85th annual Old Fiddlers Convention results

Main stage at the Old Fiddlers Convention – photo by Eric Alfredson

The 85th annual Old Fiddlers Convention in Galax, VA has come to a close, a wild, wet, hot, and happy week for campers and day visitors alike. From all accounts, it was well-attended by pickers, though the attendance overall may have been a bit lighter this year.

We have the list of winners for 2021, along with a selection of photos posted in the public Facebook group, Galax Old Fiddlers Convention.

And the winners are…

Old Time Fiddle

  1. Billy Hurt, Jr – Boones Mill, VA
  2. Maxwell Brown – Wilmington, DE
  3. Chris Testerman – Independence, VA
  4. Andrew Small – Floyd, VA
  5. Richard Bowman – Mt Airy, NC
  6. Erynn Marshall – Galax, VA
  7. Nate Leath – Nashville, TN
  8. Asa Nelson – Zionville, NC
  9. Lucas Pasley – Sparta, NC
  10. Joe Overton – Spring Lake, NJ

Dobro

  1. Michael Testagrossa – Ormond Beach, FL
  2. N. R. Taylor – Wytheville, VA
  3. Austin Simmons – Pilot Mt, NC
  4. Allen Surface – Floyd, VA
  5. Billy Bourne – Fries, VA
  6. Austin Clark – Nashville, TN
  7. Robert Ellis – Mocksville, NC
  8. Maggie Anderson – Woodlawn, VA
  9. Donnie Scott – Mt Airy, NC
  10. Luke Lindblom – Bloomingdale, GA

Mandolin

  1. Ryan Blevins – Marion, VA
  2. Vince Bullins – Lawsonville, NC
  3. Kyser George – Mt. Airy, NC
  4. Addison Levy – Radford, VA
  5. Elijah Moore – Kernersville, NC
  6. Liz Maness – Fincastle, VA
  7. Greg Jones – Mt. Airy, NC
  8. Adam McPeak – Max Meadows, VA
  9. Carl Jones – Galax, VA
  10. Lucy Lindblom – Bloomingdale, GA

Bluegrass Fiddle

  1. Marissa Colter – Clemmons, NC
  2. Ruth Shumway – West Jefferson, NC
  3. Daniel Greeson – Jamestown, NC
  4. Cody Bauer – Knoxville, TN
  5. Caleb Mcallister – Troutville, VA
  6. Ryan Eversole – Greensboro, NC
  7. Maarina Pendleton – Nashville, TN
  8. Stephen Fraleigh – Raleigh, NC
  9. Corrina Stephens – Whites Creek, TN
  10. Danny Knicely – Lovettsville, VA

Dulcimer

  1. Sharon Boyd – Colonial Heights, VA
  2. Kendra Ward – Bidwell, OH
  3. Dennis Day – Galax, VA
  4. David Parks – Dublin, VA
  5. Diane Parker – Galax, VA
  6. Don Neuhauser – Charlestown, IN
  7. Dot Christenson – Lexington, KY
  8. Cathy Rooney – King, NC
  9. Dick Lamb – Keezletown, VA
  10. Damon Muller – Richmond, VA

Bluegrass Banjo

  1. Ethan Handy – Christiansburg, VA
  2. Trevor Holder – Greenville, SC
  3. Steve Lewis – Jefferson, NC
  4. James McDowell – Hendersonville, NC
  5. Andy Lowe – Apex, NC
  6. Jeremy Stephens – Whites Creek, TN
  7. Stevie Barr – Galax, VA
  8. Lee Dunbar – Eagle Rock, VA
  9. Danny Bowers – Winston-Salem, NC
  10. Ettore Buzzini – Mooresville, NC

Clawhammer Banjo

  1. Jarod Boyd – Galax, VA
  2. Seth Boyd – Ridgeway, VA
  3. Ben Hill – Winston-Salem, NC
  4. Marianne Kovatch – Fries, VA
  5. Victor Furtado – Floyd, VA
  6. Eric Hill – Woodlawn, VA
  7. Nancy Sluys – Westfield, NC
  8. Cody Jackson – Wytheville, VA
  9. Steven Custo – Marlington, WV
  10. Brandon Nester – Fancy Gap, VA

Autoharp

  1. Sidney Hollandsworth – Christiansburg, VA
  2. Virgil Adams – Galax, VA
  3. Jo Ann Redd – Galax, VA
  4. Bobbi Meagher – North Chesterfield, VA
  5. Vicki Boyd – Laurel Fork, VA
  6. Lois Shumaker – Olin, NC
  7. Ronnie Burroughs – Keysville, VA
  8. Glenna Anderson – Christainsburg, VA
  9. Jimmy Handy – Woolwine, VA
  10. Sharon Cox – Willis, VA

Guitar

  1. Brandon Davis – Galax, VA
  2. Chad Harrison – Claudeville, VA
  3. Eli Wildman – Floyd, VA
  4. Libby Lindblom – Bloomingdale, GA
  5. Denny Alley – Lawsonville, NC
  6. Jack Hinshelwood – Abingdon, VA
  7. Rick Hall – Princeton, WV
  8. Gus McGee – King, NC
  9. Wayne Dye – Cleveland, VA
  10. Gavin Woodruff – Ennice, NC

Folk Song

  1. Emalee Flatness – Ozark, MO
  2. Ashley Watkins – Floyd, VA
  3. Sierra Lowe – Raleigh, NC
  4. Chloe Mylet – Winston-Salem, NC
  5. Amy Nelson – Zionville, NC
  6. Eric Marshall – Mt Airy, NC
  7. Beverly Horton – Kingsport, TN
  8. Maddie Dalton – Rockwood, MO
  9. Angel Chantel – Ormond Beach, FL
  10. Elsa Howell – Roanoke, VA

Dance

  1. Brian Ferguson – Rocky Mount, VA
  2. Delbert Dunford – Wytheville, VA
  3. Mitchell Robinson – Galax, VA
  4. Stacy Boyd – Laurel Fork, VA
  5. Brett Morris – Galax, VA
  6. Marty Todd – Mt Airy, NC
  7. Glenn Wimmer – Rocky Mount, VA
  8. Fred White – Independence, VA
  9. Justin Jackson – Austinville, VA
  10. Barbara Bowman – Mt. Airy, NC

Bluegrass Bands

  1. The Bluegrass Pygmis & Jacob – Salem, VA
  2. The Pen 15 Club – Apex, NC
  3. The Dale Gribbile Bluegrass Experience – Salisbury, NC
  4. Harrison Ridge – Galax, VA
  5. Carolina Ridgeline – Huntersville, NC
  6. Carriage Road – Riner, VA
  7. Autumn Harvest – Mt Airy, NC
  8. The Jakes From State Farm – Stoneville, NC
  9. Wound Tight – Wirtz, VA
  10. Gate 10 – Radford, VA
  11. Headin’ Home Bluegrass – Bloomingdale, G
  12. Tennessee Breakdowners – Greenville, SC
  13. The County Fools – Greensboro, NC
  14. The Loose Strings Band – Galax, VA
  15. The Grassifieds – Walkertown, NC

Old Time Bands

  1. The Alum Ridge Boys & Ashlee – Floyd, VA
  2. Southern Pride – Hillsville, VA
  3. The Liberty Hill Billies – Fries, VA
  4. Karlie Keepfer And Smokey Holler – Sparta, NC
  5. Twin Creeks String Band – Laurel Fork, VA
  6. The Cabin Creek Boys – Independence, VA
  7. Slate Mountain Ramblers – Mt. Airy, NC
  8. Surry County Bobcasters – Mt Airy, NC
  9. Shade Shifters – Konnarock, VA
  10. The Wildmans – Floyd, VA
  11. Gap Civil – Sparta, NC
  12. Blue Ridge Wildcats – Galax, VA
  13. Cyauga Falls – Wilmington, DE
  14. Hard Step String Band – Elk Creek, VA
  15. Whoopin’ Holler String Band – Marlinton, WV

Best All-Around Performer – Billy Hurt, Jr – Boones Mill, VA – Old Time Fiddle

Youth Old Time Fiddle

  1. Maxwell Brown – Wilmington, DE
  2. Camdon Fain – Ararat, VA
  3. Hunter Hiatt – State Road, NC
  4. Sylvie Davis – Leicester, NC
  5. Savanah Hodges – Wytheville, VA

Youth Bluegrass Fiddle

  1. Lake Carver – Mocksville, NC
  2. Josephine Walker – Todd, NC
  3. Hollace Oakes – Snowville, VA
  4. Mallie York – Cana, VA
  5. Linus Lindblom – Bloomingdale, GA

Youth Mandolin

  1. Ryan Drake – Fletcher, NC
  2. John Heetderks – Earlysville, VA
  3. Jace Roberts – Independence, VA
  4. Blane Young – Roanoke, VA
  5. Atti Dyer – North Wilkesboro, NC

Youth Clawhammer Banjo

  1. Logan Thompson – Glade Spring, VA
  2. Wyatt Grantham – Boones Mill, VA
  3. Bayla Davis – Leicester, NC
  4. Hayden Halsey – Troutdale, VA

Youth Bluegrass Banjo

  1. Ettore Buzziui – Mooresville, NC
  2. Ayden Young – Roanoke, VA
  3. Kylie Drake – Fletcher, NC
  4. Remington Davis – Rocky Mount, VA
  5. Luciya Sullivan – Evanston, IL

Youth Guitar

  1. Karlee Hamm – Lansing, NC
  2. Gavin Woodruff – Ennice, NC
  3. Justin Broughman – Roanoke, VA
  4. Croft Wilson – Jacksonville, FL
  5. Gabriel Mark – Belmont, NC

Youth Bands

  1. The Brothers Young and Friends – Roanoke, VA
  2. The Brothers Five – Bloomingdale, GA
  3. Hazy Mountain Stringband – Boones Mill, VA
  4. Galax Goose Lodge – Evanston, IL
  5. Southbound 77 – Statesville, NC

Youth Folk Song

  1. Jacie Slaughter – Willis, VA
  2. Jaelyn Taylor – Wytheville, VA
  3. Dwight Boggs – White Sulpher Springs, WV
  4. Tierra Raiti – Toledo, OH
  5. Ida Buzzini – Moorseville, NC

Youth Flatfoot Dance

  1. Virgil Sizemore – Galax, VA
  2. Jaycie Pemberton – Galax, VA
  3. Gracie Terry – Bahama, NC
  4. Mason Lee Sizemore – Galax, VA
  5. Isaiah Imperiale – Thomasville, NC

Congratulations one and all!

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About the Author

John Lawless

John had served as primary author and editor for The Bluegrass Blog from its launch in 2004 until being folded into Bluegrass Today in September of 2011. He continues in that capacity here, managing a strong team of columnists and correspondents.