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 Who Fiddlin' Charlie Bowman
 What Official Tennessee Highway Marker for Fiddlin' Charlie Bowman
 When May 5, 2004
 Where Gray, TN
 Source
 

State of Tennessee Highway Marker for Fiddlin' Charlie Bowman
An Announcement from Bob Cox

This note is one of the proudest notes I have sent out since I began this family e-mail network. I am sharing this announcement with some of the notables in the country music field. Today, I mailed checks totaling $1325 to the Tennessee Historical Society in Nashville for the "Fiddlin' Charlie Bowman" official State of Tennessee highway marker to be installed in Gray, Tennessee at the intersection of Highway 75 and Roscoe Fitz Road.

I want to thank you so much for your generous support of this project. We can be so proud that we now will have a marker honoring the contributions of the Bowman family to old-time country music. One family member made a sizable contribution in the memory of Pauline "Aunt Ween" Bowman Huggans (one of the Bowman Sisters).

We had good contribution representation over several family members. Admittedly, I wasn't sure we could do it at first when I was told State funding had been halted for such markers. I have been working with the Commission since last November to bring this to fruition.

Fabrication of the marker takes 15 weeks which means we are looking at about September 1 for our dedication ceremony which hopefully will include an appearance from Congressman Rusty Crowe and Representative David Davis plus some live music and media coverage. I will keep you informed of the date and time as soon as I know them.

The Commission reworded the marker slightly from the one James Bowman and I submitted. Here is how it will now read:

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Fiddlin' Charlie Bowman
1889 - 1962

Charlie Bowman, Hall of Fame fiddler, recording artist, vaudeville performer, and writer of "Nine Pound Hammer" and "East Tennessee Blues", toured with the Hill Billies and other music groups, once performing for President Calvin Coolidge.

Two daughters, Jennie and Pauline, were among the first sister act recorded in the country music genre. Charlie and brothers, Elbert, Walter, and Argil played for Congressman B. Carroll Reece’s campaigns. Charlie and his wife, Fannie, reared 12 children in a log house on Roscoe Fitz Road.

Again... thanks so much for your willingness to help fund this effort.

 
 Contact Bob Cox

boblcox@yahoo.com


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