In 1997, Gene Ivey, a resident of Ider, Alabama, was inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame. The Alabama State Council on the Arts lists him as one of the state’s Master Folk Artists. He has handmade more than 270 musical instruments including fiddles currently on exhibition at the Smithsonian Institute. The first fiddle he played cost 69 cents, the second $2.50. From this humble beginning, Ivey has master playing the fiddle as well making them – he is one of nation’s master musical instrument craftsmen.

“It seems that everybody wants to play,” said Ivey, “and when I was growing up here, we had a gang of young boys that played, …and we would have our little programs that we would go around the schools and put on a [show for a] 15-cents admission deal.”

Ivey built his first fiddle just to see if he could do it. He certainly could. Ivey committed himself to the craft. When he retired from his tire business in 1993, he built his own shop. “I’ve been working about as many hours as I did out there, I guess. Every day I work here. In fact, I worked until 7:00 last night.”

In 1997, Ivey, a resident of Ider, was inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame for his work in folk music. The Alabama Arts Council lists him as one of their Master Folk Artists.

Ivey has crafted more than 270 musical instruments for others to play. Some of his fiddles are currently on display at the Smithsonian Institution.

Ivey recalls, “Sand Mountain—now this is a backwoods area, but when I came here at age 13-years-old, it really was. And I guess bluegrass was just a form of finding some interesting something to do and entertain, ’cause there wasn’t anything else out here. But some of the best well-known, old-time fiddlers have come from right around here. We’ve got a little history out of the music you know.”