Kristen Harris Wins SC State Fiddling Championship

The Pickens County Cultural Commission, along with the Pickens County Museum of Art & History and Hagood Mill Historic Site & Folklife Center is pleased to announce that the Second Annual South Carolina State Fiddling Championship held on Saturday, September 21, 2013 at Pickens County’s Seventeenth Annual Ole Time Fiddlin' Convention at Hagood Mill was a huge success.

A surprising large number of visitors and competitors braved the periodic showers of the day to enjoy the exceptional line-up of talented men, women and youngsters, and a general feeling of camaraderie and happiness at what was again one of the finest events held at the Hagood Mill Historic Site & Folklife Center.

The winners in this year’s competitions are:

·        First Place Fiddle & 2013 South Carolina State Fiddling Champion: Kristen Harris

·        Second Place Fiddle: Peyton O’Kelley

·        Third Place Fiddle: Marion Boatwright

·        First Place Stringband: Pinetop Revival - Dawn Cantrell, Steve Cantrell, Josh Johnson, Andrew Lathe & Dan Wood

·        Second Place Stringband: Crooked Pine – Craig Bannerman, Marion Boatwright, Troy Harrison and Frank McConnell

·        Third Place Stringband:  Wyld Scallions – Robert Burns, Marshall Goers & Doug Rostick

·        First Place Junior Fiddle: Beth Hood

·        Second Place Junior Fiddle: Mary Johnson

·        First Place Banjo: Doug Rostick

·        Second Place Banjo: Troy Harrison

·        Third Place Banjo: Bailey George

·        First Place Guitar: Danielle Yother

·        Second Place Guitar: Alex Alexander

·        Third Place Guitar: Rowdy Hood

·        First Place Wildcat Open: Alex Alexander

·        Second Place Wildcat Open: Rowdy Hood

·        Third Place Wildcat Open: Jess Arnold & Bailey George

·        First Place Junior Open: Danielle Yother

·        Second Place Junior Open: Mary Johnson

·        Third Place Junior Open: Keana Dover

The Seventeenth Annual Ole Time Fiddlin’ Convention and SC State Fiddling Championship was sponsored by the Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative, Blue Ridge Security Solutions and a private benefactor. The Pickens County Museum of Art & History is funded in part by Pickens County, members and friends of the museum and a grant from the South Carolina Arts Commission, which receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts. We would also like to thank GateHouse Restaurant for their generous gift of feeding mill site volunteers.The Pickens County Cultural Commission along with the Pickens County Museum of Art & History and the Hagood Mill also wishes to thank the dozens of volunteers that helped to make this event the success that it was. A special thank you to Dean Watson, Gregg Barfield, Christopher Brotherton, Steve McGaha and Mill Site Manager, Ed Bolt, for the many hours of work they did to prepare for and execute this fine event.

For hundreds of years the South has enjoyed a rich traditional musical heritage and this tradition surely continues in the foothills and valleys of Pickens County, South Carolina. The Pickens County Cultural Commission and the Pickens County Museum invites one and all to join the merriment on the Third Saturday of every month as the Hagood Mill operates, rain or shine, to present the best in family fun that entertains, educates and enlightens our community with the traditional arts, living history and roots music of our region. Hagood Mill is located just 3 miles north of Pickens or 5 ½ miles south of Cherokee Foothills Scenic Hwy 11 off SC Hwy 178 at 138 Hagood Mill Road. Hagood Mill is open Wednesday through Saturday from 10:00 until 4:00, to tour the buildings and grounds and to visit the Mill Site Gift Shop.

For additional information or to request competition rules, please contact the Pickens County Museum at (864) 898-5963 or the Hagood Mill at (864) 898-2936 or by email at picmus@co.pickens.sc.us .