Harpeth River of Franklin won the Square Dancing Competition Saturday night during the 46th annual Smithville Fiddler’s Jamboree and Crafts Festival.
(VIEW VIDEO BELOW OF THEIR PERFORMANCE SATURDAY NIGHT)

The Grand Champion Fiddler of the 46th annual Smithville Fiddler’s Jamboree and Crafts Festival is Ivy Phillips of Chapmansboro, Tennessee. She repeats as Champion after first winning the title last year.
(VIEW VIDEO BELOW OF HER PERFORMANCE IN THE FIDDLE OFF SATURDAY NIGHT)

Ivy Phillips of Chapmansboro, Tennessee has repeated as the Grand Champion Fiddler of the Smithville Fiddler’s Jamboree and Crafts Festival. Phillips, who won the title for the first time last year, took home the Berry C. Williams Memorial Award Saturday night after the Grand Finale Fiddle-Off between the best Junior and Senior Fiddler. The two day festival came to a close a few minutes before midnight.
Phillips made it to the fiddle off by winning, for the second year in a row, the Junior Fiddling competition and she won the Grand Championship by beating the winner of the Senior Fiddling contest Tony Haley of Mount Juliet. Phillips also repeated as the winner of the Contest Fiddle competition and the Neil Dudney Award. She received that award from members of Dudney’s family. Dudney is a former long time Coordinator of the Fiddler’s Jamboree.
Phillips is a two time Jamboree fiddling champion of the National Championship for Country Musician Beginners in 2012 and 2013.
Winners in the Saturday session of the Fiddler’s Jamboree are as follows:
Junior Old-Time Appalachian Flatfoot Dance (Ages up to 39): First Place-Chris Stewart of Lebanon; Second Place- Jason Wade of Paris, Tennessee; and Third Place- Hillary Klug of Shelbyville.
Senior Old-Time Appalachian Flatfoot Dance (Ages 40 & Over): First Place-Ruth Alpert of Santa Barbara, California; Second Place- Danny Campbell of Murfreesboro; and Third Place- Eileen Stewart of Cumberland City, Tennessee.
Senior Buck Dancing (Ages 40 & Over): First Place- Ruth Alpert of Santa Barbara, California; Second Place Traci Warren of Burns, Tennessee; and Third Place-Tommie Scruggs, Jr. of Hartsville.
Senior Clogging (Ages 40 & Over): First Place-Tammy Scruggs of Gallatin; Second Place- Darrin Stryker of Crossville; and Third Place- Tommy Jackson of Franklin.
Bluegrass Banjo: First Place-Tyler Collins of Allons, Tennessee; Second Place-Trevor Holder of Ringgold, Georgia; and Third Place- Kurt Stephenson of Dyersburg
Junior Fiddlers (Ages 13-39): First Place-Ivy Phillips of Chapmansboro; Second Place- Hillary Klug of Shelbyville; and Third Place- Tyler Andal of Nashville.
Flat Top Guitar: First Place- Tyler Andal of Nashville; Second Place-Ivy Phillips of Chapmansboro; and Third Place-Daniel Amick of Centerville.
Contest Fiddle (Neil Dudney Award): First Place- Ivy Phillips of Chapmansboro; Second Place- Tyler Andal of Nashville; and Third Place- Hillary Klug of Shelbyville. The Neil Dudney Award was presented to Phillips by Dudney’s grandsons Dylan, Ethan, and Brandon Shaw and great grandson Carson Shaw.
Bluegrass Band: First Place- Mountain Cove Bluegrass of Signal Mountain; Second Place- Lonesome Highway of Bumpus Mills, Tennessee; and Third Place-Blue Collar Bluegrass of Sparta.
Senior Fiddlers ( Ages 40 & Over): First Place- Tony Haley of Mount Juliet; Second Place- Marcia Denton of Murfreesboro; and Third Place- Richard Dahl of Logan, New Mexico
Square Dancing: First Place-Harpeth River of Franklin; Second Place- Rhythym N Motion of Cookeville ; and Third Place- Sarah’s Stompers of Dickson.
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.
(VIEW VIDEO BELOW OF SATURDAY’S SQUARE DANCING WINNER HARPETH RIVER OF FRANKLIN)

The National Championship for Country Musician Beginners showcases the talents of children up to age twelve in seven categories of competition.
(VIEW SEPARATE STORY FOR PHOTOS OF WINNERS)
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 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.

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.

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