An Indiana boy took home this year’s top Jamboree award as the best fiddler in the National Championship for Country Musician Beginners.
Cole McCracken of Fredricksburg, Indiana was crowned the Grand Champion fiddler Saturday and won the coveted James G. “Bobo” Driver Memorial Award, named for the man who started the children’s competition during the 1980’s as part of the annual Fiddler’s Jamboree and Crafts Festival.
Meanwhile Grant Rigney of Normandy, Tennessee received the “Entertainer of the Year” Award, which is presented to the best overall instrumental entertainer among winners in the dobro guitar, mandolin, five string banjo, and flat top guitar competition.
The National Championship for Country Musician Beginners showcases the talents of children up to age twelve in seven categories of competition.
This year’s winners are as follows:
Fiddle: First Place-Cole McCracken of Fredricksburg, Indiana; Second Place- Grant Rigney of Normandy, Tennessee; and Third Place- Brandon Shull of Lancaster, Ohio.
Buck Dancing: First Place- Kelly Eicher of Allensville, Kentucky; Second Place- Keley Tomlin of Springfield, Tennessee; and Third Place- Caroline Dean of Greenbrier, Tennessee.
Clogging: First Place- Sierra Tomlin of Springfield; Second Place- Keley Tomlin of Springfield; and Third Place- Raygan Sellers of Ashland City.
Dobro Guitar: First Place- Grant Rigney of Normandy; Second Place- Tyler Sellers of Ashland City; and Third Place- Adam Keckritz of Tullahoma..
Mandolin: First Place- Kyle Ramey of North Vernon, Indiana; Second Place- Grant Rigney of Normandy; and Third Place- Tyler Sellers of Ashland City.
Five String Banjo: First Place- Daniel Arrick of Pleasantville, Tennessee; Second Place- Adam Keckritz of Tullahoma; and Third Place- Cara DiGiovanni of Greenbrier
Flat Top Guitar: First Place- Abby Ward of Columbia; Second Place- Jessie Hester of Chapmansboro, Tennessee; and Third Place- Grant Rigney of Normandy.
Archived News & Obituaries