Performers picked, sang, and danced all day Friday until the wee hours of Saturday morning during the first day of the 43rd annual Smithville Fiddler’s Jamboree and Crafts Festival
The weather could not have been better with sunshine, low humidity, and very pleasant temperatures during the day followed by a clear cool evening.
State Senator Mae Beavers and State Representative Terri Lynn Weaver presented flags to persons who traveled the greatest distances from outside the state and the country to get here. Loretta Amberson of Tucson, Arizona received a Tennessee State flag while Mark and Marcia Estes of Thailand and formerly of Smithville were presented a United States flag. Dr. Mitchell Tatum received a Tennessee Blue Book for being the first in the audience to correctly answer a question about how many candles would be on a U.S. birthday cake this 4th of July. The answer is 238.
Jack Barton, Jamboree Coordinator also presented a plaque to WJLE Manager Dwayne Page in honor of the local radio station’s 50th anniversary and its 43rd year of broadcasting the Fiddler’s Jamboree “LIVE”. Page accepted on behalf of station owner Leon Stribling who was unable to attend. Several present and past staff members joined Page on stage to receive the award including Ralph Vaughn, Elaine Rigsby, Dean Estes, Dennis Stanley, Tom Duggin, Nick Nokes, and Dale Carroll.
Following a Jamboree welcome and introduction of local public officials, the Smithville-DeKalb County Community Chorus entertained the crowd.
Preliminaries were held in sixteen categories of music and dance competition followed by the finals featuring the top three acts in each event.
The following are the winners in each category:
Old Time Appalachian Folk Singing (Solo):
First Place- Christiana Joneikis of Shreve, Ohio
Second Place-Chloe Shreve of Nashville
Third Place-Sierra Ivie Tomlin of Springfield
Junior Clogging (Ages 13-39):
First Place-Gary Giles of Franklin
Second Place-Chris Stewart of Lebanon
Third Place-Katie Huntley of Loretto
Junior Buck Dancing (Ages 13-39):
First Place- Chris Stewart of Lebanon
Second Place-Jacob Campbell of Smithville
Third Place-Kris Jamison of Waverly
Old Time Appalachian Folksinging (Duet, Trio, Quartet)
First Place- Ivy Phillips and Chloe Shreve of Chapmansboro
Second Place- The Chunns of Greenbrier
Third Place- Gray and Rothwell of Smyrna
Dobro Guitar:
First Place-Rob Pearcy of Smyrna
Second Place-Elijah Jenkins of Wilder
Third Place-Robbie Harris of Rockvale
Mountain Dulcimer:
First Place-Tyler Andal of Nashville
Second Place-Christiana Joneikis of Shreve, Ohio
Third Place-Lynsey Nixon of Woodbury
Hammer Dulcimer:
First Place-Beth James of Newport
Second Place- Pamela Sanders of Sparta
Novelty Event:
First Place-Wailin Wood of Nashville
Second Place-Haint Hollow Hootenanny of Unionville
Third Place-Hillary Bevels of Shelbyville
Autoharp:
First Place- Kurt Stephenson of Dyersburg
Second Place-Bill Rothe of Estill Springs
Third Place-Bettye Kash of Cookeville
Gospel Singing (Solo):
First Place-Amanda McKenney of Cullman, Alabama
Second Place- Elizabeth Koegler of Smithville
Third Place-Sierra Ivie Tomlin of Springfield
Country Harmonica:
First Place-Wailin Wood of Nashville
Second Place- Ken Tenpenny of Murfreesboro
Third Place- Rob Pearcy of Smyrna
Old Time Banjo:
First Place- Tyler Andal of Nashville
Second Place- William See of Frankewing
Third Place- Rob Pearcy of Smyrna
Youth Square Dancing:
First Place-Main Stage Fusion of Springfield
Second Place- Main Stage Revolution of Smyrna
Third Place- Main Stage Explosion of Springfield
Gospel Singing (Duet, Trio, & Quartet):
First Place- New Hickory-Sandi Kay and Cassie Kay of Lebanon
Second Place- The Chunns of Greenbrier
Third Place- The Jenkins Family of Wilder
Mandolin:
First Place-Tyler Andal of Nashville
Second Place- Elijah Jenkins of Wilder
Third Place- Tyler Martelli of Chattanooga
Old Time Fiddle Band:
First Place-Uncle Shuffelo and His Haint Hollow Hootenanny of Unionville
Second Place- DeKalb County Hilltoppers of Dyersburg
Third Place- Flat Creek String Band of Shelbyville
The Fiddler’s Jamboree resumes at 9:00 a.m. today with preliminaries in the following categories:
Junior Old Time Appalachian Flatfoot dance (ages up to 39); Senior Old Time Appalachian Flatfoot dance ( ages 40 and over); Senior Buckdancing (ages 40 and over); Senior Clogging (ages 40 and over); Bluegrass Banjo; Junior Fiddlers (ages 13-39); Flat Top Guitar; Contest Fiddle for the Neil Dudney Award; Bluegrass Band; Senior Fiddlers (ages 40 and over); and Square Dancing (4 Couples-8 Total Dancers).
Preliminaries will be held in each event and then the top three finalists will be called back tonight to compete for first, second, and third place.
The winners of the Junior and Senior Fiddling competition will square off for the Grand Champion Award, the Berry C. Williams Memorial Trophy at the conclusion of the festival.
The Jamboree Blue Blaze Award will be presented at 11:00 a.m. to recognize a musician that is actively cultivating a love of bluegrass music. Darrin Vincent, of the award winning bluegrass gospel band, Dailey and Vincent is this year’s recipient.
Meanwhile, the National Championship for Country Musician Beginners will be held this afternoon during the Jamboree featuring competitions for children, up to age twelve, in the categories of Buck Dancing, Clogging, Dobro Guitar, Mandolin, Five String Banjo, Flat Top Guitar, and Fiddle.
Preliminaries will be held in each event and then the top three finalists will be brought back to compete for first, second, and third place.
WJLE will broadcast the on-stage entertainment LIVE on AM 1480/ FM 101.7 and LIVE streaming at www.wjle.com.
In addition to music and dancing competitions onstage, the Fiddlers Jamboree also features dozens of crafts displayed along the downtown streets, plenty of delicious foods for sale at local food booths, and lots of shade tree picking under tents around the town square.
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