Maddie Denton

Maddie Denton is a third-generation fiddle player from Murfreesboro, Tennessee who began playing at the age of five. After a successful tenure as a contest fiddler, winning nationally recognized titles such as the 2016 Grand Master Fiddle Championship, the National Oldtime Junior Fiddle Championship, and 14 state championship titles, Maddie now spends her time playing fiddle for International Bluegrass Music Association’s (IBMA) “New Artist of the Year”: East Nash Grass, and formerly The Dan Tyminski Band.

Fresh off a 2024 Americana Music Association nomination for “Instrumentalist of the Year,” Maddie has been in the studio with East Nash Grass for their upcoming album, All God’s Children, which is set to release in August 2025. While performing live is her favorite,

Maddie enjoys collaborating in the studio and is proud of her work on East Nash Grass’s: Last Chance to Win, which was nominated for IBMA’s “Album of the Year” in 2024, and God Fearing Heathen from Dan Tyminski, as well as Grammy nominated Dan Tyminski: Live from the Ryman. Throughout her career Maddie has also worked numerously with the David Grier Band, Theo and Brenna, and shared the stage with other notable industry professionals including Billy Strings, Sierra Ferrell, Sam Bush, Bela Fleck, Jerry Douglas, Bryan Sutton, among others.

Before “retiring” in 2022 to pursue music full time, Maddie taught high school biology for five years at Siegel High School, where she also coached basketball and golf. She is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University, where she played NCAA Division I golf and helped the Lady Raiders win back-to-back conference championships.

As a nationally certified judge, with experience judging the National Old-time Fiddle Championship, the Grand Master Fiddle Championship, and multiple state championships, Maddie listens for groove and creativity in up-tempo tunes as well as beauty, emotion, and execution in waltzes.

Mark Ralph

Mark Ralph grew up in the Short Creek community of Grayson County, Kentucky.  He joined the Grayson County Youth Orchestra when he was eleven years old and started an ongoing contest fiddling career soon afterward.

Notable wins include:  Kentucky State Fiddling Champion (4 times); Tennessee State Fiddling Champion (3 times); Indiana State Fiddling Champion (3 times); Alabama State Fiddling Champion; Walnut Valley Fiddle Contest in Winfield, Kansas; Lake Superior Open Fiddle Contest in Duluth, Minnesota; Lincoln Heritage National Open Fiddle Contest in Springfield, Illinois and the TVOTFA Fiddle King in Athens, Alabama.  He also has several top ten finishes in the Grand Master Fiddle Championship in Nashville, Tennessee and in the Grand National Championship in Weiser, Idaho.

Mark played professionally as a member of The Bar-J Wranglers, a western group based in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, during the mid 80s.  He has served as a judge at numerous contests, including:  the Grand National Championship in Weiser, Idaho; the World Championship in Crockett, Texas; the Grand Lake Contest in Grove, Oklahoma and the Kentucky and Tennessee State Championships.  In addition, he helped revive the Alabama State Fiddling Championship and serves as its chief coordinator.

Mark is a practicing general dentist residing in Whitesville, KY.  Samples of his playing are available on several National Oldtime Fiddlers Championship CDs as well as on his own ‘Gone to Texas’ CD.

Brad Riley

Brad’s musical journey began in 1968 when he started playing the guitar with his father and brother. He started playing the fiddle when he was 13 years old and became friends with Texas champion fiddlers E.J. Hopkins and Bill Northcutt, who helped mentor him as a beginner fiddler.  He loves the Texas style of fiddling and spent many hours listening to records and tapes of fiddle music.

Brad has served on the Board of directors of the Texas Oldtime Fiddlers Association and was inducted into the Texas State Fiddle Champion Fiddlers Frolics Hall of Fame in 2021. Brad consistently places in the Top 10 in the Fiddlers Frolics and won the Senior division in 2022.  Among his other wins are the Senior Division at the World Championship Fiddle Contest at Crockett, TX (several times), the Senior Division in the Mid-America Fiddler Championship in, Branson Missouri, and the Senior Division right here at the Twin Lakes National Fiddler Championship. He has also placed in the Top 10 of the Grand Master Fiddler Championship in Nashville, TN.

Brad has judged numerous fiddle contests, included the  World Championship Fiddle Contest at Crockett, TX, the Texas State Fiddle Champion Fiddler Frolics in Hallettsville, TX and many more. 

Brad retired after 37 years with the Houston Texas Fire Department and now enjoys life in Waller, Texas with his wife and 5 grandchildren. Brad enjoys going to Fiddle contests in Texas and all over the US.