The Tennessee Mafia Jug Band became the fourth annual recipient of the Fiddlers’ Jamboree’s “Blue Blaze Award” Saturday evening.
Members of the band received the award from Fiddlers’ Jamboree Coordinator Sam Stout and Shan Burklow, who introduced the group. The band then entertained the Jamboree crowd.
The Fiddler’s Jamboree “Blue Blaze Award” is given to a musician or band who is actively cultivating a love of bluegrass music. Previous winners are Darrin Vincent of Dailey and Vincent, Sierra Hull, and Danny Roberts of the Grascals.
The Tennessee Mafia Jug Band includes guitar picker Mike Armistead, banjo player Leroy Troy, fiddler Dan Kelly, Ernie Sykes, Kent Blanton on the bass fiddle, and Dobro player Mike Webb. The overalls-clad band has appeared on the Opry, at Washington, D.C.’s Kennedy Center, at The Station Inn and at numerous other venues, playing boisterous songs like “Too Old to Cut the Mustard,” “What a Waste of Good Corn Liquor” and “Slide Them Jugs Down the Mountain.”
This frolicking sixsome brightens up the stage with rib-tickling old time tunes. They not only know the music, they wear the costumes, tell corny jokes, and even do slapstick gags.
Leroy Troy is a regular on the weekly Marty Stuart television show on RFD TV and the entire band is often featured on the show.
(VIEW VIDEO OF THE PERFORMANCE BELOW)
M2U02481 from dwayne page on Vimeo.

An Indiana man was the overall winner of the 19th Annual Fiddler 5K and One-Mile Fun Run Saturday in Smithville.
Sean Edwards of Carmel, Indiana ran the course in 19:27.
Meanwhile Brooklyn Edwards of Carmel, Indiana won the race among females. She ran the course in 19:46
Winners in other categories were:
TOP MALE MASTERS (Age 40 and older): Lee Piccirillo of Murfreesboro at 21:21
TOP FEMALE MASTERS (Age 40 and older): Tracy Watson at 22:42
One-Mile Fun Run (age 12 and younger) winners:
TOP MALE: Jon Andrew Bryson of Woodbury at 7:25
TOP FEMALE: Claire Evans of Alamo, Tennessee at 7:42
The 19th Annual Fiddler 5K and One-Mile Fun Run featured 324 participants.
Funds raised will support Habitat for Humanity of DeKalb County
To learn more visit www.fiddler5k.com

A Henry, Tennessee girl won the top Jamboree award Saturday as the best fiddler in the National Championship for Country Musician Beginners.
Iris Shepherd 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. Driver’s son Jimmy Driver and granddaughter Kim Luton presented the award to Shepherd.
Meanwhile Brayden Chunn of Greenbriar was named “Entertainer of the Year”. The award is presented to the best overall instrumental entertainer among winners in the dobro guitar, mandolin, five string banjo, and flat top guitar competition.
Chunn placed first in the Mandolin and Clogging competition; second in Dobro Guitar and Buck Dancing, and third place in the Fiddle and Flat Top Guitar contests.
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- Iris Shepherd of Henry, Tennessee; Second Place- Hailey Bryant of Grenbriar; and Third Place- Brayden Chunn of Greenbriar.
Buck Dancing: First Place- Kaelin Wade of Paris, Tennessee; Second Place- Brayden Chunn of Greenbrier, and Third Place- Jacob Ferrell of Dickson
Clogging: First Place- Brayden Chunn of Greenbrier; Second Place- Arlee Fowlkes of Hurricane Mills, Tennessee; and Third Place- Emily Brown of Hartsville.
Dobro Guitar: First Place- Maddie McKenney of Cullman, Alabama; Second Place- Brayden Chunn of Greenbriar; and Third Place- Darrah Ramsey of Smithville.
Mandolin: First Place-Brayden Chunn of Greenbriar; Second Place-Maddie McKenney of Cullman, Alabama; and Third Place- Kevin Beddingfield of Flag Pond, Tennessee.
Five String Banjo: First Place- Conner Derryberry of Shelbyville; Second Place- Cooper Brown of Smithville; and Third Place- Kevin Beddingfield of Flag Pond, Tennessee
Flat Top Guitar: First Place- Robert Wheeler of Smithville; Second Place-Mary Davis of Knoxville; and Third Place- Brayden Chunn of Greenbriar
The Fiddler’s Jamboree will conclude later tonight.
Finals are upcoming 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)
*Square Dancing (4 Couples-8 Total Dancers).
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 5:00 p.m. to recognize a band that is actively cultivating a love of bluegrass music. This year’s winner is the Tennessee Mafia Jug Band.
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 trees around the town square.

Uncle Shuffelo and his Haint Hollow Hootenanny of Unionville won the Old Time Fiddle Band competition at the Fiddlers Jamboree Friday.
(VIEW VIDEO OF PERFORMANCE DURING PRELIMINARIES ON FRIDAY)

Community Chorus Entertained with a patriotic performance during the Jamboree welcome program Friday evening.
(VIEW PORTION OF THE PERFORMANCE BELOW)

Main Stage Explosion of Pleasant View, Tennessee won the Youth Square Dancing competition at the 46th annual Smithville Fiddlers Jamboree and Crafts Festival Friday night.
(View Video Below of their Performance in the Finals)
M2U02478 from dwayne page on Vimeo.

Performers picked, sang, and danced all day Friday until around 10:30 p.m. during the first day of the 46th annual Smithville Fiddler’s Jamboree and Crafts Festival.
The jamboree opened Friday morning with Lloyd Tisdale doing a little dance accompanied by a band even though he had to use a walker to access the stage.
State Representatives Terri Lynn Weaver and Mark Pody presented flags flown over the state capitol to two Jamboree visitors Friday evening. Pam Muller of Eugene Oregon received a Tennessee State flag and Oren Kagan of Mount Juliet was awarded a United States flag. He was born in Israel.
Following a Jamboree welcome Friday evening from Coordinator Sam Stout and an introduction of local public officials, the Community Chorus entertained the crowd with a patriotic program. Stout, who became the new Jamboree Coordinator in February, presented a plaque to former Coordinator Jack Barton for his years of devoted service to the Jamboree as Coordinator. Barton remains a member of the Jamboree Board of Directors. Members of the Smithville Volunteer Fire Department presented colors to begin the Jamboree welcome Friday evening.
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-Ivy Phillips of Chapmansboro, Tennessee
Second Place- Maddie McKenney of Cullman, Alabama
Third Place-Michael Klug of Shelbyville
*Junior Clogging (Ages 13-39):
First Place-Kody M. Hash of Walland, Tennessee
Second Place- Sierra Ivie Tomlin of Springfield
Third Place-Tanner Dunn of Cookeville
*Junior Buck Dancing (Ages 13-39):
First Place- Chris Stewart of Lebanon
Second Place-Sierra Ivie Tomlin of Springfield
Third Place-Kody M. Hash of Walland, Tennessee
*Old Time Appalachian Folksinging (Duet, Trio, Quartet)
First Place- – The McKenneys of Cullman, Alabama
Second Place- Daniel and Elizabeth Seber of Smithville
Third Place- Suff Hollar Ramblers of Mount Juliet
*Dobro Guitar:
First Place-Chad Davis of Sparta
Second Place-Makala Carr of Rickman
Third Place-Ivy Phillips of Chapmansboro
*Mountain Dulcimer:
First Place-Keith Oler of Murphy, North Carolina
Second Place-Tyler Andal of Nashville
Third Place-Donita Brown of Springfield
*Hammer Dulcimer:
First Place-Betty J. Groulx of Arcadia, Florida
Second Place-Daniel Amick of Centerville
*Novelty Event:
First Place- David Turner of Alexandria
Second Place-Hillary Klug of Shelbyville
Third Place-Ivy and Tyler of Nashville
*Autoharp:
First Place- Logan Purtear of Hixson
Second Place-Betty J. Groulx of Arcadia, Florida
Third Place-Kurt Stephenson of Dyersburg
*Gospel Singing (Solo):
First Place-Amanda McKenney of Cullman, Alabama
Second Place- Annabella Dakas of Smithville
Third Place-Eryn Jenkins of Wilder, Tennessee
*Country Harmonica:
First Place-Daniel Amick of Centerville
Second Place-Tyler Martelli of Chattanooga
Third Place- Rob Pearcy of Smyrna
*Old Time Banjo:
First Place- Daniel Amick of Centerville
Second Place- Tyler Andal of Nashville
Third Place- Conner Derryberry of Shelbyville
*Youth Square Dancing:
First Place- Main Stage Explosion of Pleasant View
Second Place- Little Texas of Franklin
Third Place-Jackson Hollow of Franklin
*Gospel Singing (Duet, Trio, & Quartet):
First Place- Eryn Jenkins and group of Wilder, Tennessee
Second Place- Lonesome Tradition of Cookeville
Third Place-Harvey Brownsmith and group of Signal Mountain
*Mandolin:
First Place-Ivy Phillips of Chapmansboro
Second Place- Daniel Amick of Centerville
Third Place-Tyler Andal of Nashville
*Old Time Fiddle Band:
First Place-Uncle Shuffelo and his Haint Hollow Hootenanny of Unionville
Second Place-Puddle Jumpers of Dyersburg
Third Place- Slim Chance Band of Smyrna
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)
*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 5:00 p.m. to recognize a band that is actively cultivating a love of bluegrass music. This year’s winner is the Tennessee Mafia Jug Band.
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 trees around the town square.

The Tennessee State Fire Marshal’s Office reminds Tennesseans of a simple, yet significant tip for safer Fourth of July celebrations: Let the pros handle the fireworks.
With a multitude of professional displays scheduled for the Fourth, including one of the nation’s largest in Nashville, there’s no shortage of festive and colorful fireworks to enjoy in Tennessee. State fire officials urge Tennesseans to take part in these professionally run events instead of risking their lives and possibly breaking the law by detonating fireworks themselves.
“The State Fire Marshal’s Office wants consumers to stay safe as they celebrate our nation’s independence with family and friends,” State Fire Marshal and Commerce & Insurance Commissioner Julie Mix McPeak said. “To avoid the risk of injury and property damage associated with consumer fireworks, we encourage Tennesseans to join other community members in attending a public display put on by trained and licensed professionals.”
Each July 4th, thousands of people, most often children and teens, are injured while using consumer fireworks according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). In addition to injuries, fireworks can devastate homes and property. Since 2013, fireworks have caused over $1 million in property damage in Tennessee according to state fire data.
Shooting fireworks at home requires that consumers learn their local fireworks laws. Tennessee’s counties and most of its cities have ordinances and restrictions regarding fireworks usage. Before detonating any firework, the State Fire Marshal’s Office urges residents to check with their local police and fire department to determine the local laws about fireworks.
A 2007 Tennessee law prevents children under 16 from purchasing fireworks; and those who are age 16 or 17 must present a photo ID to purchase them.
State legislation passed in 2011 reclassified sky lanterns as special fireworks exclusively for use by individuals with a professional license (certified flame effect operator, certified outdoor display operator or certified proximate pyrotechnic operator). The general public cannot purchase or use sky lanterns. If a sky lantern is found in the possession of someone who does not have a professional license issued by the State Fire Marshal’s Office, the device can be confiscated and later destroyed.
A law passed in 2015 prohibits flying a drone (unmanned aircraft) above an outdoor ticketed event with more than 100 people, or in the vicinity of a fireworks display site, without the permission of the event operator.
If consumer fireworks are legal where you live and you decide to set them off on your own, be sure to follow these important safety tips:
• Never allow children to handle or ignite fireworks.
• Read and follow all warnings and instructions.
• Never place any part of your body directly over a fireworks device when lighting the fuse. Back up to a safe distance immediately after lighting fireworks.
• Wear eye protection.
• Be sure other people are out of range before lighting fireworks.
• Never throw or point fireworks at people or animals.
• Only light fireworks outdoors on a smooth, flat surface away from homes, dry leaves and flammable materials.
• Never try to relight fireworks that have not fully functioned.
• Keep a bucket of water and a garden hose nearby in case of a malfunction or fire.
• Sparklers are not toys and cause hundreds of injuries every year. Sparklers burn hot, can reach temperatures as high as 1,200° F, and stay hot long after they’ve burned out. You wouldn’t hand a matchbook or lighter to a child to wave or play with – so, don’t give a child a sparkler.
For more fire safety information, download and print the State Fire Marshal’s home fire safety checklist. Tennessee residents can request a free smoke alarm by visiting www.tn.gov/fire.

The DeKalb County jobless rate for the month of May is 3.8%, down from 4.9% in April and below the rate of 4.8% in May, 2016.
The local labor force for May was 7,540. A total of 7,250 were employed and 290 were without work.
Jobless rates for May among the fourteen counties in the Upper Cumberland region were as follows from highest to lowest:
Jackson:4.5%
Pickett:4.2%
Clay: 4%
DeKalb:3.8%
Fentress:3.7%
Van Buren: 3.5%
Cumberland: 3.4%
Cannon:3.4%
Overton: 3.3%
White: 3.2%
Putnam: 3%
Warren: 3%
Macon:2.8%
Smith: 2.7%
Following the lowest state unemployment rate in nearly 20 years, Tennessee’s county unemployment rates for May 2017 have decreased in 94 counties and remained the same in 1, according to data released today by the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD).
Davidson County has the state’s lowest major metropolitan rate at 2.1 percent, a decline from 2.7 percent during the prior month. Knox County’s rate is 2.5 percent, decreasing from April’s 3.1 percent. Hamilton County declined from its previous month’s rate of 3.6 to 2.9 percent while Shelby County has an unemployment rate of 3.5 percent, a decrease from 4.4 percent in April.
“We continue to see a substantial drop in the unemployment rate of our metropolitan areas, which is great,” said TDLWD Commissioner Burns Phillips. “But the most encouraging numbers are coming from Tennessee’s distressed counties, many of which saw a significant drop in their unemployment rates.”
Rhea County’s 5.1 percent makes it the only area in the state with an unemployment rate above 5.0 percent in May. That figure represents a 1.5 percent drop from its revised April 2017 rate, one of the largest rate decreases for the month. The remaining 94 counties have unemployment rates of 4.8 percent or lower. Cannon County was the only area not experiencing any change.
“This shows that job growth in Tennessee isn’t exclusive to our major metropolitan areas; people are returning to the workforce in every corner of our state,” Commissioner Phillips said. “We continue to focus our resources on those Tennesseans who are still out of work, but the numbers show we are making progress.”
Preliminary unemployment rates have fallen for both Tennessee and the United States. Decreasing by seven-tenths of a percentage point, the state rate is 4.0 percent for May. The national rate fell a tenth of a percentage point to 4.3 percent for the month.
The state and national unemployment rates are seasonally adjusted, while the county unemployment rates are not. Seasonal adjustment is a statistical technique that eliminates the influences of weather, holidays, opening and closing of schools, and other recurring seasonal events from economic time series.

Many new laws will take effect in Tennessee on July 1, but the impact you’re likely to see most directly is at the pump.
Gas taxes are going up through the IMPROVE Act, Gov. Bill Haslam’s plan to work on a multi-billion dollar backlog of road projects.
The tax on a gallon of gas is going up by 4 cents on July 1, and then 1 cent each of the following two years, adding up to 6 cents total.
The tax on diesel fuel is going up by a total of 10 cents over the next three years.
There’s also a $5 increase in the cost to register your car.
The gas tax increases are offset by several other tax cuts, the most notable of which is on groceries. The tax will drop from 5 percent to 4 percent.
(CLICK LINK BELOW TO VIEW NEW LAWS TAKING EFFECT IN TENNESSEE JULY 1, 2017)
https://docs.google.com/viewerng/viewer?url=www.capitol.tn.gov/legislati…