During the first decades of the twentieth century, fiddlers across the United States banded together in organizations designed reform the images of fiddling and fiddlers. This paper will examine the role played by leading fiddlers in this process, with emphasis on the activities of Confederate veterans and their associated organizations. Comparisons will be made with fiddle associations in various areas of the country and the impact of the organizations on the development of professional country music. Highlighted will be the activities of Henry C. Gilliland, the Texas fiddler who helped hone the culture of fiddle contests and cut the first country recording with Eck Robertson in 1922.

Video footage of the presentation.