JUDGES
Celeste Johnson
A longtime fiddle teacher, performer, and five-time national fiddle champion, Celeste Johnson loves nothing more than a great fiddle tune. She is a five-time champion at the National Old Time Fiddle Contest, the 2024 Washington State Fiddle Champion, the 2023 RockyGrass Fiddle champion, the 2019 Walnut Valley Old Time Fiddle champion, a two-time Rocky Mountain Regional Fiddle Champion, and a multiple-time Colorado State fiddle champion in her division. She has judged the National Old Time Fiddle Contest and several of her students have gone on to win state and national titles themselves. Celeste loves to hear good groove, stylistic authenticity, and beautiful tone in a fiddle player.
David Tormala
David has been studying and playing Texas Style fiddle, as well as Old-time, Bluegrass, Celtic and many other roots music genres all of his life and has a deep knowledge and respect for the tradition of the music. His personal style of breakdown playing comes from a culmination of studying under many fiddle legends such as Matthew Hartz, Tristan Claridge, Tashina Lindley, Monte Gaylord, Luke Price, and Katrina Nicolayeff accompanied by his own tricks and feel. Alongside studying with the living legends, David has spent countless hours analyzing old recordings of Orville Burns, Major and Louis Franklin, Norman Solomon, Vernon Solomon, and Benny Thomason. When David’s not playing fiddle, you can usually find him teaching music or wandering a river somewhere in Washington with a fly rod in his hand!
Tim Hodgson
Tim Hodgson is from Idaho Falls, ID and has been fiddling for 50 years. He has won or placed in many fiddle contests throughout the west, including being a two-time national Men’s Champion from Weiser, Idaho, a 7 time Idaho State Champion, a Northwest Regional Adult Champion, a Western Open champion and many others. Tim has judged many contests and is a certified judge from Weiser, Idaho. Tim fiddled and sang with the Bar J Wranglers for 34 years and has been a member of Rawhide and Rosin for the past 3 years. Tim currently teaches at Snake River Strings in both Ammon, Idaho and Blackfoot, Idaho. He enjoys golf, traveling (mostly to fiddle contests!) and playing with his worship team at Valley Gate Ministries.
Jaidynn Lee
Jaidynn Lee is 20 years old and has been playing fiddle for 14 years. She has competed in and won several contests over the years, her most recent win being in the adult twin fiddle division at the NOTFC. She loves to play and write music and has taught fiddle previously!
Sawyer Walker
Sawyer has been playing Texas-style fiddle music for over 20 years, competing and performing in contests since she was a little girl. Her passion truly ignited when she began studying under Matthew Hartz, who introduced her to the greats — Major Franklin, Louis Franklin, Orville Burns, Benny Thomason, Terry Morris, and more. Traveling down to Texas and meeting her heroes deepened her appreciation for the music’s roots and rich history. Along the way, she has had the privilege of studying with accomplished musicians including Matthew Hartz, Malinda DeBry, Luke Price, Tashina Clarridge, and Tristan Clarridge. While she loves the thrill of fiddle contests, it is the warm community of people dedicated to keeping this tradition alive that she cherishes most.