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Exhibit opens, features local fiddles

By Jared Felkins
The Times-Journal

Published August 31, 2009

Hunt Hall rang with the ol’ time sounds of the New Binkley Brothers as the Smithsonian: Celebrating American Roots Music exhibition opened its doors in Fort Payne on Saturday.

Following a day of last minute preparations, at 7PM, the exhibition staff welcomed a group of more than 100 partners to a down-home barbecue reception complete with a first walk-through presentation.

The Alabama Humanities Foundation’s program director, Susan Perry, was among the special guests visiting from throughout the state. The foundation and the Smithsonian were the partners that made the event possible, along with the Alabama State Council on the Arts, the city of Fort Payne and other local partners.

Of special significance, at the exhibit is a display of fiddles made on Sand Mountain by Adas Johnson, Guy Johnson, Gene Ivey and LeBron Batey.

Adas Johnson, of the Hustleville community near Albertville, was a member of the famous Johnson Family string band, which provided music around Sand Mountain from the 1880s until 1962. Born in 1888, he made his first fiddle in 1925 and, with the help of his brother E. D. “Ras” Johnson, made 200 fiddles before retiring at age 90.

Adas Johnson’s son, Thomas Guy Johnson, grew up watching his father and uncle make fiddles but did not make one himself until he neared retirement age. Johnson moved to Birmingham after service in World War II, worked as a printer for the Birmingham News and Birmingham Post-Herald and returned to Hustleville after retiring. In a 10-year period, he made 24 finely crafted fiddles. His father told him, “You’re making a better violin than I ever did.”

Gene Ivey, of Ider, began making fiddles after World War II and has received much acclaim as a fiddler, craftsman and as teacher of fiddle-making. He was recently featured in a production by Alabama Public Television, “Alabama Craft: Tradition and Innovation.” Throughout his life, Ivey has sustained a community of musicians through frequent jam sessions at his shop, as well as the annual “fiddler's picnic,” now in its 15th year.

LeBron Batey, of Sylvania, grew up listening to his grandfather play fiddle and watching him make wood carvings. In 1997, he decided to make a fiddle under the guidance of Gene Ivey. Making that first fiddle hooked him on the art and he has now made more than 70 using many of his own tools and techniques. He has developed an international following for his fiddles, and people buy them sight unseen.

“I’m very pleased with the opening,” said Russell Gulley, director of the Big Wills Arts Council. “It was well attended, and with the Sunday attendance, more than 250 folks have been through in our first two days. Based on scheduled tours already booked, I’d recommend that folks plan to attend late afternoon, evenings and weekends. We want everyone to get to experience the exhibit.”

Student tours started Monday at the exhibition. About 1,600 Fort Payne students are expected to be bused to the site where students will be guided through the exhibit. Students will experience the sounds of the blues, jazz, folk and gospel music and ol’ time fiddling, played on handmade fiddles.

The exhibit is free and will run through Sept. 19. For more information, contact the Fort Payne Chamber of Commerce at 845-2741 or the DeKalb County Tourist Association at 845-3957.

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