New Floyd County Ramblers, 1st Place Old Time Band at the 2025 Mt. Airy
Fiddlers’ Convention – photo © G. Nicholas Hancock
The 53rd Mount Airy Fiddlers’ Convention was held this past Friday and Saturday at Veterans Memorial Park in Mount Airy, NC. On Saturday, 218 pickers competed in the individual instrument categories from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., according to MC Dale Morris and convention coordinator Randy Hiatt. Fifty-one bands played in the old-time band and bluegrass band competitions this year, compared to the 34 bands in the combined categories in 2024. Old-time bands numbered 27 and there were 24 bands in the bluegrass category.
Once again, individual pickers and bands from near and far lined up in the heat to await their turn on the stage to perform before the judges for ribbons, trophies, and a more than $5,000 in cash prizes. Local musicians such as twin brothers Alden and Arnold Nunn from Mount Airy competed in the bluegrass band category, and individual contestants such as Johan Nilson from Sweden by way of Silicone Valley, CA and Evie Ladin, also from California, entered the guitar and old-time banjo categories.
2025 winners in the various categories were:
Adult Old-time Fiddle
- Ruth Shumway, Charlotte, NC
- Raistin Brabson, Floyd, VA
- Richard Bowman, Mount Airy, NC
- Billy Hurt
- Andrew Small, Floyd, VA
Adult Bluegrass Fiddle
- AJ Srubas
- Hollace Oakes, Snowville, VA
- Darrius Flowers, Pilot Mountain, NC
- Charlie Tolbert, Purlear, NC
- Rex McGee, King, NC
Adult Old-time Banjo
- Jared Boyd, Cana, VA
- Trish Fore
- Marsha Todd
- Devon Flaherty
- Ashlee Watkins
Adult Bluegrass Banjo
- Trevor Holder
- Travis Watts, Mount Airy, NC
- JR McFalls
- Malachi Bulman
- Nessie Hunt
Adult Guitar
- Chad Harrison, Claudeville, VA
- Nick King
- Cody McGrady
- Jack Hinselwood
- Tae Childress
Adult Mandolin
- Allen McMillan
- Daniel Ulloum
- Ralph McGee, King, NC
- Elijah Smith, Mount Airy, NC
- Alex Meredith, Chapel Hill, NC
Adult Bass Fiddle
- Levi Head, Mount Airy, NC
- Austin Janey
- Tim Geen
- Django Burgess
- Stacy Boyd
Adult Dobro
- Johnathon McHone
- Keith Aiken
- Charlie Milliron
- Robert Ellis
- Rick Hansen
Adult Dulcimer
- Diane Parker
- Lyle Richards
- Eva Casstevens
- Ehukai Teves
- John Renwick
Adult Autoharp
- Mason Winfree
- Vicki Boyd
- Jimmy Handy
Adult Folk Song
- Jeanie Thicken
- AnnMari Trakimowicz, Wilmington, NC
- Asenath Easter
- Andrew Small
- Tommy Nichols
Adult Dance
- Nathan Fargo
- Phil Jaimeson
- Maggie Holder
- Evie Ladin
- Cherie Compton
Adult Old-time Band
- New Floyd County Ramblers
- Slate Mountain Ramblers
- Up Jumped Trouble
- Cool as Grits
- Shock Doctors
Adult Bluegrass Band
- Five Mile Mountain Road
- New River Line
- Harrison Ridge
- Foggy Window Ramblers
- Promise Lane
Youth Old-time Fiddle
- Finton McGrath, Rockbridge County, VA
- Emmerson Braningham
- Whitleigh McGee, King, NC
- Sterling Hollifield, Independence, VA
- Miles Kexel
Youth Bluegrass Fiddle
- Whitley Thorton
- Lydia Walls, Vale NC
- Shaw Rippel
- Isaiah Imperiale
- Benjamin Ferranti
Youth Old-time Banjo
- Margo MacSweeney, Floyd, VA
- Samuel Spencer, Floyd, VA
- Acacia Fugate
- Mason Hayden
- Hannah Boggs
Youth Bluegrass Banjo
- Aaron Hess
- Silas Walls
- Eleanor Bastin
- Michael Harper
Youth Guitar
- Corban Walls, Vale, NC
- Ricky Caudill
- Andy Nichols
- Kingston Hollifield, Independence, VA
- Annalise Hess
Youth Mandolin
- Orson Cornett, Boone, NC
- Rochell Grim
- Chris Trakimowicz
- Charlie Moses
- Luke Spencer, Floyd, VA
Youth Bass Fiddle
- Coley Palmer, Dobson, NC
Youth Folk Song
- Miles Kexel
- Chris Trakinowicz
- Malyn Delle Todd
- Peter Trakinowicz
- Rochelle Grim
Youth Dance
- Margo MacSweeney, Floyd, VA
- Misha MacSweeney, Floyd, VA
- Miles Kexel
- Nuni MacSweeney, Floyd, VA
- Rylah Grim
Most Promising Youth Trophy
- Fintan McGrath
Up-and-coming Youth Band
- Samuel Spencer
Youth Old-time Band
- Floyd VA Girls & Aaron
Youth Bluegrass Band
- 4 Walls
