Tristan Clarridge (sixth from left) pauses with the other top nine fiddlers in the country from left Tashina Clarridge; Kimber Ludiker; Ed Carnes, Grand Master Fiddler Championship vice president; Troy Gibson, TAGG Violins representative; Luke Price; James Schlender; Wes Westmoreland; Howard Harris, GMFC president; Michael Barnett; Alex DePue; Miya Saito; Joel Whittinghill; and Crystal Plohman GMFC director; following the awards presentation Oct. 4. (Photo: Randall Franks)

Tristan Clarridge of Redding, Calif., was crowned the Grand Master Fiddler for 2008 earlier this month during the Grand Master Fiddler Championship, which is part of the International Bluegrass Music Association’s Fan Fest in Nashville, Tenn.

His sister, Tashina Clarridge, also of Redding, Calif., placed second.

“We had our strongest field of contestants yet,” said Howard Harris, GMFC president. “Fiddlers came from across the U.S., Canada, the Czech Republic, Netherlands and Australia.”

The Grand Master Fiddler Championship. Inc. is a Tennessee non-profit and an IRS-sanctioned charitable corporation, formed to educate about and perpetuate fiddling as an art form and cultural treasure

Fiddlers competed for over $14,000 in prizes.

Tristan took home $2,000 in cash, a $3,200 TAGG violin, the bronze Grand Master Fiddler statuette and appeared on the Grand Ole Opry. This was his second championship with a win in 2006. Tashina received $1,500 and a plaque. This was her fourth consecutive second-place showing.

In honor of its founder, the organization presented the Dr. Perry F. Harris Award to U.S. Sen. Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia for his work in preserving and promoting the art of fiddling. U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee was on hand to honor Byrd.

“Yeah, man. Play that fiddle.” exclaimed Sen. Byrd as he heard the competitors from back stage.

“It was such a great day,” Harris said.

Actor/entertainer Randall Franks, “Officer Randy Goode” from TV’s “In the Heat of the Night,” hosted the event on Saturday and he joined Grand Ole Opry performer and XM Radio host Marcia Campbell as co-host on Friday.

“It is such an honor to continue in the tradition of Hall of Fame performers Roy Acuff, Porter Wagoner and Grant Turner, who did so much to bring attention to this event through their participation,” he said. “While growing up fiddling, this event meant so much to me, the organizers deserve great praise for keeping it a vital part of our musical experience.”

Other organizers include Grand Master Fiddler Championship vice president Ed Carnes, director Crystal Plohman and the late director Charlie Bush, who was honored with a special tribute. Judges were Laura Cash, Danita Gardner, Jeff Pritchard, Bobby Taylor and Wade Stockton.

Among the sponsors were Mayberry’s Finest, Vietti Chili, Carnes Group, IBMA, Advantage Sales and Marketing, Metro Nashville Arts Commission, Tennessee Arts Council and TAGG Violins

The other top-10 winners included (in descending order) Kimber Ludiker of Spokane, Wash.; Luke Price of Boston, Mass.; James Schlender of Bozeman, Mont.; Wes Westmoreland of Temple, Texas; Michael Barnett of Longmeadow, Mass.; Alex DePue of San Diego, Calif; Miya Saito of Bend, Ore.; and Joel Whittinghill of Bowling Green, Ky. Contestants placing 11 through 20 were Ellie Goodman of Okla.; Maddie Denton of Tenn.; Billy Contreras of Tenn.; Doug Fleener of Ky.; Isaac Callender of Ore.; Dennis Ludiker of Texas; Sedra Bistodeau of Minn.; Jeff Guernsey of Ind.; Mark Ralph of Huntsville, Ala.; and Jakub Trasak of Mass.

Winners of the Nashville Open Senior Fiddler Championship were John Melnichuk of Washington, Lorraine Porter, Edward Brown, and Fred Sullivan, all of Tenn.

Winning guitar accompanists were Anthony Mature of Texas, Terry Ludiker of Idaho, Steve Williams of Texas, Darin Meeks of Idaho, and Al Mouledous of Texas.

For more info, visit www.grandmasterfiddler.com