Winners from the 87th annual Old Fiddlers Convention in Galax

The 87^th Annual Old Fiddlers Convention Open Competition, held August 8 through August 12 at Felts Park in Galax, VA concluded at 12:18 a.m. Sunday, after the last winner was announced.  

The 2023 winners in the order they placed are:

Old Time Fiddle

1. Billy Hurt, Jr. – Boones Mill, VA
2. Cody Bauer – Knoxville, TN
3. Andrew Small – Floyd, VA
4. Asa Nelson – Zionville, NC
5. Richard Bowman – Mt. Airy, NC
6. Nate Leath – Nashville, TN
7. Lucas Pasley – Sparta, NC
8. Jesse Maw – Asheville, NC
9. Raistlin Brabson – Callaway, VA
10. Maxwell Brown – Wilmington, DE

Bluegrass Fiddle

1. Marina Hutchins – Las Vegas, NV
2. Ruth Shumway – West Jefferson, NC
3. Daniel Greeson – Jamestown, NC
4. Joe Furtado – Front Royal, VA
5. Hunter Berry – Elizabethton, TN
6. John Hofmann – Thomasville, NC 
7. Merl Johnson – Elco, PA
8. Glen Alexander – Charlotte, NC 
9. Jim Graddick – Blythewood, SC
10. Danny Knicely – Taylorstown, VA

Mandolin

1. Vince Bullins – Lawsonville, NC
2. Ryan Blevins – Marion, VA
3. Todd Hiatt – Elkin, NC
4. Brian Muller – Christiansburg, VA
5. D.J. Roller – Richmond, VA
6. Ralph McGee – King, NC
7. Adam McPeak – Max Meadows, VA
8. Brewster Hubbard – Roanoke, VA
9. Mark Jones – Kernersville, NC
10. Tim Perry – Statesville, NC

Dobro 

1. Allen Surface – Floyd, VA
2. Jake Joins – Fries, VA
3. Jason King – Pleasant Garden, NC
4. N.R. Taylor – Wytheville, VA
5. Eric Handy – Christiansburg, VA
6. Donnie Scott – Mt. Airy, NC
7. Robert Ellis – Mocksville, NC
8. Charlie Milliron – Ararat, VA
9. Luke Lindblom – Bloomingdale, GA
10. Matthew Zuckerman – Baltimore, MD

Clawhammer Banjo

1. Jared Boyd – Galax, VA
2. Trish Fore – Galax, VA
3. Tina Steffey – Galax, VA
4. Kelley Breiding – Crumpler, NC
5. Jim Lloyd – Rural Retreat, VA
6. Garrett Wyatt – Independence, VA
7. Steven Custo – Marlinton, WV
8. Robbie Herman – Taylorsville, NC
9. Sawyer Moxley – Galax, VA
10. Nancy Sluys – Westfield, NC

Bluegrass Banjo

1. Steve Lewis – Jefferson, NC
2. Travis Watts – Mt. Airy, NC
3. Ettore Buzzini – Mooresville, NC
4. Jeremy Stephens – Whites Creek, TN
5. Taylor Shuck – Nashville, TN
6. Danny Bowers – Winston-Salem, NC
7. Ethan Handy – Christiansburg, VA
8. Ayden Young – Roanoke, VA
9. Elijah Ellenburg – Pickens, SC
10. Tyler Jackson – Kernersville, NC

Dulcimer

1. Kendra Ward – Bidwell, OH
2. Kimberly Dean – Roanoke, VA
3. Diane Parker – Galax, VA
4. Damian Muller – Richmond, VA
5. John Renwick – Charlotte, NC
6. Jimmy Watts – Virgilina, VA
7. Leslie Skinner – Prince George, VA
8. Tim Thorton – Shawsville, VA
9. Dick Lamb – Keezletown, VA
10. Tim Owen – Cascade, VA

Autoharp

1. Ronnie Burroughs – Keysville, VA
2. Lois Shumaker – Olin, NC
3. David Kilby – Peach Bottom, PA
4. Penny Kilby – Mouth of Wilson, VA
5. Vicki Boyd – Laurel Fork, VA
6. Virgil Adams – Galax, VA
7. James Moore – Roanoke, VA
8. Jimmy Handy – Woolwine, VA
9. Elizabeth Merkhofer – Washington, DC
10. Danna Underwood – Ivanhoe, Va

Guitar

1. Brennen Ernst – Philadelphia, PA
2. Eric Hardin – Warrensville, NC
3. Austin Mikeal – Jefferson, NC
4. Chad Harrison – Claudeville, VA
5. Lucas White – Galax, VA
6. Graydon Shepherd – West Jefferson, NC
7. Libby Lindblom – Bloomingdale, GA
8. Matt Osborne – Bristol, VA
9. Briar McDowell – Hendersonville, NC
10. Denny Alley – Lawsonville, NC

Folk Song

1. Meredith Wilkerson – Lowgap, NC
2. Karlie Keepfer – Sparta, NC
3. Emily Tucker – Ferrum, VA
4. Maggie Blankenship – Stuart, VA
5. Tommy Nichols – Mt. Airy, NC
6. Rebecca Briant – Madison Heights, VA
7. Jaelyn Taylor – Wytheville, VA
8. Ella Grim – Elk Creek, VA
9. Jane Seymour – Jasper, GA
10. Geary Allen – Johnson City, TN

Youth Folk Song

1. Ella Grim – Elk Creek, VA
2. Lucy Smith – Johnson City, TN
3. Leo Lindblom – Bloomingdale, Ga
4. Sawyer Smith – Johnson City, TN
5. Kyrie Sexton – Galax, VA

Flatfoot Dance

1. Marsha Todd – Mt. Airy, NC
2. Brett Morris – Galax, VA
3. Ruth Alpert – Santa Barbara, CA
4. Gina Dilg – Radford, VA
5. Barbara Bowman – Mt. Airy, NC
6. Mitchell Robinson – Galax, VA
7. Brian Ferguson – Rocky Mount, VA
8. Susan Blankenship – Stuart, VA
9. Glenn Wimmer – Rocky Mount, VA
10. Marty Todd – Mt. Airy, NC

Youth Flatfoot Dance

1. Misha MacSweeney – Floyd, VA
2. Margo MacSweeney – Floyd, VA
3. Levi Head – Mt. Airy, NC
4. Molly Wilkerson – Lowgap, NC
5. Jude Morris – Saltville, VA

Bluegrass Band

1. Special Connection – Salem, VA
2. The Jakes From State Farm – Stoneville, NC
3. Dickson City Valley- Apex, NC
4. Harrison Ridge – Woodlawn, VA
5. The Bluegrass Edition – Kingsport, TN
6. Lucas White Off The Rails – Galax, Va
7. Headin’ Home – Bloomingdale, GA
8. Hammaville – Bedford, VA
9. The Alum Ridge Boys & Ashlee
10. Rookie Riot – Gothenburg, Sweden
11. Last Minute Grass – Mt. Airy, NC
12. The County Fools – Greensboro, NC
13. Sine – Fries, VA
14. Carolina Ridgeline – Huntersville, NC
15. Outlaw Bluegrass – Statesville, NC

Old Time Band

1. Twin Creeks String Band – Ferrum, VA
2. Stratford String Band – Sparta, NC
3. The Liberty Hill Billies – Fries, VA
4. Slate Mountain Ramblers – Mt. Airy, NC
5. Whoopin’ Holler String Band – Marlington, WV
6. Southern Pride – Hillsville, VA
7. The Young And The Restless – Galax, VA
8. New River Bound – Christiansburg, VA
9. The New Critter Connection – Independence, VA
10. Up Jumped Trouble – Callaway, VA
11. The Hooligans – Galax, VA
12. The Wildcats – Galax, VA
13. Greasy Creek String Band – Hillsville, VA
14. Wayfaring Whistle Pigs – Fincastle, VA
15. Hard Step – Elk Creek, VA 

Best All-Around Performer – Jared Boyd (clawhammer banjo) – Galax, VA