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:
1 A 28
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.
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