Though proceeds from the Kentucky Old Time Fiddlers Contest go to Grayson County, fewer local residents attend the event than any other group.

The competition, sponsored by the Rotary Club, is held the third weekend in July at Rough River Dam in Falls of Rough is home to music lovers from all over the United States.

Patty Miller, registrar for the fiddlers contest every year, said it was a good year participation-wise for the event, but it was still not a trophy year for audience attendance.

"We had over 50 fiddlers, which is a really good participation number, but we did not have a good crowd number," explained Miller.

Miller added that Grayson County residents benefit from the proceeds of event, but those from the county are the lowest in attendance.

She feels that rising gas prices and the heat are partly to blame, and also thinks that a lot of festivals this year will be hurt by the declining economy.

Two competitors however continue to come back every year, because of the strong bonds they have made through competing at Rough River.

Joel Whittinghill, who has been coming to the festival since he was 10, mostly plays the fiddle, mandolin, and guitar.

He has won the Governor's Cup as top fiddler four times, won the mandolin competition over eight times, and the guitar competition three times.

"I have three older sisters and a younger brother who also play," explained Whittinghill. "The oldest plays piano, but in the bluegrass group (Bluegrass Younguns) as kids she played bass. The second oldest sister played guitar. We played in contests all over the country."

For Whittinghill participating in the festival is like coming home, because he grew up in Fordsville.

"Just look at it. Everybody is having fun," said Whittinghill.

When asked how he prepares for something like this he said, "I grab the metronome and practice different speeds, and go through it three or four times to make sure it is perfect."

Whittinghill talked a little about what the judges were looking for in a winner.

"The judges are looking for originality, creativity, of course they have to be in tune, in time, and have good rhythm," explained Whittinghill. "I know I can listen to someone play and know where they got those hooks to put into certain tunes. When someone puts a little bit of themselves in there, but stays true to the melody, then that is really cool for me, because I have not heard that before. It is tasteful and appropriate to the tune. That puts somebody above and beyond to me."

Whittinghill said he learned from a guy named Kenneth Basham who was homeless.

"I started out on mandolin," added Whittinghill. "He (Kenneth) lived there in Fordsville where I grew up. He was quite a character. If you ever seen him you would never forget him. Kenneth would come down everyday after school and show me Kenny Baker fiddle tunes on the mandolin."

Louis Taylor, who is from Georgia, said the contest for him is more enjoyment than anything else.

He explained that money from the competitions he has won is usually given away to the kids who help him.

"If you win and you get paid, proper etiquette is to give the back-up musicians 15-20% of your winnings," explained Taylor. "Most contests I win I keep nothing. I tell the kids to stick the money in their piggy bank."

Taylor usually plays back up guitar and competes in the harmonica competition, but this year he could not compete.

He won the competition the last two years, and if an individual wins the event two years in a row they have to sit out a year.

"I have been involved in music since I was ten years old," said Taylor. "My wife travels with me and sits out in the audience like she always does. We love the area. We come back every year because we have friends involved with the event."

Taylor added that over the past few years the kids keep getting better and better.

"There is a little fella here that is 11 years old that is just as good as anyone around here," said Taylor. "You have to have a passion for it (music). Most of these kids here today play all the time."

Mark Ralph from Huntsville Alabama was the trophy winner of the 2008 Governor’s Cup for the fiddler’s contest.