The Trailblazers take top spot at Galax 2017

When the dust cleared in the wee hours of Sunday morning and all the winners had been announced at the 82nd annual Old Fiddlers Convention in Galax, VA, The Trailblazers from Wilkesboro, NC had brought home top honors in the Bluegrass Band competition. This young group wowed the crowd – and the judges – with versions of a pair of bluegrass classics, It’s A Lonesome Feeling from The Osborne Brothers and Bill Monroe’s On And On.

Here’s video of their two songs this past weekend.

 

Take that everyone who thinks young people don’t like traditional bluegrass!

The Trailblazers have been playing together for a while now with Daniel Thrailkill on guitar, Will Thrailkill on bass, Jonah Horton on mandolin, and Alex Edwards on banjo. They have one album out together. Recently they have added Ivy Phillips on fiddle, and won the MerleFest Band competition earlier this year. Ivy also took first in Bluegrass Fiddle at Galax last week, as did Jonah on mandolin.

Keep an eye on these youngsters in the bluegrass world.

Here are the rest of the 2017 result…

Old Time Fiddle

1. Jimmy Edmonds – Galax, VA
2. Kirk Sutphin – Walkertown, NC
3. Billy Hurt – Boones Mill, VA
4. Andy Edmonds – Mt. Airy, NC
5. Mathias Thedens – Galax, VA
6. Chris Testerman – Lansing, NC
7. Andrew Small – Elizabeth City, NC
8. Henry Barnes – Newport, VA
9. Richard Bowman – Mt. Airy, NC
10. Amy Alvey – Asheville, NC

Dobro

1. Quentin Frazier – Dapto, Australia
2. Donnie Scott – Mt. Airy, NC
3. Eddie Marrs – Princeton, WV
4. N. R. Taylor – Wytheville, VA
5. Doug Smith – Medway, OH
6. Maggie Anderson – Woodlawn, VA
7. Robert Ellis – Mockesville, NC
8. Roy Bourne – Clemmens, NC
9. Marvin Farmer – Hillsville, VA
10. Austin Simmons – Pilot Mountain, NC

Mandolin

1. Jonah Horton – Wilkesboro, NC
2. Vince Bullins – Lawsonville, NC
3. Luke Morris – Galax, VA
4. Ryan Blevins – Marion, VA
5. Luke Little – Summerville, NC
6. Todd Hiatt – State Road, NC
7. Ralph McGee – King, NC
8. Tom Mindte – Rockville, MD
9. Eli Wildman – Floyd, VA
10. Taylor Baker – Winchester, VA

Bluegrass Fiddle

1. Ivy Phillips – Chapmansboro, TN
2. Daniel Greeson – Jamestown, NC
3. Carson Peters – Piney Flats, TN
4. Glen Alexander – Pfafftown, NC
5. Corrina Stephens – White Creek, TN
6. Joe Troup – Buenos Aires, Argentina
7. Tyler Andal – Nashville, TN
8. Tim Martin – Collinsville, VA
9. Aila Wildman – Floyd, VA
10. Stephen Fraleigh – Raleigh, NC

Dulcimer

1. Don Depoy – McGaheyville, VA
2. Kendra Ward – Bidwell, OH
3. Clarence Roberts – Galax, VA
4. Dot Christenson – Lexington, KY
5. Annie Stott – Winston-Salem, NC
6. Dianne Parker – Galax, VA
7. Lou Beasley – Athens, AL
8. Tim Owen – Nathalie, VA
9. Tim Thorton – Shawsville, VA
10. Damon Muller – Henrico, VA

Bluegrass Banjo

1. Jeremiah Stephens – White Creek, TN
2. Johnathan Dillon – Wirtz, VA
3. Lee Dunbar – Eagle Rock, VA
4. Brennen Ernst – Philadelphia, PA
5. Tim Rhodes – Salem, VA
6. Clay Russell – Troutdale, VA
7. Danny Bowers – Winston-Salem, NC
8. Andy Lowe – Winston-Salem, NC
9. Hersey McMillian – Mt. Airy, NC
10. Ronnie Harrison – Mt. Airy, NC

Clawhammer Banjo

1. Peco Watson – Galax, VA
2. Jared Boyd – Laurel Fork, VA
3. Trevor Hammons – Arlington, WV
4. Trish Fore – Galax, VA
5. Marianne Kovatch – Fries, VA
6. Tina Steffey – Jonesboro, TN
7. Kevin Fore – Galax, VA
8. Nancy Sluys – Westfield, NC
9. Garrett Wyatt – Independence, VA
10. Daniel Boyer – Fries, VA

Autoharp

1. Lois Shumaker – Olin, NC
2. Penny Kilby – Mouth of Wilson, VA
3. Sidney Hollingsworth – Christiansburg, VA
4. Jo Ann Redd – Galax, VA
5. Bobbi Roberts – Galax, VA
6. Virgil Adams – Galax, VA
7. Vicki Boyd – Laurel Fork, VA
8. Forest Hollingsworth – Christiansburg, VA
9. Stan Massey – Wytheville, VA
10. Teny Underwood – Ivanhoe, VA

Guitar

1. Presley Barker – Trap Hill, NC
2. Steve Lewis – Mountain City, TN
3. Allen Shadd – Lake Wylie, SC
4. Austin Mikeal – Jefferson, NC
5. Zack Arnold – West Jefferson, VA
6. Wayne Henderson – Mouth of Wilson, VA
7. Greg Wilson – Fries, VA
8. Guy Ferguson – Moneta, VA
9. Jacob Greer – Jefferson, NC
10. Spencer Strickland – Lambsburg, VA

Folk Song

1. Tommy Nichols – Mt. Airy, NC
2. Casey Lewis – Rocky Gap, VA
3. Karlie Keepfer – Sparta, NC
4. Lindsey Nale – Galax, VA
5. Maggie Blankenship – Stuart, VA
6. Megan White – Greensboro, NC
7. Kelsie Myers – Gretna, VA
8. Cora Allison – Johnson City, TN
9. Leslie Dunbar – Eagle Rock, VA
10. Guy Russell, Jr. – Galax, VA

Dance

1. Brett Martin – Elk Creek, VA
2. Glenn Wimmer – Rocky Mount, VA
3. Mitchell Robinson – Galax, VA
4. Randall Cothran – Reidsville, NC
5. Kenny Monnahan – Ivanhoe, VA
6. Delbert Dunford – Wytheville, VA
7. Stacy Boyd – Laurel Fork, VA
8. Brian Ferguson – Salem, VA
9. JoAnn Call – Roaring River, NC
10. Angela Hale – Elk Creek, VA

Bluegrass Bands

1. The Trailblazers – Wilkesboro, NC
2. Crush It – Salem, VA
3. Cumberland Valley Cutups – Whites Creek, TN
4. Wound Tight – Chatham, VA
5. Coyote Cafe – Kingsport, TN
6. The Mashing Pumpkins – Winston-Salem, NC
7. Blu-Vue – Mt. Airy, NC
8. The Jakes From State Farm – Johnson City, TN
9. Adam McPeak and Mountain Thunder – Max Meadows, VA
10. Turning Point – Christiansburg, VA
11. Destination Bluegrass Band – Mocksville, NC
12. Sine’ – Fries, VA
13. Blink 1-4-5 – Roxboro, NC
14. The County Fools – Greensboro, NC
15. Exit 109 – Hillsville, VA

Old Time Bands

1. New Ballards Branch Bogtrotters – Galax, VA
2. Five Mile Mountain Road – Boones Mill, VA
3. Slate Mountain Ramblers – Mt. Airy, NC
4. The Liberty Hill Billies – Fries, VA
5. Whoopin’ Holler String Band – Marlinton, WV
6. The Cabin Creek Boys – Lansing, NC
7. The New Smokey Valley Boys – Mt. Airy, NC
8. Dry Hill Draggers – Ferrum, VA
9. The New Spring Valley Boys – Fries, VA
10. Texas Pete And The Smokey Beats – Richmond, VA
11. Hard Cider – Elk Creek, VA
12. New River Bound – Christiansburg, VA
13. Four State Ramblers – Christiansburg, VA
14. South Carolina Broadcasters – Mt. Airy, NC
15. The Shade Shifters – Konnarock, VA

Best All Around Performer

• Jimmy Edmonds – Galax, VA

Congratulations, one and all!