Tag: Granite Quarry Fiddlers’ Convention

2024 Granite Quarry Fiddlers’ Convention results

Special tribute band performs for Buddy Michaels at the 2024 Granite Quarry Fiddlers’ Convention

The 58th Granite Quarry Fiddlers’ Convention, held near Rockwell, NC, featured an evening of bluegrass music and memories last Saturday night. The convention, which is a direct spin-off of the World Championship Union Grove Fiddlers’ Convention of years past, included competition in both youth and adult categories, with a special recognition for bluegrass DJ/MC Buddy Michaels for his 50 years in the music business.

“Each year the Granite Quarry Civitans honors someone who has spent their life promoting bluegrass music,” Vivian Pennington Hopkins, Convention Coordinator, began during Michaels’ award presentation. “This gentleman is so dear to all of us in the bluegrass industry. I have known him for a lifetime.”

Then she questioned the honoree, “When are you going to retire?”

Michaels responded, “If you’ve never worked, then you can’t retire. What I’ve always done is go into a radio station, turn on a microphone, talk, and play music. Fortunately, a lot of those years, I got to play bluegrass music. That’s not a job…so how can you retire from it? I’m going to do it until I fall over.”

Then the man of the hour shared a little personal history.

“My dad had a collection of old 78 fiddle records. It was music that was magic. Then I saw Flatt & Scruggs on The Beverly Hillbillies and the Dillards on Andy Griffith. I went to the movie theater and heard Foggy Mountain Breakdown. I already liked bluegrass. I’d heard Bill Monroe on the Grand Ole Opry. I’d go to bed on Saturday nights with my transistor radio and a little earplug. I would listen to the Opry. I heard Monroe and he was totally different than anybody else on the Opry. Foggy Mountain Breakdown changed my life. I went out and bought the soundtrack for Bonnie and Clyde.

I decided at a young age, ‘That’s what I want to do. I want to be on the radio.’ I went to work in Burlington, NC for WPCM. I did a country morning show during the week, and bluegrass on the weekends. I always wanted to do bluegrass. That bluegrass show took off more than anything else. Everywhere I went people thanked me for that show. I started to do MC work. I have met so many wonderful people: artists and fans. They are friends. It means the most to me, meeting the bluegrass family. I’m tickled to receive this award.

I thank God that he let me find bluegrass music, and I’ve never been the same. It just gets better and better.”

MC Big T Lassiter added, “Buddy Michaels is bluegrass to me. He can make you feel right there at home on the radio, and that’s why it’s called Hometown Festival. Thank you, Buddy.”

Vivian noted, “We have a special band that we’ve put together to do a tribute to you.”

The band consisted of musician friends that Buddy personally selected to perform a set of tunes that he had chosen as some of his all-time favorites. The tribute band included Jerry Stuart and Tom Isenhour on mandolins, Glen Alexander on fiddle, Pammy Lassiter on dobro, her husband, Big T, on bass, Gary Hatley on guitar, and his wife, yours truly, on banjo.

The rest of the evening was devoted to the competition.

Winners in the youth category were:

Bluegrass Band

  1. Terry Family Band
  2. Carolina Young Folk.

Bluegrass Gospel Band

  1. 4 Walls

Fiddle

  1. Isaiah Imperiale
  2. Lydia Walls
  3. Addie Webster

Banjo

  1. Cameron Edenfield
  2. Ford Terry
  3. David McGuirt

Guitar

  1. Gabriel Webster
  2. Parker Terry
  3. Corban Walls

Mandolin

  1. Caroline Terry
  2. Nicholas Allman
  3. Trey Pfaff

Bass

  1. Ford Terry
  2. Matthew Chaney

Vocal

  1. Chelsea Edenfield
  2. Simina Little
  3. Levi Smith

Livengood Memorial Outstanding Youth – Gabriel Webster

Winners in the adult category were:

Bluegrass Band

  1. Fairfield Bluegrass
  2. Hot Wax and the Splinters
  3. Wilkes Record Players

Bluegrass Gospel Band

  1. Crossroads Bluegrass
  2. Salvation Song

Fiddle

  1. Charlie Tolbert
  2. Gary Hatley
  3. Payton Brown

Banjo

  1. Jacob Johnson
  2. Danny Bowers
  3. Ronnie Hatley

Guitar

  1. Ryan Lambert
  2. Ethan Williams
  3. Jay Williams

Mandolin

  1. Jacob Little
  2. Gary Hatley
  3. Tim Clyde Lewis

Bass

  1. Travis Brady
  2. Ryan Dunn
  3. Jeremy Nash

Dobro

  1. Peden Williams
  2. Sandy Hatley
  3. Pammy Lassiter

Vocal

  1. Payton Brown
  2. Taylor Brown
  3. Daniel Schronce

Ralph Pennington Master Fiddle Award – Charlie Tolbert

Reflecting on the evening as a whole, Vivian reflected…

“We were pleased with the turnout, with bands and individuals from the foothills of the Blue Ridge to the eastern Piedmont regions. It was great to see so many competing in our youth categories. Rest assured, bluegrass is in good hands. We had kids competing from the Appalachian Jam Program, Carolina Folkworks, Ron’s Pickin’ Parlor, and more. My hat’s off to the instructors who are mentoring and passing on the traditional bluegrass music to the next generation!”

Well done all!

Buddy Michaels to be honored at Granite Quarry Fiddlers’ Convention

Since 1970, during their annual October fiddlers’ convention, the Granite Quarry Civitan Club in central North Carolina has honored individuals who have made significant contributions in the promotion and preservation of traditional old-time and bluegrass music.

This year’s honoree is Buddy Michaels of Burlington, NC. He will be recognized in a special presentation this Saturday at 6:00 pm at East Rowan High School near Rockwell, NC. A band of long-time bluegrass friends will join him on stage for a half-hour performance honoring the man and the music he loves prior to the fiddlers’ convention’s adult competition.

A veteran radio broadcaster and festival MC, Michaels is celebrating 50 years in the music industry. He has grown in popularity over the years and has become a household name to followers of bluegrass music throughout the southeast. The beloved radio host is known and considered a friend by artists, producers, record labels, and promoters within the genre. 

“It’s more than just a job,” Michaels noted. “It’s the friendships that I really value.”

Michaels can be heard on the world wide web presenting his weekly Hometown Festival program, and is syndicated on numerous radio stations in North Carolina. He blends his folksy-style banter into playing songs of the past and present, along with informative bluegrass history lessons. His shows are not only entertaining, but educational for listeners.

Born in Suffolk, Virginia, Michaels was attracted to his grandfather’s fiddling and his daddy’s buck dancing. That musical heritage helped navigate him toward a career in bluegrass.

 “Around 7 or 8 years old, I remember seeing Flatt & Scruggs on TV. I’ve been hooked on bluegrass ever since,” Michaels said. 

In 1973, Michaels debuted on radio playing a variety of formats, including country, gospel, and rock ‘n’ roll, but it was a bluegrass show in 1978 on Burlington’s WPCM-FM where he found his true calling. Since then, Michaels has promoted bluegrass music by playing records, conducting interviews, and MCing area festivals. For 27 years, he announced for the Bass Mountain Festival, as well as MCed at MerleFest, Willow Oak, PreddyFest, and other regional bluegrass events. In 2022, Michaels was nominated for SPBGMA’s Bluegrass DJ of the Year. 

Buddy Michaels’ Hometown Festival airs on Saturday mornings, 7:00-9:00 a.m., and evenings, 6:00-8:00 p.m., on LIFE 103.1 Sanford, NC, LIFE 103.1 in Rocky Mt, NC, and streaming online. He can also be heard on Saturdays, 9:00 a.m.-noon, on both WBAG 1150 AM and 105.9 FM in Burlington, NC, plus Monday nights, 6:30-10:00 p.m., on WKRX 96.7 FM in Roxboro, NC as well as online streaming.

Granite Quarry Civitan’s 58th annual Fiddlers’ Convention offers $2,400 in cash prizes, with trophies and rosettes awarded to the best bands (bluegrass and gospel), and in individual categories (instrument and vocal) for both youth and adult. 

Registration opens at 4:00 p.m. Youth competition begins at 4:30. Adults must be registered by 6:00 p.m. to be eligible to draw a number for performance time in a lottery style drawing. Youth winners will be announced at 7:00 prior to adult competition.

The Civitan Club will serve BBQ ½ chicken plates, hamburgers, hotdogs, and homemade desserts in the school cafeteria from 11:00 a.m. until sold out.

Admission is $12. Children under 12 are free with a paid adult. For more information, call 704-633-2995 or 704-267-9439. Registration rules and more details can be found on the event Facebook page.

2023 Granite Quarry Fiddlers’ Convention results

Crossroads, first place adult gospel band at Granite Quarry 2023 – photo © G. Nicholas Hancock

The results are in for the 57th annual Granite Quarry Fiddlers’ Convention, held the second Saturday in October in East Rowan High School’s auditorium near Rockwell, NC. There were over 50 entries spanning youth and adult divisions in the talent competition that serves as a fundraiser for the Granite Quarry Civitan Club.

Vivian Hopkins, former president of the North Carolina Bluegrass Association, assists the service club as convention coordinator with the acoustic competition. She shared a little history of the event.

“I am so proud that this fiddlers’ convention is a direct spin-off from the world famous Union Grove Fiddlers’ Convention. (The late) James Mathis came from Union Grove to become principal at Granite Quarry Elementary School. He joined the Granite Quarry Civitan Club and suggested having such an event as a fundraiser.

I attended the first one. I was 12 years old.”

Big T Lassiter once again served as the contest’s MC. Judges, musicians themselves, were: Danny Casstevens, Caroline Owens, and Andrew Brown, with Eva Casstevens serving as scorekeeper.

The youth competition began around 4:30 p.m. with 25 entries, followed by a special award presentation and entertainment by the recipient, Jerry Stuart, of Siler City, NC. Youth winners were announced and then two hours of adult competition followed.

Adult winners

Bluegrass Band

  1. Southern Blend

Gospel Band

  1. Crossroads
  2. Harmony Trio

Fiddle

  1. Alec McCallister
  2. Charlie Tolbert
  3. John Hofmann

Banjo

  1. Curt Love

Guitar

  1. Adam Truell
  2. Oscar Caudell
  3. Caleb Munson

Mandolin

  1. Nathan Orange
  2. Charlie Tolbert
  3. Jonah Chaney

Bass

  1. Bailey Wagner
  2. Travis Brady
  3. Jeremy Nash

Dobro

  1. Peden Williams
  2. James Murdock
  3. Sandy Hatley

Vocal

  1. Bailey Wagner
  2. Natalie Ingram
  3. Jimmy Ball

The Ralph Pennington Memorial Award went to Alec McCallister.

Youth Winners

Bluegrass Band

  1. Falling Timber

Gospel Band

  1. Edenfield Family Band

Banjo

  1. Lois Chaney
  2. Cameron Edenfield
  3. Harvey Caudell

Fiddle

  1. Agnes Caudell
  2. Teddy Smoker
  3. Opal Caudell

Guitar

  1. Elijah Smith
  2. Sarah Luther
  3. Gabe Webster

Mandolin

  1. Oscar Caudell
  2. Jacob Little
  3. Elijah Smith

Bass

  1. Matthew Chaney

Vocal

  1. Sarah Luther
  2. Chelsea Edenfield
  3. Courtney Edenfield

The Don & Margaret Livengood Memorial Award (for outstanding youth performance) went to Sarah Luther.

Granite Quarry Fiddler’s Convention honors Jim Fraley

Jim Fraley is honored by Vivian Hopkins at the Granite Quarry Fiddlers’ Convention – photo by Gary Hatley

Jim Fraley, North Carolina banjoist and 20-year band member of Deeper Shade of Blue, was honored at 56th Annual Granite Quarry Fiddlers’ Convention this past Saturday night (October 8). Held at East Rowan High School near Salisbury, NC, Fraley was awarded a plaque and heralded by Randy Mauldin, Grass Strings banjo-picker, for his lifelong commitment to bluegrass music. The 66-year-old five-string picker has made significant strides within the music industry.

Fraley shared, “I had the privilege to play with Chubby Wise, Mac Wiseman, and Bobby Hicks. In 1977, I was fortunate enough to win the North Carolina state championship. Also about 1991, I was fortunate enough to receive the first annual Snuffy Jenkins Memorial Award.”

For the past two decades, Fraley was banjoist with the quintet, Deeper Shade of Blue. In 2020, Fraley stepped down from that position due to health reasons.

Sammy Shelor, banjoist with the Lonesome River Band and recipient of the Steve Martin Banjo Prize, sent praises. “Jim Fraley is one of a long line of the great banjo players to come out of western North Carolina. As tasteful and melody driven as you will ever hear, he always knows what to play and when! He has been a dear friend and hero of mine for many years.”

The talent contest is an annual -fund raiser for the Granite Quarry Civitan Club. The 2022 convention was held in memory of Bill Fisher, a very active member of the club, who passed away earlier this year. 

Vivian Hopkins, former president of the North Carolina Bluegrass Association, assists the service club as convention coordinator for the acoustic competition. 

“This convention is a direct spin-off of the Union Grove Fiddlers’ Convention,” she told the large audience in the school’s auditorium. 

The idea for a fiddlers’ convention came from the late James Mathis. Relocating from Union Grove where its fiddlers’ convention was a highly successful fundraiser, Mathis became principal at Granite Quarry Elementary School, joined their civitan club, and along with the late Don Livengood, founded the Granite Quarry Fiddlers’ Convention.

Big T Lassiter served as master of ceremonies. A musician himself, he provided insightful comments and reflections on the musicians and their music throughout the five-hour event. The evening featured competitions in both youth (21 entries) and adult categories (25 entries), entertainment by the area band, the Grass Strings, and the special award ceremony recognizing Fraley which included a performance by Deeper Shade of Blue. Fraley joined his former band mates on stage for a couple of tunes.

Below is a complete listing of all winners from the 2022 Granite Quarry Fiddlers’ Convention.

Adult Category

  • Bluegrass Band: first-Morgan Brown & Railroad Street Revival, second-Cabarrus Station, third-Jake Ritter Road
  • Bluegrass Gospel Band: first-Last Hour Bluegrass, second-Crossroads Bluegrass, third-Strings of Victory
  • Fiddle: first-John Hofmann, second-Malachi Freeman, third-Alec McCallister
  • Banjo: first-Alex Edwards, second-Peden Williams, third-John Lee
  • Guitar: first-Steve Kilby, second-Jake Goforth, third-Caleb Munson
  • Mandolin: first-Angel Paez, second-James Thompson, third-Tom Isenhour
  • Bass: first-John Fogleman, second-Ricky Blackwelder’ third-Bailey Wagner
  • Dobro: first-James Paquette, second-Pammy Lassiter, third-Sandy Hatley
  • Vocal: first-Angel Paez, second-Morgan Brown, third-Peyton Brown

Youth Category

  • Bluegrass band: first-Brothers of Bluegrass, second-Dogwood Ridge
  • Fiddle: first-Tyndale Smoker, second-Teddy Smoker, third-Addie Webster
  • Banjo: first-Elijah Freeman, second-Riley Surratt
  • Guitar: first-Ethan Wagoner, second-Lois Chaney, third-Nathaniel Smoker
  • Mandolin: first-Luke McCallister, second-Jonah Chaney, third-Nicholas Allman
  • Bass: first-Garrett Walmsley, second-Matthew Chaney
  • Dobro: first-Caleb Parker
  • Vocal: first-Chelsea Edenfield, second-Brayden Howell, third-Gabrielle Rogers

Don and Margaret Livengood Memorial Youth Award: Garrett Walmsley

2022 Granite Quarry Civitan Fiddlers’ Convention Honoree: Jim Fraley

Granite Quarry Fiddlers’ Convention back after COVID

Gospel Plowboys at the 2021 Granite Quarry Fiddlers’ Convention in Salisbury, NC – photo by Gary Hatley

Music lovers and musicians alike were eager to return to Granite Quarry Fiddlers’ Convention near Salisbury, NC. After 2020 was put on hold due to COVID-19, it had been two years since the Civitan Club had hosted their annual October event. This year marked the 55th time for the service club’s otherwise annual fundraiser.

The idea for the string music talent competition originated with James Mathis. In 1966, he moved from Union Grove to become principal of Granite Quarry Elementary School. Union Grove held an annual fiddlers’ convention that proved to be a very successful fundraiser for the elementary school. Held at his new school, Mathis established the same format for the Civitans. It soon outgrew the facility and was relocated to nearby East Rowan High School.

In 1970, the convention began honoring individuals who had contributed significantly to the bluegrass community. This year, the convention held two separate recognitions since they were unable to do so last year. For 2020, the club posthumously honored David Murph, a mandolinist, who was a founding member of the Gospel Plowboys. Though Murph passed away in 2017, the group remains active and performed prior to the adult competition on Saturday night in his memory.

The 2021 honorees were Steve and Penny Kilby of southern Virginia. The husband and wife duo are both accomplished musicians. With Penny on autoharp and Steve on guitar, the couple has won numerous awards at fiddlers’ conventions in the region. Steve became the first instructor for JAM (Junior Appalachian Musicians), and the pair have taught music camps, private workshops, held house concerts, and served as judges at fiddlers’ contests, including Granite Quarry. The Kilbys offer a music education program, Echoes of the Blue Ridge, to libraries, schools, churches, and civic organizations. Steve and Penny performed several numbers midway through the night’s competition. They were joined by one of Steve’s guitar students, fourteen-year-old, Gavin Woodruff, of Ennice, NC.

Following a welcome by the Civitans and Vivian Pennington Hopkins, NC Bluegrass Association president and strong supporter of the convention, the fiddlers’ contest began with the youth competition at 4:30. Big T Lassiter of West End served as master of ceremonies for the evening. A picker himself, he has a passion for bluegrass music and is a huge supporter of young musicians. Big T’s wife, Pammy Davis Lassiter, founded the High Lonesome Strings Bluegrass Club in Greensboro, NC. Together, they work tirelessly to get youth involved in performing music before live audiences.

The Don and Margaret Livengood Memorial Award for the outstanding youth performance was presented to seven-year-old, Anna Parker, who sang an original composition. 

The other Youth Winners were:

  • Fiddle: Payton Brown
  • Banjo: Ayden Young
  • Guitar: first – Gavin Woodruff, second – Ethan Wagoner, third – Lois Chaney
  • Mandolin: first – Jonah Chaney, second – Blane Young, third – Luke McCallister
  • Vocal: first – Sarah Luther, second – Anna Parker, third – Savannah Baysinger

After the youth competition and the Gospel Plowboys set, almost 30 entries from multiple states competed in the adult talent contest.

Adult Winners were:

  • Bluegrass Band: first – Old River Road, second – Adinoid Hynkelstien and Company, third – Hazy Ridge
  • Bluegrass Gospel Band: first – Strings of Victory, second – Crossroads
  • Fiddle: first – Grace Bemus, second – Malachi Freeman, third – Gary Hatley
  • Banjo: first – Jake Eddy, second – Danny Bowers, third – Peden Williams
  • Guitar: first – Jake Eddy, second – Tommy Chandler, third – Bob Dotson
  • Mandolin: first – Graham Brewer, second – Jim Bob Thompson, third – Amelia Freeman
  • Bass: first – Carter Eddy, second – John Fogleman, third – Jeremy Nash
  • Dobro: first – Peden Williams, second – Sandy Hatley, third – Rick Hansen
  • Vocal: first – Morgan Brown, second – Michael Jenkins, third – Madison McCorkle

Grace Bemus, first place fiddler, also received the John Ralph Pennington Memorial Award, a miniature fiddle, given in memory of Vivian Pennington Hopkins’ late father who was a musician and a luthier.

Here is Old River Road performing You’ll Never Leave Harlan Alive.

Winners and honorees from 2019 Granite Quarry Fiddlers’ Convention

On Saturday night in central North Carolina, the Granite Quarry Civitan Club held their 53rd Annual Fiddlers’ Convention in the auditorium of East Rowan High School. With 17 entries in the youth division and 20 in the adult categories, the evening was filled with many great moments of musical entertainment. Competitors ranged in age from four-year-old vocalist, Addy Webster, to eighty-three-year-old fiddler/singer, Ervin Hatley. Webster was also awarded the Don & Margaret Livengood Memorial Award for Most Outstanding Youth Performance. 

“I’m so proud of all of our youth performers who came out to compete, ensuring that traditional bluegrass music will continue,” said Convention Coordinator and NC Bluegrass Association President, Vivian Hopkins.

The bluegrass talent contest was the brainchild of the late James Mathis, new principal of Granite Quarry Elementary School in the 1960s. Having moved from Union Grove, NC, where that school’s fiddlers’ convention was very successful, Mathis joined the Granite Quarry Civitan Club and suggested hosting such an event as a fundraiser for their local organization. First, however, he had to explain what a fiddlers’ convention was! The competition was held in the auditorium of the elementary school until a new school was built (without an auditorium) so the event moved to the local high school where it has remained.

Almost a half a decade ago, the Civitans decided to honor an individual who had been instrumental in the promotion of bluegrass and traditonal acoustic music. Vivian Hopkins conducted the annual award ceremony which took place prior to intermission.

“Since 1970, the Civitans have paid tribute to an individual that does a lot for the promotion of the music in our region,” Hopkins announced at the onset of the presentation.

This year’s honoree was Darrell Connor, a gentleman who devoted his life to music and community service. He began playing guitar and banjo in his early teens, formed a band with Don Helms (Hank Williams senior’s steel guitar player), played the Grand Ole Opry and Ernest Tubb’s record shop, earned a spot in the Hank Williams’ Hall of Fame, and received the Bascom Lamar Lunsford Trophy for outstanding performer at the 2018 North Carolina State Fair. Connor performed his music while serving as a lieutenant in the Salisbury Police Department. He continues to entertain with his Country Legends Band for seniors and veterans.

Following the end of competition, scorekeeper for the judges, Eva Casstevens, shared, “Bluegrass is alive and well.”

Winners in Saturday night’s conventions in the youth division:

  • 1st Place Bluegrass Gospel – Westside Gospel
  • Old Time Fiddle – 1st Sabrina Patel, 2nd Teddy Smoker
  • Bluegrass Fiddle – 1st Reagan Thomas, 2nd Tyler Basinger
  • Bluegrass Banjo – 1st Carley Hatley
  • Mandolin – 1st Amelia Freeman, 2nd Ethan Tarleton, 3rd Ruth Hathcock
  • Vocal – 1st Brayden Howell, 2nd Ethan Tarlton, 3rd Addy Webster

Adult Winners:

  • Ralph Pennington Memorial Award for Old Time Fiddle – Scott Stegall
  • Bluegrass Band – 1st Blu Astro Turf, 2nd Route 52, 3rd Goldline
  • Bluegrass Gospel Band – 1st Crossroads
  • Old Time Fiddle – 1st Scott Stegall, 2nd Noah Batke
  • Bluegrass Fiddle – 1st Alec McCallister, 2nd Keith Dunn, 3rd Malachi Freeman
  • Bluegrass Banjo – 1st Alex Edwards, 2nd Jordan McCallister, 3rd John Lee
  • Guitar – 1st Daniel Thrailkill, 2nd Tommy Chandler, 3rd Titus Dryer
  • Mandolin – 1st Jonah Horton, 2nd Richard Benton, 3rd Tom Isenhour
  • Bass – 1st Will Thrailkill, 2nd Jeremy Nash, 3rd Bobby Hartsell
  • Vocal – 1st Caroline Owens, 2nd Samantha Smith, 3rd Rebecca Tucker

Norman Ribelin, chairman of the convention committee, concluded, “Enjoyed having everyone here. Be sure to come back next year.”

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