Justin Branum from Murfreesboro, Tennessee was named “Alabama State Fiddle Champion” at the 54th annual Tennessee Valley Old Time Fiddlers Convention held at Athens State University on Saturday night.
Branum won the title by winning the “fiddle off,” which pits the top fiddlers from the junior, intermediate, and senior divisions, earning the Convention’s top prize of $1,200. Tyler Andal from Nashville, Tennessee finished runner-up.
The 2021 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 and Piping (Brown Hall Stage), and Blake Williams Communications (Delmore Brothers Stage). Other sponsors included Redstone Federal Credit Union, Bank Independent, Nanny’s Old Fashion Lemonade, Pepsi, Listerhill Credit Union, The Orthopaedic Center (TOC), and Rocket RV.
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.
