentucky’s Singletary Center for the Arts for a weekend featuring performances, presentations, jam sessions, and workshops. The 2025 Lexington Gathering welcomed Grammy-nominated artist Amythyst Kiah, Betse & Clarke, The Horsenecks, Travis Stuart, Empty Bottle String Band, Hogtown, Joseph Allred, John Haywood, The Possum Queens, Kentucky Wild Horse, The Codgers, Carla Gover, George Gibson, CornMaiz, 2019 United States Artists Fellow Rebecca Gayle Howell, 2024 MacArthur Fellow Loka Ashwood, & many others.
Here are some pics from the day…
Mountains to Mountains Exchange: Appalachia to Michoacán
Members of the KY Old Time Music, Inc. community—CornMaiz and Brett Ratliff—traveled to Mexico in partnership with the Hummingbird Music Project for a cultural exchange between traditional Appalachian artists and traditional artists from the Mexican state of Michoacán. The programs were largely based in Pátzcuaro at La Jacaranda Cultural Pátzcuaro, but the group also enjoyed a very special day in Tingambato visiting ancient archeological sites, enjoying local street food, and jamming with local musicians. Many thanks to our hosts Fred and Meg Snyder from the Hummingbird Music Project for helping make this happen!
