Everyone is invited!
Please make yourself at home and join us in spreading the love of music – particularly the beautiful traditional sounds found right here in our own backyard. Dust off your instrument and bring some of your favorite tunes to share!

The Cockman family’s Fiddle Camp meets at Shady Grove, Boone NC every Tuesday evening from June to August, and it is completely free! We even provide fiddles for those who do not have them. It is open to anyone who has a desire to learn traditional music. However, Fiddle Camp is does not just provide lessons. Our family has found that Fiddle Camp offers a wonderful environment for fun learning and real inspiration. We are in our 17th Fiddle Camp and each summer sees something new, from guitar lessons to Canadian step-dancing lessons to camp-outs and late night jams. If you are interested in Fiddle Camp, feel free to contact us for details or just show up!




The music of the Appalachian Mountains has a rich heritage – Irish, Scottish, Canadian, French and the list goes on and on. These great tunes and hymns of old have been passed down from generation to generation, preserved in part by the voices and instruments of the mountain people. Learning traditional Appalachian, Celtic, Bluegrass, and Old Time music is not simply about mastering a style or technique—it is an act of cultural preservation and community connection. Each fiddle tune or ballad carries with it the weight of memory, migration, and resilience. In a world that often prioritizes novelty over heritage, returning to these traditions grounds us in a shared human story.
Our ultimate goal in spreading these traditional sounds is to build and sustain community. Musicians of all levels are welcome to gather and connect with one another, not through virtuosity, but through a mutual love for the music. To our family, music has always been first and foremost a heritage, and we constantly strive to foster mentorship, collaboration, and belonging. Our communal learning model is built upon a foundation of shared growth and collective memory. When our students gather to learn and play these traditional songs and styles, they aren’t just enjoying free lessons—they are participating in a living, breathing tradition that continues to evolve while honoring a rich and vibrant past.
Come join our community!
We encourage our young folks to use their music primarily for the enjoyment and enrichment of their families and others and to see the beauty that music can bring to those around them.
Meet our team
Here are our 2025 Fiddle Camp Instructors

John Cockman

Lizzie White

Arwen Cockman

Josephine Walker

Lily Harwell

Sarah Smith

Lorien Cockman

David Mugg
We want to be respectful of property and we want everyone to be safe. Children should be supervised at all times. Parents, please go over the Fiddle Camp rules with your children!
Find extra lessons, sheet music, and tablature on BluegrassDaddy.com
- Collaborate with other musicians.
- Expand your musical repertoire.
- Strengthen your technique.

