Thomas Jefferson Jarrell (March 1, 1901 – January 28, 1985)[1] was an American fiddler, banjo player, and singer from the Mount Airy region of North Carolina's Appalachian Mountains.
[2][3] That year's fellowships were the first bestowed by the NEA, and are considered the United States government's highest honor in the folk and traditional arts.
His formidable technique and rough timbre continue to influence modern aficionados of Appalachian old-time music and in particular the Round Peak style of clawhammer banjo.
[2] He was the subject of two documentaries produced by Les Blank: Sprout Wings and Fly[6] and My Old Fiddle: A Visit with Tommy Jarrell in the Blue Ridge.
[8] An annual festival, established in 2002 as the Tommy Jarrell Celebration, is held in Mount Airy, North Carolina.