High Strung compete in the 2023 Yadkin Bluegrass and Old Time Fiddler’s Convention
The Yadkin Bluegrass and Old Time Fiddler’s Convention talent contest returned to Yadkinville Elementary School in western North Carolina this past Saturday.
“We started the fiddlers’ convention back this year. Due to COVID, we’ve not had it for the past three years,” shared co-promoter Blaine Wagoner, who serves as the Appalachian JAM instructor with the Yadkin Arts Council.
“Another gentlemen, Steven Corn, and I went to work on it. Tim Harrison looked after our sound. Dale Morris was emcee. I’m real youth-based, and we made a few changes to make it more youth friendly. We had youth to come as far away as a town called Lester near Asheville! We also had 11 bands (in the senior division). We had over 350 in attendance.”
Coyote Ugly (Beverly and Tom Horton, Joey Cox, and Vince Bullins) served as judges, and entertained during intermission. During competition, the judges were sequestered in a room where they could hear, but not see the contestants as they performed.
“The contestants were only known by number,” Wagoner explained. “With blind judging, I thought that was the fairest way that I could do it. It was received very well and we are already planning for next year’s event.”
Winners for this year’s competition were:
SENIOR DIVISION
Old-time Fiddle
- John Hofmann
- Mecca Lowe
- Adam Lowe
Bluegrass Fiddle
- John Hofmann
- Charlie Tolbert
- Sophia Pyles
Old-time Banjo
- Hank Davis
Bluegrass Banjo
- Frankie Key
- Travis Watts
- Mike Souther
Guitar
- Tommy Chandler
- Ethan Wagoner
- Elijah Bulman
Mandolin
- Randy Willard
- Cody Bowman
- Ezra Williams
Dobro
- Jonathan Meltone
- Titus Stroud
- John Powell
Bass Fiddle
- Timothy Williams
- Navaeh Coffey
- Brad Wood
Vocal
- Dawn Myers
- Jay Williams
- Landin Baldwin
Senior Bluegrass Band
- Outlaw Bluegrass
- Hazy Ridge Bluegrass Band
- Mountain Blessings
Senior Old-time Band
- Carolina Cowboys & Maggie
- Mountain Park Mountain Lions
YOUTH DIVISION
Old-time Fiddle
- Sylvie Davis
- Samuel Wilkerson
- Avery Lowe
Bluegrass Fiddle
- Sylvie Davis
- Silas Wilkerson
- Mallory Haithcox
Old-time Banjo
- Bayla Davis
- Jo Wilkerson
- Silas Lowe
Bluegrass Banjo
- Jo Wilkerson
- Malachi Bulman
Guitar
- Malachi Bulman
- Judah Davis
- Elijah Smith
Mandolin
- Emmalyn Rogers
- Emme Davis
- Emma Shore
Bass Fiddle
- Avery Lowe
Vocal
- Bayla Davis
- Elise Rogers
- Maggie Wilkerson
Youth Band
- New Found Gap
- High Strungg
- Mini Musicians