Earlier this month, the 2020 South Carolina State Fiddling Championship was held at the Hagood Mills Historic Site in Pickens, SC. Even with COVID-19 restrictions in place, the organizers were delighted with the turnout, both among competitors and audience alike.
Prizes were awarded in five different categories, for both a junior and an adult division. The junior division was for those 16 and under.
This year for the first time, the October 16-17 event was live-streamed online, and video from all of the competitions can be viewed on YouTube.
And the winners of the 24th annual South Carolina State Fiddling Championship were:
Adult Fiddle
- Madelin Dieauf – Pisgah Forest, NC
- Lilian Chase – Weaverville, NC
- Ella Thomas – N. Columbia, SC
Junior Fiddle
- Ryn Riley – Mills River, NC
- Amelia Tebalt – Seneca, SC
- Sara Nell Chase – Weaverville, NC
Adult Guitar
- Swanagan Ray – Johns Island, SC
- Ali Kafka – Marshall, NC
- Shea Kennedy – – Seneca, SC
Junior Guitar
- Lilly Surlinga – Pickens, SC
- Emily Drake – Flectcher, NC
Adult Old Time Banjo
- Justin Parrish – Goose Creek, SC
- Bo Wilkey – Athens, GA
- Conner Steven Vliestra – Johnson City, TN
Junior Old Time Banjo
- River Riley – Mills River, NC
- Arthur Bruce – Taylors, SC
- Molly Johnson – Pickens, SC
Adult Wildcat
- Madelin Dieauf – Pisgah Forest, NC
- Lisa Deakins – Mt. Pleasant, SC
- Eric Deakins – Mt. Pleasant, SC
Junior Wildcat
- Ryan Drake – Mills River, SC
- Amelia Tebalt – Seneca, SC
- Arthur Bruce – Taylors, SC
Adult Old Time String Band
- Josh Johnson Family Band – Pickens, SC
- Sawtooth Ridge – Mt. Pleasant, SC
- Bar H Prize Pigs – Marshall, NC
Junior Old Time String Band
- Riley Family Band – Mills River, NC
- Bruce Family band – Taylors, SC
The adult categories were judged by Michele Turner (Taylors, SC), Steve McGaha (Easley, SC), Carol Rifkin (Asheville, NC), and Dan Wood (Travelers Rest, SC). In the junior categories, judges were Daniel Yother, Peyton O’Kelley and Emily Brazinski, all from Pickens, SC.
Congratulations and well done all!
