A boy from Normandy, Tennessee took home this year’s top Jamboree award as the best fiddler in the National Championship for Country Musician Beginners.
Grant Rigney 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.
Rigney 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- Grant Rigney of Normandy, Tennessee; Second Place- Cole McCracken of Floyds Knob, Indiana; and Third Place- Conner McCracken of Floyds Knob, Indiana..
Buck Dancing: First Place- Sierra Tomlin of Springfield; Second Place- Raygan Sellers of Ashland City; and Third Place- Kelcy Tomlin of Springfield.
Clogging: First Place-Sierra Tomlin of Springfield; Second Place- Shelby Dunn of Fairview; and Third Place- Raygan Sellers of Ashland City.
Dobro Guitar: First Place- Adam Keckritz of Tullahoma; Second Place- Cole McCracken of Floyds Knob, Indiana; and Third Place- Frances DiGiovanni of Greenbrier..
Mandolin: First Place-Kyle Ramey of North Vernon, Indiana; Second Place- Grant Rigney of Normandy, Tennessee; and Third Place- Aaron Clegg of Monroe,Georgia.
Five String Banjo: First Place-Aaron Clegg of Monroe, Georgia; Second Place- Adam Keckritz of Tullahoma, and Third Place- Kyle Ramey of North Vernon, Indiana.
Flat Top Guitar: First Place- Grant Rigney of Normandy, Tennessee; Second Place-Abby Ward of Columbia; and Third Place- Kati Huntley of Loretto, Tennessee.
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