Denton Crowned Grand Champion Fiddler In Jamboree Beginners Competition

A Murfreesboro girl took home this year’s top Jamboree award as the best fiddler in the National Championship for Country Musician Beginners.
Maddie Denton 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.
Denton also 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-Maddie Denton of Murfreesboro. Second Place- Danielle Bishop of Fairview, North Carolina. Third Place- Alex Thomlinson of Suches, Georgia.
Buck Dancing: First Place- Emily Dean of Springfield. Second Place- Ty Jackson of Cedar Hill. Third Place- Tanner Dunn of Cookeville.
Clogging: First Place-Emily Dean of Springfield. Second Place- Ty Jackson of Cedar Hill. Third Place- Lindsay Batts of Ashland City..
Dobro Guitar: First Place-Seth Taylor of Bryson City, North Carolina. Second Place- Maddie Denton of Murfreesboro. These were the only two contestants in this category.
Mandolin: First Place-Sarah Jones of Smithville. Second Place- Grant Rigney of Normandy, Tennessee. Third Place- Emma DeJarnette of Snellville, Georgia.
Five String Banjo: First Place- Seth Taylor of Bryson City, North Carolina. Second Place- Maddie Denton of Murfreesboro. Third Place- Aaron Thompson of Benton, Kentucky.
Flat Top Guitar: First Place- Maddie Denton of Murfreesboro. Second Place- Tyler Sellers of Ashland City. Third Place- Andrew Rigney of Normandy, Tennessee.