The Oldtime Fiddlers' Association is a nonprofit organization with representation across the nation. As our motto states, the organization is dedicated to the perpetuation and promotion of oldtime music. Oldtime music is loosely defined as that played on traditional instruments dating from the first half of the 20th century and earlier. Many of the tunes we play date from the 18th century and even earlier.
The Oregon Oldtime Fiddlers' Association is over fifty years old. We publish a monthly newsletter, The Hoedowner that is distributed to our members via email or postal mail. The organization is subdivided into ten districts, so there is bound to be a district near you. Each district elects a governing board of officers and schedules business meetings for the members, monthly jam sessions, and performances at various locations around the district. The Hoedowner includes a column from each district with news from the previous month's activities and a calendar of upcoming activities. Follow this link, Bylaws for our operating procedures.
If you would like to read more about the history of the Oregon Oldtime Fiddlers Association, Click on this link, History for an excerpt from the Oregon Encyclopedia written by Lew Holt, a past president of OOTFA and editor emeritus of The Hoedowner. Two additional articles of interest are by longtime OOTFA member, Linda Danielson, on the nature and origin of fiddling in Oregon. The first is Fiddling published in 1977 and the second is Fiddling: the Missouri Connection published in 1991. all three articles are well worth your attention.
If you would like to join the association or order a member's badge, click on the Join OOTFA link to learn more. You don't have to be a fiddler to join--we have many traditional instrumentalists and singers who perform with us. Many nonmusicians are members as well just because they love to listen to and dance to our music. We also offer fiddle classes for kids as well as adults, so you don't even have to be old to be an oldtime fiddler. If you value what we are trying to accomplish and would like to donate to the association, click on the Donate to OOTFA link.
