The 54th running of the Grand Master Fiddler Championship took place over this past weekend at the Factory in Franklin, just south of Nashville, TN. This is an extremely prestigious competition, a true testing ground for fiddlers of all ages.
The Youth competition took place on November 8 in the venue’s Mockingbird Theater, while the Open Championship (both rounds) and Accompanist contests were held in the nearby Turner Theater on the 9th.
Ed Carnes, the Grand Master Vice President and COO, tells us that they had contestants this year from 15 different states and two Canadian provinces.
When the fiddles fell quiet, the winners were announced.
Grand Master Fiddler Championship – Open Division
- Jesse Maw – North Carolina
- Tristan Clarridge – California
- Max Francis – British Columbia
- Billy Contreras – Tennessee
- Diana Dawydchak – Ontario
- Noah Goebel – Kentucky
- Shelby Murdock – Idaho
- Jason Shaw – Nebraska
- Joel Whittinghill – Kentucky
- Kerry Varble – Ohio
- Trustin Baker – Missouri
- Sarah Hathaway – Kentucky
- Bill Jones – Tennessee
- Fred Carpenter – Tennessee
- Monte Gaylord – Oklahoma
- Aria Stiles – Tennessee
- Andrew Lin – Kentucky
- Tim Hodgson – Idaho
- Jacob Johnson – Alabama
- Brad Riley – Texas
Grand Master Fiddler Championship – Youth Division
- Tristan Paskvan – Texas
- Summer Edgington – Tennessee
- Ella Derby – Tennessee
- Kadence Edgington – Tennessee
- Gwyneth Davis – Arkansas
- Bradley Guptill – Oregon
- Bentley Jensen – Idaho
- Welsie Palmer – Idaho
- Jeremiah Bates – Tennessee
- Marion Contreras – Tennesee
Grand Master Fiddler Championship – Accompanist
- Todd Varble – Ohio
- Terry Barnett – Alabama
- Tyler Andal – Tennessee
Additional awards were given to the following:
- Dr. Perry F. Harris Distinguished Fiddler Award – Bobby Taylor
- Charlie Bush Traditional Fiddler Performance Award – Brad Riley
- Matthew Thomas Lin Scholarship Award – Eliza Beck
Congratulations and well done all!
