Audrey Hash Ham grew up in Whitetop, Virginia where she first learned to make dulcimers, then fiddles, from Albert Hash, her father. Audrey followed her father around from the time she was about three years old watching the way he worked. She made her first dulcimer in 1966 or 1967, and continued making them for years beside her father as he worked on fiddles.Eventually, with the guidance of her father, she decided to try making a fiddle. When the instrument was finished, she was sure it wouldn’t play, but her father pulled the bow across the strings, and it did play. She gave that fiddle to her father for his birthday, and he said he would rather have that instrument than a new Cadillac.Since then, Audrey has continued making fiddles, and she has made more than 1,000 dulcimers and some other string instruments. She has worked with Archie Elmer Powers, who also apprenticed under Albert Hash, and has helped a number of people get started making instruments, including Archie’s son Carl and WTMB member, Jackson Cunningham. Audrey has made fiddles that have sold for as much as $13,000, and she was once featured on Country Music Television, but she has also been very generous with her craft helping musicians in need get their hands on an instrument. Audrey enjoys singing folk songs around the house, and she and her daughter harmonize well with each other. With her shop right beside her house, she spends at least a little bit of each day working on making instruments. She particularly enjoys carving figures in the peghead of her fiddles. Audrey has lived in Ashe County, NC for about 15 years. She welcomes visitors interested in her fiddles, and she tells great stories with a wonderful sense of humor.

Archie Elmer Powers is a fiddlemaker from Lansing, NC. He apprenticed under Albert Hash for many years and is known for making fiddles in the Hash tradition. Many of his fiddles have carved heads, and beautiful enlayed/etched backs. He has worked with Audrey Hash Ham in building many instruments and been featured on tv programsand articles for his musical instruments. Above is a fiddle Archie and Audrey carved together:

Jackson Cunningham is a fiddlemaker from Whitetop, VA. Originally from Southern Oregon, Jackson grew up around woodworking; his step-father was a carpenter, and Jackson started doing woodwork at a young age. After moving to Virginia, he apprenticed under Audrey Hash Ham in the Whitetop fiddle making tradition. His fiddles have been displayed at many festivals in the region; his fiddles have been played all the way from Whitetop to California to Australia.Martha and Thornton Spencer both play Jackson's fiddles. Jackson is also a multi-instrumentalist and member of the Whitetop Mountain Band, and Whitetop Mountaineers.  http://whitetopmountaineers.com/fr_jacksonsshop 

 Buddy Blevins - Buddy lives at Seven Mile Ford. He is a maker of several different musical instruments: mandolins, fiddles, banjos and guitars. He also does repair work. He calls his business Deer Valley Musical Instruments; his shop is at his home. Both Del and Ronnie McCoury have played his instruments at the Paramount Theater. Mike Goodman owns one of Buddy's banjos. Buddy says he builds to order, and he usually has some instruments to sell as well. You can contact him at (276) 646-4264.

Walter Messick- Walt tells about his mountain dulcimer, bowed/plucked saltry, and upright piano dulcimer building:"After moving from Philadelphia to the mountains to pastor two small Lutheran churches, I fell in love with the musical heritage of the area. In 1981, one of my parishioners, good friend and national treasure, Albert Hash, and his talented daughter, Audrey, apprenticed me for a year prior to his death, starting me on a path that changed my life forever. Making musical instruments has become a passion and way of life. The lives of several instrument makers have touched me deeply and for which I am eternally grateful. As I mentioned earlier, Albert Hash and Audrey Hash-Ham not only taught me instrument making skills, but even more importantly, the values of sharing, giving, helping, caring, accepting and loving. Russ Sturgill, Bob Mize, Wayne Henderson, Gerald Anderson, all well known local instrument makers, have shared friendship, time and knowledge, especially in the beginning when I was a novice getting started back in the early 80’s After being “on the road”, so to speak, for over 20 years exhibiting at craft shows up and down the east coast, Because of the excellent foundation my mentors imparted to me I was able to exhibit at many of the finest craft shows in the country and have won many awards and honor, including exhibiting at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, The National Folk Festival in Richmond, Virginia and The Abby Rockefeller Museum in Williamsburg, Virginia. I am a member of Holston Mountain Artisans, Virginia Carolina Craftsmen, The Artisan Center of Virginia, Round the Mountain Southwest Virginia Artisan Network, including being juried into Heartwood."

Chris Testerman is a fiddle maker from Whitetop, VA. He has apprenticed under Audrey Hash Ham for several years. Many of his fiddles have carved scrolls and backs. Chris is also a multi-instrumentalist, and artist. He performs with the Cabin Creek Boys. He has won many awards in old time fiddle competitions. Chris will also have art for sale at the festival

Larry Hicks is a guitar maker from Castlewood, Virginia. He and his father Allen Hicks have both been making instruments for over ten years. He has made over 40 guitars and has had his instruments on display at Heartwood Center in Abingdon, and many other luthiers shows in the Blue Ridge. Larry says, "I have a love for working with wood – it's exciting to hear what it sounds like when you get them made."

Randal Eller has always been a talented carpenter. In 1980 he had the good fortune to meet the most famous and accomplished instrument maker in Southwest Virginia, Albert Hash. Albert Hash immediately recognized Mr. Eller's talents in carpentry and invited him into his home to learn instrument making. A quarter of a century later Mr. Eller continues to make fiddles and mandolins in the Hash tradition at his home-workshop in Chilhowie, Virginia. www.ellerinstruments.com