Submitted

GRANITE QUARRY — Each year the Civitan Club honors an individual for his/her outstanding commitment to the promotion and preservation of Bluegrass music. This year’s honoree is Don Livengood, who served as coordinator and chairman throughout the convention’s fifty year history. Mr. Livengood, along with the help and support of his wife of almost 60 years, kept a meticulous account of each year’s event and helped secure bands for competition. Don and Margaret Livengood’s recent life and death story has reached thousands across the globe gaining International attention. The award will be accepted by their daughter, Patti Livengood Beaver and husband Walter.

An additional award has been established and will be presented by Patti and Walter Beaver. The ‘Don and Margaret Livengood Memorial Award for Excellence in Bluegrass Music’ will be presented to an outstanding youth performer at Saturday’s convention.

Fifty years ago this week there were not many folks in Granite Quarry, NC who knew anything about what a Fiddlers’ Convention was. But it didn’t take long for the word and idea to get out among the Granite Quarry Civitan members when James Mathis brought the idea to the table as a fund raise r. This Saturday, Oct. 8, the club will celebrate its 50th annual event at East Rowan High School auditorium, bringing young and old together to vie for prizes for the best in bluegrass competitions.

This year’s fiddlers’ convention will highlight the many young bluegrass performers throughout the region. Momentum in bluegrass competition has been growing among youth performers for several years at fiddlers’ conventions across the nation. In many of the early years of the fiddlers’ conventions, youth performers had been grouped into a “Most Promising Talent” category which had young fiddlers, guitarists and banjo players, etc. competing in the same category.

The time has come to break the mold at the Granite Quarry Civitan Fiddlers’ Convention to follow the lead of other conventions and start awarding the youth for their tremendous talents. Today there are so many brilliant and talented young musicians who are embracing traditional bluegrass and old time music that it makes it impossible to judge them in one category. Their talents are so refined that many of them choose to compete in the adult competitions. That alone will make this year’s event more interesting and the competition even greater.

Registration for Saturday’s event opens at 4 p.m. Youth competition begins at 4:30 p.m. for categories including Fiddle, Banjo, Guitar, Mandolin, Dobro, Bass, Vocal and Youth Band. Registration for all Youth and Adult categories closes at 6 p.m. Adult competitions in the same above categories will follow beginning at 7 p.m. Due to time restraints performers may compete in one category only. Those competing in a band will be judged individually during the band’s competition. Pre-registration is available.

Another part of the Civitan Fiddlers’ Convention’s fund raiser is the barbecue chicken dinners. The club will begin serving in the East Rowan High School cafeteria for lunch from 11 a.m.–2 p.m. and for dinner beginning at 4 p.m. Plates are $8.

Admission to the event is $8 with children under 12 free with a paying adult. For more information on competition or advance registration for competition call 704-267-9439 and general information call 704-633-5940. A Facebook page is also available at: Granite Quarry Civitan Fiddlers Convention.

Tickets are available at Montgomery Store Thursday-Sunday or call Vivian for tickets at 704-267-9439