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State and Federal Officials
Governor Lee
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and his wife, Maria, took part in the opening ceremony of the Jamboree, commemorating the festival as well as the State’s 225th anniversary.
Governor Lee
Governor Lee visited Rock Island State Park and Sparta’s Freedom Celebration before visiting the Jamboree last Friday evening.
Governor Lee
A large crowd was on hand during Friday’s Jamboree opening ceremonies, as Governor Bill Lee took to the stage.
Smithville Fire
The Smithville Fire Department presented the colors as the National Anthem was performed followed by a prayer.
Governor Lee
Governor Lee presented Jamboree President Sam Stout a plaque for his dedication in keeping the Jamboree tradition alive for future generations.
Governor Lee
Governor Lee congratulated former Jamboree President Jack Barton for his years of dedicated service to the Jamboree.
Sam Stout
U.S. Representative John Rose presented Jamboree President Stout a framed copy of his remarks to Congress, now part of the Congressional Record.
Sam Stout
State Representatives Terri Lynn Weaver and Clark Boyd, and State Senator Mark Pody presented President Stout with a framed copy of a joint resolution, adopted by the Tennessee State Senate and House of Representatives, paying tribute to the Fiddlers’ Jamboree.
Mark Pody
State Senator Mark Pody, and State Representatives Clark Boyd, and Terri Lynn Weaver presented Jamboree visitors with flags that were flown over the U.S. Capitol. The flags were presented to the visitor from the farthest point in Tennessee, the farthest point in the country, and the farthest worldwide visitor. Senator Pody presented James Hayes of Memphis with a flag, while Representative Boyd presented Gunnar Salyer of Mozambique, South Africa, with a flag. Representative Weaver presented Sarah Nolte and Gregory Cecil of Auberry, California, with a flag.

The Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree and Crafts Festival commemorated its 50th year last weekend, celebrating in grand style, including a visit by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and his wife Maria on Friday evening. The festival also featured a homecoming of sorts, with past emcees and jamboree officials being recognized, as well as being recognized by the State and U.S. Congress.

Governor Lee took part in the jamboree’s opening ceremonies on Friday evening as part of a three-county tour celebrating Tennessee’s 225th anniversary, stopping at Rock Island State Park, then the Annual Freedom Celebration in Sparta, before his trip to Smithville.

During his remarks to the crowd, Governor Lee commented on the Jamboree’s history as well as Tennessee’s induction to the Union. “What a great opportunity it is for us to all come back together again and celebrate 50 years of this very special historic event,” Governor Lee said. “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,” Governor Lee continued. “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,” Governor Lee concluded.

After addressing the crowd, Governor Lee was on hand to present some special awards to Jamboree President and Coordinator Sam Stout for his dedication in keeping the Jamboree tradition alive for future generations, and to former Jamboree President Jack Barton for his years of dedicated service.

Afterwards, Sixth District U.S. Representative John Rose commended the festival for its 50th anniversary. Congressman Rose presented Jamboree President Stout with a framed copy of his remarks from the floor of the House of Representatives, now part of the Congressional Record. His remarks read 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.”

State Senator Mark Pody, State Representatives Terri Lynn Weaver, and Clark Boyd then presented a President Stout a framed copy of a joint resolution, adopted by the Tennessee State Senate and House of Representatives, commemorating the 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 1974, 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.”