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
Oregon Runner Wins 27th Annual Fiddler 5K
by: Dwayne PageJul 06, 2025
More than 300 runners participated in Saturday’s Fiddler 5K and One-Mile Fun Run.
The 5K featured 312 entries and another 51 took part in the Fun Run.
This year’s overall winner was 38-year-old Andrew Bumbalough of Portland, Oregon, who came in with a time of 16:17, while the overall female winner was 12-year-old A. Swafford of Bell Buckle with a time of 24:07. She came in 37th overall.
In the Fun Run, 13 year old Legend Bumbalough of Portland, Oregon was first at 6:34 and the female winner was C Farmer of Dowelltown who finished with a time of 7:35
This race was the 27th annual and proceeds go toward construction of another new Habitat for Humanity home in DeKalb County.
Click Link Below to View 2025 Fiddler 5K Race Results
https://runsignup.com/Race/Results/143231#resultSetId-562786;perpage:100
Derby Repeats as Beginner Fiddling Champion at Jamboree
by: Dwayne PageJul 05, 2025
A repeat!
A Columbia girl, for the second year in a row, has claimed the top Jamboree award as the best fiddler in the National Championship for Country Musician Beginners. The competition was held Saturday afternoon as part of the Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree and Crafts Festival
Ella Derby won the coveted James G. “Bobo” Driver Memorial Award, named for the man who started the children’s competition during the 1980’s as part of the annual festival. Members of Mr. Driver’s family presented the award to Derby.
Meanwhile Kade Stewart of Anderson, Alabama was winner of the Nolan Turner Memorial Entertainer of the Year award. The honor, sponsored by the Turner family, is presented to the best overall instrumental entertainer among winners in the dobro guitar, mandolin, five string banjo, and flat top guitar competition. Turner, who died in October 2017, was a long time Fiddlers’ Jamboree supporter and photographer. Stewart earned first place in the beginner dobro guitar contest; took second place in the beginner five string banjo and flat top guitar events; and earned third place in beginner mandolin.
The National Championship for Country Musician Beginners showcases the talents of children up to age twelve in seven categories of competition.
This year’s winners are as follows:
Beginner Fiddle sponsored by the S&B Design: First Place-Ella Derby of Columbia; Second Place- Kadence Edgington of Nashville; and Third Place- Sophie Gruber of Meridanville, Alabama
Beginner Buck Dancing sponsored by DeKalb Title: First Place- Levi Campbell of McMinnville, Second Place- Lyla Mae Wharton of Mount Juliet, and Third Place- Adley Wharton of Mount Juliet
Beginner Clogging sponsored by Cody Tipton, Realtor: First Place- Lyla Mae Wharton of Mount Juliet; Second Place- Adley Wharton of Mount Juliet, and Third Place- Ryman Harris of Rockvale.
Beginner Dobro Guitar sponsored by Three Nails Lounge & Spa: First Place- Kade Stewart of Anderson, Alabama.
Beginner Mandolin sponsored by The Attic on Walnut Street: First Place- Silas Pegg of Gallatin, Second Place- Sophie Gruber of Meridanville, Alabama, and Third Place- Kade Stewart of Anderson, Alabama
Beginner Five String Banjo sponsored by Legacy Haus: First Place- Immanuel Roberts of Fort Payne , Alabama; Second Place- Kade Stewart of Anderson, Alabama; and Third Place- Ryker Lemons of Murfreesboro.
Beginner Flat Top Guitar sponsored by Cross Driven Motorsports Exhaust: First Place-Collette Rainwater of Murfreesboro; Second Place- Kade Stewart of Anderson, Alabama; and Third Place- Joel Roberts of Fort Payne , Alabama