2011 Complete List Winners of the Georgia’s Official State Fiddlers’ Convention Held During the Georgia Mountain Fall Festival

Event

Hiawassee, Ga. (October 15, 2011) – Contestants young and old from across the country gathered at the Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds during the annual Fall Festival to compete for Georgia’s annual Official State Fiddlers’ Convention.  Winners were declared in a variety of categories including Fiddler, harmonica, buck dancing, dulcimer, dobro, old-time banjo, senior fiddler, junior fiddler, bluegrass band, finger-style guitar, flat pick guitar, banjo and mandolin.  The event culminated with a rousing “Fiddle Off” between the winner of the junior and senior fiddler winners with Johnny Watts being named the “2011 Georgia Mountain Fiddle King.”

2011 Winners

Beginning Fiddle (Age 15 and younger)
1st Place: Emma DeJarnette - Snellville, Ga.
2nd Place: Samantha Cunningham - Versailles, Ky.
3rd Place: Carley Arrowood - Union Mills, Nc.

Harmonica
1st Place: Rob Pearcy - Smyrna, Tn.
2nd Place: Harold Mott - Plant City, Fl.
3rd Place: Gene Pendley - Canton, Ga.

Buck Dancing
1st Place: Callie Cantrell - Clermont, Ga.
2nd Place: Emma DeJarnette - Snellville, Ga.
3rd Place: Savannah Cantrell - Clermont, Ga.

Dulcimer
1st Place: Nathaniel Samsel - Clarksville, Ga.
2nd Place: Rob Pearcy - Smyrna, Tn.
3rd Place: Bobby Nobley - LaGrange, Ga.

Dobro
1st Place: Rob Pearcy - Smyrna, Tn.
2nd Place: Larry Weesmith - Jacksonville, Ga.
3rd Place: Smyrna, Tn.

Old Time Banjo
1st Place: Kyle Jarrard - Athens, Ga.
2nd Place: Rob Pearcy - Smyrna, Tn. 
3rd Place: Chris Gray - Smyrna, Tn.

Mandolin
1st Place: Jay Shuler - Ellijay, Ga.
2nd Place: Jeff Partain - Canton, Ga.
3rd Place: Jody Hughes - Canton, Ga.
4th Place: Bobby Nobley - LaGrange, Ga.

Banjo
1st Place: Jody Hughes - Canton, Ga.
2nd Place: Josh Hicks - Hartwell, Ga.
3rd Place: Weston Stewart - Anderson, Al.
4th Place: Brett Cantrell - Cherry Log, Ga.

Guitar – Flat Pick
1st Place: Jody Hughes - Canton, Ga.
2nd Place: Jay Shuler - Hayesville, Nc.
3rd Place: Josh Hicks - Canton, Ga.
4th Place: Greg Fleming - Hartwell, Ga.

Guitar – Finger Style
1st Place: Eli Rousey - Toccoa, Ga.
2nd Place: Sam Warnke - Dawsonville, Ga.
3rd Place: Derrill Scott - Franklin, Nc.
4th Place: Aaron Scott - Franklin, Nc.

Bluegrass Band
1st Place: Highway 60 - Cherry Log, Ga.
2nd Place: The Thomas Family Band - Nilliard, Fl.
3rd Place: The Georgia Highlanders

Junior Fiddler (Age 59 and under)
1st Place: Johnny Watts - Delta, Al.
2nd Place: Kenny Lambert - Lawrenceville, Ga.
3rd Place: Alex Thomlinson - Suches, Ga.
4th Place: Darrien Davis - Gainesville, Ga.

Senior Fiddler (Age 60 and above)
1st Place: Sharon Wenson - Dawsonville, Ga.
2nd Place: Kenneth Holder - Copperhill, Tn.


2011 Georgia Mountain Fiddle King
Johnny Watts - Delta, Al.

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