The 14th Appalachian String Band Music Festival at Camp Washington-Carver in Clifftop, W.Va., wrapped up Sunday, Aug. 3, 2003. During the event, some of the nation’s finest string band musicians and old-time dancers won prizes in four old-time “traditional” contests—fiddle, banjo, string band and flat-foot dance—plus one “non-traditional” string band contest.
More than 3,000 people attended the festival, which began Wednesday, July 30. The annual gathering features concerts, contests, crafts, dancing and workshops. Next year’s festival will be held Aug. 4-8, 2004.
The contest winners were:
Fiddle
1st place ($400) - Mark Simos of Watertown, Mass.
2nd place ($200) - Rayna Gellert of Asheville, N.C.
3rd place ($150) - Trevor Stuart of Canton, N.C.
4th place ($100) - Bob Herring of Traverse City, Mich.
5th place ($50) - Rich Hartness of Greensboro, N.C.
Youth Fiddle Honors - 15 years of age and under
1st place ($100) - Jarred Nutter of Meadow Bridge, W.Va.
2nd place ($50) - Justine Parker of Edinboro, Pa.
3rd place ($25) - Isaac Akers of Carrboro, N.C.
Senior Fiddle Honors - 60 years of age and over
1st place ($200) - Lester McCumbers of Nicut, W.Va.
2nd place ($100) - Roy Tolliver Sr. of Arlington, Va.
3rd place ($50) - Jimmy McCown of Hardy, Ky.
Banjo
1st place ($400) - Adam Hurt of Greensboro, N.C.
2nd place ($200) - Kate Brett of Beltsville, Md.
3rd place ($150) - Jake Owen of Marshall, N.C.
4th place ($100) - Bob Smakula of Elkins, W.Va.
5th place ($50) - Mac Benford of Trumansburg, N.Y.
Youth Banjo Honors - 15 years of age and under
1st place ($100) - Joanna Hartness of Greensboro, N.C.
2nd place ($50) - Katherine Gura of Chapel Hill, N.C.
3rd place ($25) - Jarred Nutter of Meadow Bridge, W.Va.
Senior Banjo Honors - 60 years of age and over
1st place ($200) - Mac Benford of Trumansburg, N.Y.
2nd place ($100) - Diane Jones of Massey, Md.
3rd place ($50) - Ray Alden of Croton, N.Y.
Traditional Band
1st place ($700) - Hoover Uprights of Beltsville, Md.
2nd place ($400) - Slate Mountain Bobcats of Mount Airy, N.C.
3rd place ($300) - Haywire Gang of Ithaca, N.Y.
4th place ($200) - New Ballard’s Branch Bogtrotters of Fries,
Va.
5th place ($100) - Cliffhangers of Watertown, Mass.
Non-Traditional Band
1st place ($700) - Mando Mafia of Barboursville, Va.
2nd place ($400) - Sandia Hots of Denver, Colo.
3rd place ($300) - Tulip Bandits of Charlottsville, Va.
4th place ($200) - Code 437 of Evanston, Ill.
5th place ($100) - The Hula Cats of Asheville, N.C.
Old-Time Flat-Foot Dance - ages 15 and under
1st place ($75) - Saralyn Miller of Centerville, Tenn.
2nd place ($50) - Emily Johnson-Erday of Beaverville, N.C.
3rd place ($25) - Trinity Kronk of Sewickley, Pa.
Old-Time Flat-Foot Dance - ages 16 through 49
1st place ($75) - Andy Deaver-Edmonston of Tucker, Ga.
2nd place ($50) - Nic Garuss of Mount Pleasant, Mich.
3rd place ($25) - Kathie Casper of Soldiers Grove, Wis.
Old-Time Flat-Foot Dance - 50 years of age and over
1st place ($75) - Thomas Maypin of Murfreesboro, Tenn.
2nd place ($50) - Mary Butner of Winston-Salem, N.C.
3rd place ($25) - Charley Burton of Harmony, Pa.
Camp Washington-Carver is located adjacent to Babcock State Park just off Rt. 60 (Midland Trail) on Rt. 41.
The Appalachian String Band Music Festival is a program of the West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History. For more information call (304) 558-0220.
The West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History, an agency of the West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History, brings together the state’s past, present and future through programs and services in the areas of archives and history, the arts, historic preservation and museums. Visit the Division’s website at www.wvculture.org for more information about programs of the Division. The Department of Arts, Culture and History is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.
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Ginny Painter
Director of Public Information
West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History
The Cultural Center
1900 Kanawha Boulevard, East
Charleston, WV 25305-0300
Phone (304) 558-0220
Fax (304) 558-2779
ginny.painter@wvculture.org