That IS A GREAT STORY MARK!!!! You say it all. And Rick, I agree with you on the older "Opry" artists. As I was just thinking of the "Museum of Appalachia" on another thread, this story pops up.

When we were there at Norris last summer, a TV "Happy News" guy out of Knoxville had Curly Fox on as his interview. At ninety whatever, he still fiddles pretty well although he doesn't like doing it (not up to the old standard) but it was damn good nonetheless. The jagov interviewer though treated him as some doddering old fool and I was pissed until Curly told a joke, very dry and droll, but pointed at the TV guy. Needless to say the jerk didn't get it and was confused by it. After a few seconds Curly said, "That's a joke son." Cracked me up.

The second day we were at the Museum of Appalachia, there were several folks in various places playing away and I really enjoyed listening and talking to them. Best though was this 80 year fiddler who certainly didn't meet today's "flash" standards, but he was just great! Better yet, he was the one that ALL the kids related to. Finer players were around, but the kids gravitated to him right away, not just my kids....ALL the kids. I wondered then, and I don't want to put too fine a point on it, but did they hear that "truth" in his playing? He had no line of patter, just let his fiddle do the talking. Made me wonder.

Spaw