The 53rd Annual Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree and Crafts Festival is in the books, and tourist and local residents experienced a nice weekend, despite a wet start early Friday morning. The festivities were delayed for more than an hour, but the rain cleared and lower humidity dominated the rest of the weekend.
The weekend event ended with the crowning of this year’s fiddle champion, who came out on top in the Fiddle-Off competition Saturday evening. The 2024 Grand Fiddle-Off Champion would be Tyler Andal of Nashville, who took home the Berry C. Williams Memorial. The Fiddle-Off was sponsored by the Williams Family.
The award was presented by Darrin Vincent, Grand Ole Opry star and former Jamboree Blue Blaze recipient. Vincent announced that Andal would be invited by the Grand Ole Opry to play a ‘fiddle tune’ for the Opry square dancers’ performance during a selected show.
Andal advanced to the Fiddle-Off by besting two Junior Fiddle competitors, then facing the Senior Fiddle winner Heather Brown Curry, a past Fiddler’s Jamboree Grand Champion, for the grand prize. It is the 13th year in a row that a Junior Fiddler has won the top prize.
In addition to being the fiddle champion, Andal also earned several other awards, taking first place for Junior Fiddling, Flat Top Guitar, Contest Fiddle (The Neil Dudney Memorial Award), Old Time Banjo, and Mandolin, and second place in the Dobro Guitar competition.
Competitions began on Friday, ending around 11 am on Saturday. While competitions took place all through the day on Friday, the official opening ceremony was held Friday evening at 6 p.m., beginning with a prayer by State Representative Michael Hale and a rendition of the National Anthem by a fiddler as the Smithville Fire Department presented colors. As always, hometown favorite the Smithville Community Chorus wowed the crowd with their patriotic performance and dancing.
After a few more competitions, Cutter & Cash & The Kentucky Grass, including reigning fiddle champion Noah Goebel, later performed for the crowd.
Friday evening concluded with preliminaries and finals in sixteen categories of music and dance competition.
In the Old Time Appalachian Folk Singing (Solo), sponsored by Hywater Title, first-place was awarded to Lily Goebel of Elkton, KY, while second-place went to Larry Chunn of Greenbrier. The third-place winner was Smithville’s own Sarah Cripps.
In Junior Clogging (Ages 13-39), sponsored by Hidden Harbor Marina, first place was awarded to Jacob Fennell of Dickson, with second place going to Gary Giles of Franklin. Third place went to Trebel Chunn of Greenbrier.
For Junior Buck Dancing (Ages 13-39), sponsored by Gammon, Drueck & Watson CPAs, the first-place award went to Jacob Fennell of Dickson, while Trebel Chunn of Greenbrier took second-place. The third-place winner was Jamie Hash of Walland.
Old Time Appalachian Folksinging (Duet, Trio, Quartet), sponsored by Hutchins Auto Sales, Branum Twins of Rockvale won first place, second place went to Marshall Murphy of Knoxville.
In Dobro Guitar, sponsored by Evins Mill Retreat & Resort, first place was awarded to Joey Gipson of Manchester, while second place went to Tyler Andal of Nashville. Third place was presented to Robbie Harris of Rockvale.
For Mountain Dulcimer, sponsored by Fluty’s, first-place was presented to Tyler Andal of Nashville, with second-place awarded to Rob Pearcy of Smyrna. Third-place went to Eric Cameron of Adairville, KY.
The Hammer Dulcimer competition, sponsored by Kilgore’s Restaurant, first-place award went to Nicole Tressler of Madison, AL, while second-place was given to Lisa Tressler of Madison, AL.
In the Novelty Event, sponsored by Center Hill Realty, first-place was awarded to Steve Holladay of Holladay, TN, with second-place going to The Tiny Rice Unit of Rockvale. Third-place was presented to Two Dave’s & Two Tall of Brush Creek.
For Autoharp, sponsored by The Purple Door, first-place went to Bill Rothe of Estill Springs, with second-place presented to Pamela Sanders of Sparta. The third-place winner was Evie Waddell of Madison, AL.
The Gospel Singing (Solo), sponsored by DeKalb County Florist, saw Lily Goebel of Elkton, KY take first-place, while second-place went to Larry Chunn of Greenbrier. Third-place went to Angelica Branum of Murfreesboro.
The Country Harmonica top award, sponsored by Hohner Harmonica, went to Terry Bartlett of Gallatin, with second-place going to crowd favorite Rob Pearcy of Smyrna. Third-place was presented to Tyler Martelli of Chattanooga.
In the Old Time Banjo category, sponsored by Hyundai of Cookeville, first-Place went to Tyler Andal of Nashville, second-place to Daniel Rothwell of Smyrna, and third-Place to Conner Derryberry of Shelbyville.
For the Youth Square Dancing, sponsored by Ranger Brake, Tennessee Rhythm of Greenbrier took first-place, while DeKalb Dancin’ Delights of Smithville won second. Third-place was awarded to Harpeth River of Franklin.
Gospel Singing (Duet, Trio, & Quartet) competition, sponsored by State Representative Michael Hale, saw the Branum Twins of Rockvale take first-place, The Mooneyham Family of Spencer take second, and Bowman & Ealey of Cookeville win third.
In the Mandolin category, sponsored by DeKalb Title, first-place was given to Tyler Andal of Nashville, second-place to Noah Goebel of Elkton, KY, and third-place to Rob Pearcy of Smyrna.
For the Old Time Fiddle Band, sponsored by the Tennessee Entertainment Commission, The Slim Chance Band of Smyrna won the top spot, the Clarence Carter Family of Rockvale took second, and Muddy Branch Layabouts of Manchester placed third.
The competitions began again early Saturday with another full slate of musicians taking the stage. The award for National Championship for Country Musician Beginners went to Ella Derby of Franklin. She took home the James G. “Bobo” Driver Memorial Award, named for the man who started the children’s competition during the 1980s. Members of Mr. Driver’s family sponsored and presented the award. Noah Fennell of Dickson, Callie Doerfel of Murfreesboro won second, while third went to Lacy Franklin of McEwen.
Another big award, the Nolan Turner Memorial Entertainer of the Year award, went to Callie Doerfel of Murfreesboro. The award was sponsored by the Turner family, is presented to the best overall instrumental entertainer among winners in the dobro guitar, mandolin, five string banjo, and flat top guitar competition.
Turner passed away in October 2017 and was a long-time Fiddlers’ Jamboree supporter and photographer. Doerfel won first-place in the five-string banjo competition and second both flat top guitar and dobro guitar. She was second-place winner in the beginner buck dancing and clogging contests.
In other competitions, the Beginner Buck Dancing category, sponsored by Security Finance, first-place went to Noah Fennell of Dickson, while second went to Callie Doerfel of Murfreesboro. Third was awarded to Lacy Franklin of McEwen.
For Beginner Clogging, sponsored by Attorney Matt Boss, M.J. Spurlock of Lebanon won first, Callie Doerfel of Murfreesboro took second, and Colette Rainwater of Murfreesboro took third.
In Beginner Dobro Guitar, sponsored by Cheryl’s Beau Bees, first-place was presented to Kade Stewart of Anderson, AL, and Callie Doerfel of Murfreesboro took second.
For Beginner Mandolin, sponsored by Luton’s Media, the top award went to Stephen Stewart of Monterey, second to Silas Pegg of Gallatin, and third to Kade Stewart of Anderson, AL.
The Beginner Five String Banjo competition, sponsored by Risher Roofing, saw Callie Doerfel of Murfreesboro claim first, Immanuel Roberts of Fort Payne , AL, second, and Kade Stewart of Anderson, AL, take third.
In Beginner Flat Top Guitar, sponsored by The Vintage Owl, first was presented to Immanuel Roberts of Fort Payne, AL, second to Callie Doerfel of Murfreesboro, and third Regan Ray of Bloomington.
After the beginner awards, more competitions began.
In the Junior Old-Time Appalachian Flatfoot Dance competition (Ages up to 39), sponsored by Apex Contracting Services, Jacob Fennell of Dickson won first-place, while second-place was presented to Colleena Ralston of Lebanon. Third-place went to Keith Symanowitz of Mountain View, AR.
For Senior Old-Time Appalachian Flatfoot Dance (Ages 40 & over), sponsored by DeKalb County Farm Bureau, Anthony Harrell of Mount Juliet won the top spot, with Tammy Scruggs of Lebanon taking second. Third-Place was given to Danny Campbell of Murfreesboro.
In Senior Buck Dancing (Ages 40 & over), sponsored by DeKalb County Florist, first-place went to Jason Wade of Paris, TN, second-place to Anthony Harrell of Mount Juliet, and third to Danny Campbell of Murfreesboro.
The Senior Clogging (Ages 40 & over), sponsored by Attorney Gayla Hendrix, saw Heather Brown Curry of Springfield take first, Jason Wade of Paris, TN, second, and third was presented to Anthony Harrell of Mount Juliet.
In Duo Clogging, sponsored by Curtis Supply, first-place was given to Foster and Hash of Cookeville, second-place Patterson and Clark of Orlinda, and third to Ralston and Street of Lebanon.
For Bluegrass Banjo, sponsored by Deering Banjo, first-place was awarded to Joey Gipson of Manchester, second-place to Weston Stewart of Anderson, AL, and third to Derek Stone of Chattanooga.
Andal won the Junior Fiddlers (Ages 13-39) competition, while second Place went Trenton Caruthers of Cookeville. Third was presented to Eric Cameron of Adairville, KY.
In Flat Top Guitar, sponsored by the Arts Garage, Andal took the top spot, while second-place went to Rob Pearcy of Smyrna. Third was given to Nick Norris of Denton, TX
The newest category, Contest Fiddle (Neil Dudney Memorial Award), sponsored by the Dudney Family, saw Andal take the top prize, while second-place went to Bonnie Norris of Denton, TX. Third-place was awarded to Kadence Edington of Nashville.
The Neil Dudney Award was presented by Dudney’s daughter Janet England, two of his grandchildren, Ethan and Brandon Shaw, great grandson Carson Shaw and great granddaughter Addah. Dudney had served as President and Coordinator of the Fiddlers Jamboree for 16 years until he stepped down in 2008. He passed away in October 2018.
The Bluegrass Band competition, sponsored by the Male Room Brotique, saw The Unofficial Smithville Fiddlers of Smithville win the top prize, while the Flatt Earthers of Rockvale claimed second. Third went to the Radio Boys of Cookeville.
Heather Brown Curry won the Senior Fiddlers competition (Ages 40 & over), sponsored by the Smithville Review, with Curry moving on to the Fiddle-Off. Second-place went to Bonnie Norris of Denton, TX, while third was won by Tony Haley of Mount Juliet.
The crowd favorite Square Dancing competition, sponsored by DTC Communications, saw Jackson Hollow of Franklin take first, while second-place went to Tennessee Dance Alliance of Mount Juliet. Third-place went to the hometown heroes of the event, Smithville Select.
After the Berry C. Williams Memorial was presented, dancers and musicians joined on stage to close out the event with some music and dance.
Photos:
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Jamboree_Fiddle Champ1 – Tyler Andal (left) won seven awards from the 53rd annual Smithville Fiddlers Jamboree including the Berry C. Williams Memorial Fiddling Title. Andal was presented the award by Darrin Vincent, of Dailey & Vincent (right), who told the crowd that Andal will be invited to perform at the Grand Ole Opry. Rob Pearcy (center) accompanied Andal on guitar during his performance and is a long-time participant of the Jamboree.
Jamboree_Fiddle_Champ2 – Tylar Andal wowed the crowd and the judges during the Fiddle-Off to come away with the Fiddle Championship.
