Here in Va. there are more then a few gems, and like someone said Friday night at the store in Floyd is a lot of fun. I would like to add if you can make it around the time of the Floyd Fest I am sure you would have a blast.
One of my hobbies is to search good pickers that do not go out much. One of them is Two Gun Terry up in Harrsionburg,Va. If you go to the Guitar and Amp Center there, you can ask them where to find Terry. The Guitar and Amp Center also has a beautiful collection of many very old instruments. If you stop by tell'em I ay hello.