Fourth of July Celebration Marred by Local Tragedy
by: Dwayne PageJul 07, 2025
The Fourth of July Celebration in DeKalb County was marred by tragedy the day before on Thursday, July 3 with a boating related accident on Center Hill Lake that claimed the life of a Brentwood woman.
According to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency 57-year-old Mary Beth Foran died after getting trapped by a boat’s engine propeller on Center Hill Lake.
The DeKalb County Fire Department said crews were sent to a single-boat incident on Center Hill Lake near Hurricane Marina just before 6 p.m. on Thursday, July 3.
Emergency first responders reportedly found a ski boat approximately 300 yards away from the marina when they arrived. Then, crews said they discovered an unconscious woman, now identified as Foran, in the water and under the boat, trapped by the boat’s inboard engine propeller.
In addition, officials reported the operator of the boat—only described as an adult male—was in the water at the back of the boat in an attempt to rescue Foran.
According to the DeKalb County Fire Department, rescue personnel were able to free Foran, but she had already “succumbed to the traumatic injury.”
Several agencies—including the Smithville/DeKalb County Rescue Squad, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, DeKalb County Emergency Medical Service, DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department, and the Putnam County Rescue Squad—responded to the incident on Center Hill Lake Thursday evening.
Officials said those involved are from Brentwood, Tennessee.
The TWRA is investigating the deadly incident.
Fiddlers Jamboree Crafts Awards Presented
by: Dwayne PageJul 07, 2025
Four Crafts Awards were presented during the Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree and Crafts Festival Saturday, July 5
Crafts Director Judith Hale presented awards for “Best Appalachian Crafts”, “Best of Show”, “Best Newcomer”, and “Best Craft Display”
Receiving the “Best Appalachian Crafts” award was Timothy Weber of Kingston Springs with his display of handcrafted pottery products. David and Bonnie McCallie of Nashville received the “Best Newcomer” award for their handcrafted music boxes and leather items including key fobs. The “Best Craft Display” award went to Hal and Carol Kail of Gadsden, Tennessee for their handcrafted wooden bowls, vases, cutting boards, etc. “Best of Show” was awarded to Gregory Newson of Conway, South Carolina for his paintings and other artwork with a focus on historical characters and related subject matter.
Tyler Andal Wins Another Jamboree Fiddling Championship
by: Dwayne PageJul 06, 2025
Tyler Andal has done it again!
The Nashville musician has again claimed bragging rights as the Grand Champion of the Smithville Fiddler’s Jamboree and Crafts Festival capturing the event’s biggest fiddling prize, the Berry C. Williams Memorial for the second year in a row. Its his third title overall. He had previously won the fiddling championship in 2015.
As the 2025 Grand Fiddle Off Champion, Andal will again be invited by the Grand Ole Opry to play a ‘fiddle tune’ for the Opry square dancers’ LIVE performance during a selected show. The Opry has partnered with the Smithville Jamboree since 2022 to offer this exciting opportunity to the fiddle champion, as a way to honor the tradition and talent of country music fiddlers.
Kim Luton, President and Coordinator of the Smithville Fiddlers Jamboree and Crafts Festival presented the award to Andal at the conclusion of the festival which ended at around 12:15 a.m. this morning (Sunday).
By winning the Junior fiddling contest, Andal edged out two other competitors for a right to advance to the fiddle-off and he out fiddled the senior winner Bonnie Norris of Nashville to claim the overall fiddling title.
This is the 14th year in a row (not counting the 2020 virtual jamboree) that a Junior Fiddler has beaten the Senior Fiddler for the top honor.
In addition to the Grand Champion Fiddling Title, Andal’s won three others awards for the weekend including First Place for Junior Fiddling, Flat Top Guitar, and Contest Fiddle (The Neil Dudney Memorial Award).
Winners in the Saturday session of the Fiddler’s Jamboree are as follows:
Junior Old-Time Appalachian Flatfoot Dance (Ages up to 39)-sponsored by Gayla Hendrix, Attorney at Law:
First Place- Jacob Campbell of Smithville
Second Place- Matthew Campbell of McMinnville
Third Place Trebel Chunn of Greenbrier
Senior Old-Time Appalachian Flatfoot Dance (Ages 40 & Over)-sponsored by Cheryl’s Beau Bees:
First Place-Jason Wade of Smyrna
Second Place- Ann Bane of Smyrna
Third Place-Shawna Taylor of Murfreesboro
Senior Buck Dancing (Ages 40 & Over)-sponsored by Fiesta Jalisco:
First Place-Ann Bane of Smyrna
Second Place-Shawna Taylor of Murfreesboro
Third Place- Anthony Harrell of Mount Juliet
Senior Clogging (Ages 40 & Over)-sponsored by Evins Mill Resort and Retreat:
First Place-Jason Wade of Smyrna
Second Place-Heather Brown Curry of Springfield
Third Place- Anthony Harrell of Mount Juliet
Bluegrass Banjo-sponsored by Deering Banjo:
First Place-Chuck Holcomb of Winchester
Second Place- Joey Gipson of Manchester
Third Place-Derek Stone of Chattanooga
Bluegrass Band- sponsored by the IBMA:
First Place- The Rambler Band of Nashville
Second Place-Dave Edgington of Nashville and the Blue Moon Strings Band
Third Place- The Center Hill Collective of Smithville
Flat Top Guitar-sponsored by The Purple Door:
First Place- Tyler Andal of Nashville
Second Place-Nick Norris of Nashville
Third Place-Rob Pearcy of Smyrna
Contest Fiddle (Neil Dudney Memorial Award)-sponsored by the Dudney Family:
First Place- Tyler Andal of Nashville
Second Place-Bonnie Norris of Nashville
Third Place- Summer Edgington of Nashville.
The Neil Dudney Award was presented to Andal by two of Dudney’s grandchildren, Ethan and Brandon Shaw and great grandson Carson Shaw. Dudney, who passed away in October 2018 served as President and Coordinator of the Fiddlers Jamboree for 16 years until he stepped down in 2008.
NCHC Precision Dancing sponsored by Magnolia Roots:
First Place- Tennessee Stompers of Greenbrier;
Second Place-Triple Star Sterling of Hurricane Mills.
NCHC Traditional Line Dancing sponsored by The Male Room Brotique:
First Place- Guyan River Cloggers of Ranger, West Virginia
Second Place-Tennessee Dance Alliance of Mount Juliet
Third Place- Triple Star Eclipse of Hurricane Mills.
Junior Fiddlers (Ages 13-39) sponsored by the Smithville Review:
First Place-Tyler Andal of Nashville
Second Place- Sarah Hathaway of Bowling Green, Kentucky
Third Place-Summer Edgington of Nashville
Senior Fiddlers (Ages 40 & Over) sponsored by WJLE:
First Place- Bonnie Norris of Nashville
Second Place-Joseph Overton of Smithville
Third Place Brent Frailicks of Lebanon
Square Dancing-Sponsored by TN Entertainment Commission:
First Place-Smithville Select of Smithville
Second Place- Rocky Top Revue of Franklin
Third Place- Tennessee Dance Alliance of Mount Juliet
Fiddle-off Champion (Berry C. Williams Award)- sponsored by the Berry C. Williams Family:
Grand Champion Fiddler-Tyler Andal of Nashville