13 Year old Carthage Boy Wins Fiddler 5K

July 7, 2018
By: Dwayne Page

July 7, 2018
By: Dwayne Page

The official opening ceremony for the 47th annual Smithville Fiddlers Jamboree and Crafts Festival scheduled for Friday evening was delayed by almost 24 hours due to rain but it went off without a hitch Saturday afternoon before a large crowd

Members of the Smithville Volunteer Fire Department Honor Guard posted colors as State Representative Terri Lynn Weaver sang the national anthem. A prayer was also offered followed by welcoming remarks by representatives of the Jamboree, Chamber, state lawmakers, and local public officials.

State Representative Weaver and State Senator Mark Pody presented flags flown over the state capitol to persons who traveled the greatest distances inside and outside the country to get here.

Robert and Elaine Donhoffner of Memphis and Daniel Prather of Riverside California each received a Tennessee State flag while Yiwhaa Redmon of Thailand received a United States flag. Her father is Larry Redmon from DeKalb County who is a Colonel in the U.S. Military.

The Community Chorus then entertained the audience with a patriotic musical program.

July 7, 2018
By: Dwayne Page

Award-winning fiddle player Michael Cleveland was presented the 2018 Blue Blaze Award from the Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree & Crafts Festival Saturday evening.

Jamboree Marketing Director Shan Burklow made the introduction and Coordinator Sam Stout presented the award. Cleveland said he was pleased to have been chosen to receive the honor. Cleveland and his band Flamekeeper entertained the audience with a mini-concert after the presentation.

Cleveland has won more IBMA awards than any other fiddle player including 10 wins for Fiddle Player of the Year, six wins for Instrumental Recorded Performance of the Year, and fronts their 5-time Instrumental Group of the Year. On March 30th, Michael was inducted into the National Fiddler Hall of Fame in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Together with Flamekeeper members Josh Richards (guitar), Nathan Livers (mandolin), Jasiah Shrode (banjo) and Tyler Griffith (bass), Cleveland makes his way around the country performing and delighting audiences, while leaving them with jaws dropped in complete amazement.

“Michael Cleveland embodies what we look for in a musician when choosing a recipient for the Blue Blaze Award,” said Stout. He started performing at the Jamboree as a young boy, and grew his talent to an impressive career in bluegrass music. The purpose of the Blue Blaze Award is to recognize a group or individual who keeps the embers of bluegrass music glowing for future generations. Michael Cleveland certainly does that, and more. He is an inspiration to all of us,” said Stout.

Cleveland has a very loyal fan base, along with an amazing story. Michael was born blind, along with many additional health complications. He has endured over 20 reconstructive surgeries including brain surgery. In addition to these challenges, he lost 80% of his hearing in his left ear. But Michael Cleveland is not a ‘glass half empty’ kind of guy. He prefers to focus on his goals, his love of music, and being the best in his field. Although only in his mid-30’s, Michael Cleveland, a 2018 Grammy Nominee, has reached plenty of those goals.

Cleveland began his love affair with music by taking violin lessons at only four years old. This passion for the stringed instrument led him to bluegrass music. His teachers quickly labeled him a musical prodigy. “When I started taking lessons at age 4,” he remembers, “I told the teacher right up front that I wanted to learn how to play bluegrass and I wanted to play ‘Orange Blossom Special.'” Reluctant as they were, his teachers quickly found reason to his rhyme, helping him progress to the point when, at age 9, Michael was invited to sit in with the legendary Bill Monroe at the Bean Blossom Bluegrass Festival. During this time, he visited the Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree and competed alongside fiddle players of all ages and skill levels. Soon after, he brought his virtuosic style to the Grand Ole Opry as a guest of Alison Kraus, and was hand-picked for the International Bluegrass Music Association’s (IBMA) Bluegrass Youth All Stars before he was 14. His blistering prowess and technical fluency have since marked him as a sought-after musician, leading to performances with Vince Gill, Marty Stuart, Tim O’Brien, J.D. Crowe and the New South, Andy Statman, and The Kruger Brothers in recent years. However, it wasn’t until 2006, when Michael formed his own band Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper, that he found the right vehicle for his musical vision, and he hasn’t rested since, constantly looking for new ways to push himself and his music forward.

One would think that with all of his life-long accolades, his own award-winning band, a concert tour, and celebrity performances at the Opry, that Cleveland would have no more goals to shoot for…but we know him better than that. ‘Flamekeeper – The Michael Cleveland Story’ is a feature length documentary film coming in 2018. To follow Michael Cleveland’s journey, go to www.flamekeeperband.com or follow his facebook page.

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