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Youth Fiddle first place winner Isaiah Imperiale - Submitted

Ralph Pennington Master Fiddler Award - Charlie Tolbert

First Place Adult Bluegrass Band - Fairfield Bluegrass

First Place Adult Bluegrass Gospel Band - Crossroads Bluegrass

First Place Youth Bluegrass Band - Terry Family Band

First Place Youth Bluegrass Gospel Band 4 Walls -

Livengood Award winner Gabriel Webster - Submitted

Honoree Gary "Buddy Michaels" Branchaud - Submitted

By Vivian Hopkins

For the Salisbury Post

The Granite Quarry Civitan Club hosted the 58th annual Fiddlers Convention on Saturday at East Rowan High School, with bands and individuals from the foothills of the Blue Ridge to the eastern Piedmont regions competing in traditional bluegrass and bluegrass gospel music.

The youth categories were well represented with the first-place winner in the fiddle competition, Isaiah Imperiale of Thomasville, only 10 years old. The event included kids competing from the Appalachian Jam Program, Carolina Folkworks, Ron’s Pickin’ Parlor, and individual instructors from all over the Carolinas. The instructors from these programs are doing a great job of mentoring and passing on traditional bluegrass music to the next generation. The winner of the Don and Margaret Livengood Best Over-all Youth Performer was Gabriel Webster of Faith. The winner of the Ralph Pennington Master Fiddler Award was Charlie Tolbert of Purlear.

Gary “Buddy Michaels’ Branchaud, was honored for his 50 years in broadcasting.

The Civitan Club also sold BBQ Chicken dinners, hamburgers, hotdogs and desserts as part of the fundraiser that benefits local and regional charities. 

Youth categories

Bluegrass Band

1. Terry Family Band
2. Carolina Young Folk

Bluegrass Gospel Band

1. 4 Walls

Fiddle

1. Isaiah Imperiale
2. Lydia Walls
3. Addie Webster

Banjo

1. Cameron Edenfield
2. Ford Terry
3. David McGuirt

Guitar

1. Gabriel Webster
2. Parker Terry
3. Corban Walls

Mandolin

1. Caroline Terry
2. Nicholas Allman
3. Trey Pfaff

Bass

1. Ford Terry
2. Matthew Chaney

Vocal

1. Chelsea Edenfield
2. Simina Little
3. Levi Smith

Livengood Memorial Outstanding Youth – Gabriel Webster

Adult categories

Bluegrass Band

1. Fairfield Bluegrass
2. Hot Wax and the Splinters
3. Wilkes Record Players

Bluegrass Gospel Band

1. Crossroads Bluegrass
2. Salvation Song

Fiddle

1. Charlie Tolbert
2. Gary Hatley
3. Payton Brown

Banjo

1. Jacob Johnson
2. Danny Bowers
3. Ronnie Hatley

Guitar

1. Ryan Lambert
2. Ethan Williams
3. Jay Williams

Mandolin

1. Jacob Little
2. Gary Hatley
3. Tim Clyde Lewis

Bass

1. Travis Brady
2. Ryan Dunn
3. Jeremy Nash

Dobro

1. Peden Williams
2. Sandy Hatley
3. Pammy Lassiter

Vocal

1. Payton Brown
2. Taylor Brown
3. Daniel Schronce

Ralph Pennington Master Fiddle Award – Charlie Tolbert