Sep 28
spotlight: Winfield National Mountain Dulcimer Competition Winners
L-R Aaron Thornton(3rd), Joe Collins(1st), and Rob Pearcy(2nd)After three 3rd place finishes in the National Mountain Dulcimer Contest at the Walnut Valley Festival, Joe Collins of Shelby, NC finally took the first place trophy. He also won $150 and a 4FHKK Custom Mountain Dulcimer by the Dulcimer Shoppe/McSpadden of Mountain View, AR. Joe is a veteran of this contest having placed in ‘04, ‘05 and 2006. Joe has been playing the mountain dulcimer for 29 years. He was first introduced the dulcimer by a high school friend, Ellen Fishbwine. She had one and told Joe, she wanted him to teach her to play the instrument. Joe said, ” I had no idea what it was, so she sent it home with me where I learned to play it and fell in love with it.” His own first Mt. Dulcimer was a Father’s Day present from his family.
A longtime festival fan from Smyrna, TN took second place this year. For fourteen years, Rob Pearcy has been coming to the Festival here in Winfield. Rob is a fixture at many of the contests not only entering this competition but also the mandolin and flat-pick guitar contests. He also helps out fellow contestants in by playing back-up. He has been playing the mountain dulcimer for the past 27 years and says “stubbornness” caused him to enter the contest again. Rob is a multi talented individual and also plays the guitar, mandolin, Dobro, old time banjo, harmonica and the bass. Coming to Winfield and the Festival is the high point of the year. Rob adds, “The rest of the year seems irrelevant.” The second place trophy, $125 and a 6FHCRB Mountain Dulcimer by the Dulcimer Shoppe/McSpadden of Mountain View, AR is what Rob takes back to Smyrna, TN.
Aaron Thornton of Carrier, MS was the third place winner in this contest. Aaron has entered the contest three times and this time he made the cut to the final five and eventually to third place. He wanted to enter this contest because it is a “National” contest and placing in this would be important. His uncle, Bill Burks who builds mountain dulcimers gave him his first instrument nine years ago. Thornton loves playing music and jamming here at the festival. This is his third time to come to Winfield. Thornton has a hobby of collecting old stringed musical instruments and old music records. . The third place trophy, $1o0 and a 4FGCS Mountain Dulcimer by The Dulcimer Shoppe/McSpadden of Mountain View, AR, was the result of his efforts.
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