Fiddlers of the Ozarks

Of all the traditional musicians in the Ozark mountains of Arkansas, the fiddler holds a distinct place in both the community and folklore. Fiddlers were revered for carrying local tunes and would hold positions of status within rural communities. Fiddlers provided the music for the dances which were often held after house raisings, shucking bees and other community working activities as well as at picnics and celebrations. However, there needed to be no special reason for a dance. Some would move their furniture out of a room, invite the fiddler and simply have a dance.

Source: Encyclopedia of Arkansas