Monte Gaylord from Nowata, Oklahoma was named the 2023 “Tennessee Valley Fiddle Champion” at the 56th annual Tennessee Valley Old Time Fiddlers Convention held at Athens State University on Saturday night.
As the top fiddler, Gaylord not only won the title of Alabama State Fiddle Champion but also the Convention’s top prize of $2,000. Katrina Nicolayeff from Meridian, Idaho, who was the 2022 Fiddle Champion, finished runner-up.
The 2023 Tennessee Valley Old Time Fiddlers Convention was presented by Aetos Systems, Inc., with stage sponsorships by Alabama Farmers Cooperative (Founders Hall Main Stage), Pettus Plumbing & Piping, Inc. (Brown Hall Stage), and The Orthopaedic Center (TOC) (Delmore Brothers Stage Sponsor – McCandless Hall). Other sponsors included JMP Equipment Company, Nanny’s Old Fashion Lemonade, Pepsi, Conklin Metal Industries, Bank Independent, CB&S Bank, and Winsupply of Huntsville.
The Convention contributes to Athens State by funding student scholarships and University projects. This project was made possible in part by a grant from the Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area.
Music fans are encouraged to save the date for the 57th annual Fiddlers Convention, which will be held Thursday, October 3 through Saturday, October 5 in 2024.