Teen fiddler wins state championship title, heads to national contest

Georgia Rae, Richmond, was named the 2013 Grand Champion at the Illinois State Old Time Fiddler’s Contest on Oct 20 in Effingham.

This is the same contest won by Allison Krause who also won the title as a teen. The win enters her in the National Old Time Fiddler’s Contest in Weiser Idaho in June http://www.fiddlecontest.org/.

Weiser, Idaho, began sponsoring the annual contest in 1953 and it has become one of the most prestigious fiddler contests held. Each contestant plays three tunes; a hoedown, a waltz, and a tune of choice (something other than a waltz or hoedown). At Weiser, competing in all of the playoffs to win the championship takes six rounds and eighteen tunes.

Georgia Rae’s family is setting up a GoFundMe account to get Georgia Rae and her family band, Georgia Rae Family Band, to Idaho. The generous donations from friends and fans via GoFundMe have helped get Georgia Rae and her family to Effingham this past weekend, along with Georgia Rae’s fiddle teacher, Shawn Drake.

Georgia Rae has been preparing for this contest, and a try at the national level since she graduate from the Nippersink Middle School last year. It was also the same year Georgia placed second to master fiddler, Charlie Walden of Evanston at last year’s state contest.

“We had to think outside the box to get her to where she is today, and where she continues to go from here,” said Roni Mussared, Georgia Rea’s mom, who has been accompanying Georgia Rae on the guitar since she began playing the fiddle at age 5.

“It starts with adjusting her life around practice time spread throughout the day. She attends Richmond Burton High School as a part time student for Math and Science, and gets the rest at home, and she has an excellent teacher who is willing to invest in the dream, too.

“Shawn Drake of Pleasant Prairie, Wis., has been Georgia Rae’s teacher for the past two years. “It is amazing to see how she has developed under his instruction. Those two think alike and it works well.”

At the Effingham contest, Georgia Rae wore a shirt that read, “Dream It, Do it.” “Now I have to plan a trip that is nearly 2,000 miles away, “ said Mussared, who is a little overwhelmed. “I am not sure how we are going to get there yet. It all starts with a dream.”

For more information about Georgia Rae and her family band, Georgia Rae Family Band, visit their web site at georgiaraefamilyband.com. “Like” them on Facebook to follow their progress find out how you can help donate to the cause.

 


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