“Fiddling Around” is the theme of this year’s Union County Heritage Festival to be held on Oct. 6th, at Wilson Park, and it is also the title of the 2018 Festival Collectible Print. When asked to paint something to go along with this year’s theme, it didn’t take me long to come up with an idea.

I can well remember going to Maynardville in the 1950s and 1960s with my mom and dad. First, was a trip to the bank which was at the Historic Maynardville Bank Building that still stands today next to the Courthouse. Then, it was next door to Butchers Store where I would be treated to an ice cream cone. Mr. Jim Chesney could somehow manage to pack at least a pint of ice cream onto a regular cone for the total cost of 10 cents. On occasion, we would stroll to the Courthouse lawn and listen to music.

Just the other day I was talking with Janet Holloway and she shared a memory of going to the Courthouse with her family where folks were gathered under one of the big shade trees listening to music. Those were good days and good memories.

After going through hundreds of pictures at the State Archives, I found several of the old Union County Courthouse from 1935 through the late 1960s. And low and behold there were men with stringed instruments in some of those photos. I expect they were sharing their musical talents as well as being there to socialize and catch up on the latest happenings or maybe trade knives. Perhaps Roy Acuff and Bashful Brother Oswald made an appearance when Roy was running for governor.

Music can set the mood for most anything and I let it set the mood for this painting. I have never had so much fun while slinging paint to the sounds of “The Great Speckled Bird”, “House Of The Rising Sun”, “Greenback Dollar”, “Hey Joe”, “If The Tear Drops Were Pennies”, and “You Are The One.” Thank You Roy and Carl for the inspiration.

The prints will be available for purchase at the Union County Heritage Festival, Wilson Park, and the Historic Snodderly House (where the art and photography shows are) 720 Main St., on Festival Day, Sat., Oct 6th. They will also be available at The Winery At Seven Springs Farm, 1474 Hwy 61 E, and the Union County Vendors Mall, 155A Durham Dr., ongoing.