Serving Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and other towns of the North Carolina High Country
Founded 05-05-05
January 11, 2007 issue
MerleFest 2007 will feature three instrument contests during the first two days of the event, that takes place April 26 through 29 on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro. Any MerleFest 2007 ticket holder, with the exception of past champions and artists performing at the festival, may enter the competitions.
For each contest, twenty registrants will be randomly selected from all those who register on time. The twenty so chosen for each contest will join the second and third place finishers from 2006 in the competition. Only the actual contestants may wait in line. No substitutes or placeholders will be allowed.
Guitar Contest
MerleFest will present the sixteenth Doc Watson Guitar Championship on Friday, April 27, from 3:00 until 5:45 p.m. at the Alumni Hall lounge. Registration will take place in the Alumni Hall lobby between 1:30 and 2:30 p.m.
The winner of the contest will receive a Gallagher guitar, the same brand used by Doc Watson, as well as a performance slot on the Cabin Stage on Saturday. The second place winner will receive a Taylor guitar. The third place winner will receive a deluxe Calton guitar case, courtesy of Lonesome Pine Studio in Deep Gap.
Winners of the Doc Watson Guitar Championship will receive cash prizes sponsored in memory of Bruce G. Sanders.
Bluegrass Banjo Contest
In keeping with Merle Watson's identification with the 5-string banjo and North Carolina's fame for having spawned the bluegrass three-finger style, this event has become one of the nation's foremost banjo contests.
Registration for the thirteenth annual Merle Watson Bluegrass Banjo Championship will take place in the Alumni Hall lobby between 8:30 and 9:30 a.m. on Friday, April 27. The competition will begin at 10:00 a.m.
The winner will receive a Gibson Earl Scruggs Standard Model Banjo or Deering Calico banjo and a $300 cash prize, as well as a performance on the Cabin Stage before the festival audience on Saturday. The second place contestant will receive the remaining banjo and a check for $200. The third place winner will receive a check for $50 and a deluxe Calton guitar case, courtesy of Lonesome Pine Studio from Deep Gap.
Cash prizes are sponsored by Waverly Tuning Machines, a division of Stewart-MacDonald.
Mandolin Contest
The eleventh annual MerleFest Mandolin Contest will take place from 4:30 until 7:15 p.m. on Thursday, April 26, at the Alumni Hall lounge. Registration takes place in the Alumni Hall lobby between 3:00 and 4:00 p.m.
The first place winner will receive a Gibson F-5G mandolin, $300 and a performance slot on the Cabin Stage. The second place winner will receive $200 and a Gibson F-9 mandolin. The third place winner will receive $50 and a Calton mandolin case, courtesy of Lonesome Pine Studio from Deep Gap.
Both mandolins carry a lifetime warranty. D’Addario Strings is sponsoring cash prizes.