POP/ROCK - June 30, 1987

There was a whole mess of fiddling around--six days’ worth--in the Weiser, Idaho, High School auditorium throughout last week. But finally, Jimmie Don Bates of Austin, Tex., was declared the biggest fiddler of them all: Bates was named grand champion of the 1987 National Oldtime Fiddlers’ Contest, held in the small Idaho town this year. He outfiddled 19 other contestants who competed in the grand champion division, including Randy Pollard, the 1986 defending champion. Bates plucked the top prize, worth $1,400.