A future Grand Ol' Opry star, David Harrison Macon was born in 1870 near McMinnville. When he was sixteen years old he persuaded his father to buy him a banjo. A tragedy struck the Macon family when his father was murdered in 1886 outside the hotel. The family quickly moved to Readyville, Tennessee and a stagecoach rest stop his mother ran. Macon began entertaining the passengers who arrived at the rest stop by playing the banjo from a home made stage.

Though he had performed as an amateur for years, and was well known for his showmanship, Macon's first professional performance came in 1918. At age fifty, he joined a vaudeville touring company, putting on a comedy show and playing old-time music accompanying himself on banjo. During a performance at a Nashville barber shop, he was spotted by a talent scout from Loew's Vaudeville circuit. In 1923 he began a tour in the eastern part of the states together with fiddler Sid Harkreader. His popularity increased and he made his first recordings for Vocalion in July 1924.

Macon began to appear on WSM Grand Ole Opry in 1925. In 1940 Macon, together with George D. Hay, Roy Acuff and Dorris Macon received an invitation from Hollywood to take part in a Republic Pictures movie "Grand Ole Opry". Macon continued to perform until his death in 1952 at Rutherford County Hospital. He was inducted posthumously into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1966.

Every July Murfreesboro celebrates Uncle Dave Macon Days. This celebration hosts the national competitions for old time clogging, buckdancing, fiddling, and old time singing. In 2007 they celebrated their 30th year of the festival. It was named in honor of Uncle Dave Macon and his work to keep old time music and dancing in front of the world.

These images were taken at the 2011 edition of the festival. If you like impromptu "jams" of bluegrass and "mountain music," Murfreesboro in July is the place for you.