MerleFest: An Americana Music Celebration

MerleFest, the Americana music celebration, presents the 13th annual MERLE WATSON BLUEGRASS BANJO CHAMPIONSHIP: 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.

How To Enter: Report to the Alumni Hall Lobby at Wilkes Community College between 8:30 and 9:30 AM on Friday. Everyone who registers on time will be issued a number. Twenty registrants will be randomly selected from all those who register on time to join the 2nd & 3rd place contestants from last year. Contestants must stand in the registration line and cannot appoint someone else to stand in line to hold their place. There is no registration fee, but contestants and accompanists must be paid festival ticket holders.

Sponsors:Gibson Bluegrass, Waverly Tuning Machines, a division of Stewart-MacDonald, Athens, Ohio, Deering Banjo Company of Lemon Grove, California, John Pearse Strings, and Lonesome Pine.

Prizes: Offered as top prizes are a Gibson Earl Scruggs Standard Model Banjo or Deering's Calico Banjo. First place winners will also perform on the Cabin Stage before the festival audience on Saturday. First place receives a choice of one of the two prize banjos, a check for $300, and the opportunity to judge the following year's contest. Second place earns the remaining banjo, a check for $200,and entry into the 2008 contest. Third place receives a check for $50, a Calton Case donated by Lonesome Pine (1-800-Bluegrass), and entry into the 2008 contest. Each of the top three will receive a certificate redeemable at the John Pearse Strings booth in the Expo Center for one dozen banjo strings.

The Deering Banjo Company is a family owned business with sincere dedication to the finest quality products and service, including a Lifetime Warranty. Deering has produced more than 8000 banjos during twenty years in the business. Gibson is the best known name in the banjo business, a true giant that practically defined the field. The Earl Scruggs Model continues the Gibson tradition, a classic America instrument marrying the two most famous names in bluegrass banjo. Waverly Tuning Machines, sponsor of the cash prizes, are the best in the business for guitar and banjo.

Eligibility: Open to all paid MerleFest ticket holders. Advertised, paid performers, or previous champions of this contest may not enter. Twenty registrants will be randomly selected from all those who register on time.

Judging: All contestants in the first round will be judged by a panel of three highly qualified judges. They will narrow the field to the top three, and the final round will be judged by an expanded panel including Pete Wernick. Combined scores from both the qualifying and final round will determine the winners. Judges will be seated where they can hear but not see the contestants.

Format: Order of appearance will be determined by drawing numbers one half-hour before the contest begins. Prior to each contestant's performance the emcee will announce the names of the tunes to be played and indicate if either is an original. Following each round, during tallying of scores, contestants will be invited to introduce themselves to the audience (with judges out of earshot) and say where they're from and what band, if any, with which they play. Finalists and winners will be announced as soon as scores are tallied. Scores will not be made available.

In the first round each contestant will play two instrumental numbers. It is suggested though not required that one of the numbers be a standard or traditional tune and the other be an original or an original interpretation of non-original tune. Medleys of tunes are not permitted. A single accompanist is permitted though not required, and the accompanist is not permitted to solo.

In the final round, each finalist will play two numbers: An instrumental of their choice (with accompanist permitted as in first round) and a standard vocal number assigned by random drawing. On the standard vocals, each contestant will accompany a singer/guitarist provided by the festival and perform solos and backup to the singing. Each contestant will draw a song title from a hat (all songs moderately up-tempo bluegrass standards) and after a brief consultation with the singer about key, tempo. and arrangement, kick off the song.

While the contest is intended to include a range of styles, contestants are advised to abide by the intention of the event to honor players with clear roots in the bluegrass tradition. This tradition emphasizes the three-finger roll and may include “melodic style” and single-string interludes. The judges will be advised to keep in mind the “bluegrass” aspect of a performance when scoring the appropriateness of an arrangement.

THE CONTEST IS OPEN TO ANY PAID FESTIVAL TICKET HOLDER EXCEPT 1) THOSE WHO ARE PERFORMING AS A BILLED OR PAID ENTERTAINER AT THE MERLE FEST AND 2) THE WINNERS OF THE PREVIOUS MERLE WATSON BLUEGRASS BANJO CHAMPIONSHIPS

WE HAVE DECIDED THAT WE MUST LIMIT THE NUMBER OF CONTESTANTS DUE TO TIME CONSTRAINTS. Twenty registrants will be randomly selected from all those who register on time. They will join the 2nd & 3rd place finishers from the previous year in the contest. Contestants must stand in the registration line and cannot appoint someone else to stand in line to hold their place.

Contestants must play only acoustic banjos; no electrical instruments will be allowed for contestants or accompanists. Contestants may have one rhythm instrument player for accompaniment. Contestants will not be allowed to take two banjos for their own use on stage. MerleFest and the Merle Watson Bluegrass Banjo Championship reserves the right to eliminate contestants whose style of playing and selection of material is not in keeping with the flavor of the festival. A MEDLEY OF TUNES IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. Contestants may not speak into the microphone nor repeat a tune due to a broken string.

In an effort to judge the contests objectively and equally, the following criteria will be considered by the judges and assigned point value in each area:

All contestants must register in the Student Center lobby on the day of the contest, between 8:30 - 9:30 am. Order of appearance will be determined by drawing a number one-half hour before the contest begins. Score cards will NOT be given out.

Contestants will be prepared to play four instrumental numbers in traditional fiddle tune or bluegrass style. Two numbers will be played in the first round and the other two in the final round should the contestant be selected as a finalist. The judges will select three contestants to play in the second and final round as finalists. Prizes will be awarded to the top three finishers. We will accept only 20 contestants in addition to the 2nd and 3rd place contestants from the prior year. Contestants must be registered by 9:30 AM Friday, and be present then to draw for order of appearance and receive final instructions. The contest will take place between 10:00 AM and 12:45 PM on the Friday of the festival in the Student Center Lounge. Winners will be announced following the conclusion of the contest, and the champion will play as part of the Friday or Saturday concert on the Cabin Stage.