
This past weekend in Galax, VA, thousands assembled during the week for the 84th annual Old Fiddlers Convention. As always, people travel from all over the southeast – and the world – to witness and compete in this storied event.
In fact, this year’s top award went to Mattias Thedens, a fiddler who made the trip from Norway!
People camp out in Felts Park all week, some in humble tents, others in gleaming RVs, but nearly everyone is there to pick, see friends, and basically have a good time. It doesn’t matter if you play bluegrass or old time music, whether you’re an experienced pro or a relative beginner, all are welcome and everyone can find a group at their own level and interest to play with during the week.
And like most fiddlers conventions, there are three shows going on. There is the stage show, which at Galax is all competition, with different instruments and categories held in the evening over the course of five days. Then there is the daytime campground music, mostly played by older folks not keen to stay up all night, followed by the night shift in the park, who pick and howl at the moon ’till the sun comes up. Occasionally, you see someone peel off from a hot jam to head for the stage to “get their money back,” which is Galax-speak for competing in the official contests, where participants get their entry fee refunded after their spot.
Prizes are substantial, with top bands taking home $775, and all placing bands (top 15) winning cash. The top 10 places in the individual contests also receive cash awards.
On Saturday night, after two full evenings of bluegrass and old time band competition, the results were read.
And the winners were…
Old Time Fiddle
1. Mattias Thedens – Oslo, Norway
2. Anissa Burnett – Boone, NC
3. Asa Nelson – Zionville, NC
4. Maxwell Brown – Wilmington, DE
5. Richard Bowman – Mt. Airy, NC
6. Jesse Maw – Mt. Airy, NC
7. Kirk Sutphin – Walkertown, NC
8. Aila Wildman – Floyd, VA
9. Rhys Jones – Warrenton, VA
10. Erynn Marshall – Galax, VA
Dobro
1. Billy Bourne – Fries, VA
2. Austin Simmons – Pilot Mountain, NC
3. N. R. Taylor – Wytheville, VA
4. Allen Surface – Floyd, VA
5. Hobert Beavers – Pounding Mill, VA
6. Maggie Anderson – Woodlawn, VA
7. Roy Bourne – Clemmons, NC
8. Marvin Farmer – Hillsville, VA
9. Pammy Lassiter – West End, NC
10. Robert Ellis – Mockesville, NC
Mandolin
1. Eli Wildman – Floyd, VA
2. Vince Bullins – Lawsonville, NC
3. Luke Morris – Galax, VA
4. Kyser George – Mt. Airy, NC
5. Adam Mcpeak – Max Meadows, VA
6. Greg Jones – Mt. Airy, NC
7. Brewster Hubbard – Roanoke, VA
8. Ralph McGee – King, NC
9. Luke Little – Summerville, NC
10. Jimmy Elliott – Galax, VA
Bluegrass Fiddle
1. Marina Pendleton – Houston, TX
2. Daniel Greeson – Jamestown, NC
3. Joe Troop – Winston-Salem, NC
4. John Hofman – Thomasville, NC
5. Crystal Shipley – Wytheville, VA
6. Glen Alexander – Pfafftown, NC
7. Rex McGee – King, NC
8. Marissa Colter – Clemmons, NC
9. Aaron Lewis – Detroit, MI
10. Caleb Mcallister – Troutville, VA
Dulcimer
1. Shohei Tsutsumi – Elkin, NC
2. Kendra Ward – Bidwell, OH
3. Damon Muller – Henrico, VA
4. Dustin Edmonds – Galax, VA
5. Don Neuhauser – Charlestown, IN
6. Dot Christenson – Lexington, KY
7. Sharon Boyd – Colonial Heights, VA
8. Tim Thornton – Shawsville, VA
9. Eddie Ogle – Wytheville, VA
10. Holly Hishelwood – Winston-Salem, NC
Bluegrass Banjo
1. Trevor Holder – Ringgold, GA
2. Mason Fisher – Hot Springs, VA
3. Andy Lowe – Raleigh, NC
4. Danny Bowers – Winston-Salem, NC
5. Steve Chrisley – Wytheville, VA
6. Ethan Handy – Christiansburg, VA
7. Ronnie Harrison – Woodlawn, VA
8. Lee Dunbar – Eagle Rock, VA
9. Stewart Werner, III – Rocky Mount, VA
10. Tyler Jackson – Timberlake, NC
Clawhammer Banjo
1. Victor Furtado – Floyd, VA
2. Trish Fore – Galax, VA
3. Tina Steffey – Jonesboro, TN
4. Steven Casto – Marlington, WV
5. Lu Furtado – Winston Salem, NC
6. Jared Boyd – Galax, VA
7. Marianne Kovatch – Fries, VA
8. Garrett Wyatt – Independence, VA
9. Carl Jones – Galax, VA
10. Kelley Breiding – Crumpler, NC
Autoharp
1. Penny Kilby – Mouth of Wilson, VA
2. Jo Ann Redd – Galax, VA
3. Ronnie Burroughs – Keysville, VA
4. Lois Shumaker – Olin, NC
5. Sidney Hollingsworth – Christiansburg, VA
6. Virgil Adams – Galax, VA
7. Vicki Boyd – Laurel Fork, VA
8. Vickie Harris – Poquoson, VA
9. Judie Pagter – Standardsville, VA
10. Sean Rasnake – Beckley, WV
Guitar
1. Spencer Strickland – Lambsburg, VA
2. Brandon Davis – Galax, VA
3. Steve Lewis – Mountain City, TN
4. Chad Harrison – Claudeville, VA
5. Ivy Phillips – Chapmansboro, TN
6. Jack Hinshelwood – Abingdon, VA
7. Wayne Henderson – Mouth Of Wilson, VA
8. Austin Mikeal – Jefferson, NC
9. Greg Wilson – Fries, VA
10. Tommy Chandler – Mocksville, NC
Folk Song
1. Leslie Dunbar – Eagle Rock, VA
2. Kenneth Johnson – Grant, VA
3. Sierra Lowe – Raleigh, NC
4. Amy Nelson – Zionville, NC
5. Karlie Keepfer – Sparta, NC
6. Tommy Nichols – Mt. Airy, NC
7. Chloe Mylet – Winston Salem, NC
8. David Austin – Buchanan, VA
9. Amy Ellis – Bedford, VA
10. Emily Blankenship-Tucker – Ferrum, VA
Dance
1. Marsha Todd – Mt. Airy, NC
2. Joann Call – Roaring River, NC
3. Dawson McKay – Crockett, VA
4. Fred White – Independence, VA
5. Mitchell Robinson – Galax, VA
6. Julie Shepherd – Boone, NC
7. Barbara Bowman – Mt. Airy, NC
8. Delbert Dunford – Wytheville, VA
9. Paula Faulk – North Wilkesboro, NC
10. Michael Motley – Pinnacle, NC
Bluegrass Bands
1. Jakes From State Farm – Johnson City, TN
2. My Dixie Wrecked – Raleigh, NC
3. Barry’s Parking Lot Jam – Salem, VA
4. Coyote Ugly – Kingsport, TN
5. Brothers Of Bluegrass – Rocky Mount, VA
6. Harrison Ridge – Galax, VA
7. The Scalded Whippoorwills – Lincolnton, NC
8. Wound Tight – Wirtz, VA
9. Crosswind – Olive Hill, TN
10. Muscle Russell & The Hustle Bustle – Galax, VA
11. Outlaw Bluegrass – Statesville, NC
12. The County Fools – Greensboro, NC
13. Carriage Road – Floyd, VA
14. Maker Holler – Galax, VA
15. Gate 10 Band – Radford, VA
Old Time Bands
1. Whoopin’ Holler String Band – Marlinton, WV
2. Southern Pride – Hillsville, VA
3. Virginia Carolina Boys – Galax, VA
4. Karlie Keepfer And Smokey Holler – Sparta, NC
5. Rocky Knob String Band – Floyd, VA
6. The Liberty Hill Billies – Fries, VA
7. Bug Hunters – Independence, VA
8. Biscuits N Crazy – Detroit, MI
9. Slate Mountain Ramblers – Mt. Airy, NC
10. High Ridge Pickers – West Jefferson, NC
11. Gap Civil – Sparta, NC
12. Hard Cider – Elk Creek, VA
13. Twin Creeks String Band – Laurel Fork, VA
14. Shade Shifters – Konnarock, VA
15. Dixie Wildcats – Galax, VA
Best All Around Performer – Mattias Thedens – Oslo, Norway
Youth Old Time Fiddle
1. Anneli Burnett – Boone, NC
2. Maxwell Brown – Wilmington, DE
3. Sophia Burnett – Boone, NC
4. Oliver Davis – Seattle, WA
5. Ryn Riley – Mills River, NC
Youth Bluegrass Fiddle
1. Grace Bemus – Salisbury, NC
2. Cheyenne Grantham – Boones Mill, VA
3. Libby Harbour – Wilkesboro, NC
4. Max McGlothlin – Narrows, VA
5. Rebekah Glover – Lynchburg, VA
Youth Mandolin
1. Ryan Drake – Fletcher, NC
2. Emily Glover – Lynchburg, VA
3. John Heetderks – Earlysville, VA
4. Owen Combs – Roaring River, NC
5. Amelia Freeman – Carthage, NC
Youth Clawhammer Banjo
1. Hannah Cantrell – Floyd, VA
2. Karlie Keepfer – Sparta, NC
3. Logan Thompson – Glade Springs, VA
4. Nicholas Wingo – Rural Retreat, VA
5. Asa Nelson – Zionville, NC
Youth Bluegrass Banjo
1. Ettore Buzziui – Mooresville, NC
2. Ayden Young – Roanoke, VA
3. Molly Johnson – Pumpkintown, SC
4. Kylie Drake – Fletcher, NC
5. Levi Herrington – Martinez, GA
Youth Guitar
1. Gavin Woodruff – Ennice, NC
2. Brody York – Mt. Airy, NC
3. Soraya Sullivan – Evanston, IL
4. Briar McDowell – Hendersonville, NC
5. Croft Wilson – Jacksonville, FL
Youth Folk Song
1. Karlie Keepfer – Sparta, NC
2. Mallie Yun – Christiansburg, VA
3. Jacob Melton – Galax, VA
4. Soraya Sullivan – Evanston, IL
5. Luciya Sullivan – Evanston, IL
Youth Dance
1. Jaycie Pemberton – Galax, VA
2. Rachel Martin – Elk Creek, VA
3. Sarah Hale – Elk Creek, VA
4. Gracie Terry – Bahama, NC
5. Virgil Sizemore – Galax, VA
Youth Bands
1. American Pickers – Traphill, NC
2. Tater Hill Mashers Remashed – Boone, NC
3. The Earlysville Bluegrass Boys – Earlysville, VA
4. Galax Groundhogs – Wilmington, DE
5. New River Jam – Rural Retreat, VA
A great many photos from last week are posted in the Galax Old Fiddlers group on Facebook.