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About Dillon....
Guitar man
Hodges to play
national anthem at game, help raise money for UNA
Published:
Wednesday, August 19, 2009 at 3:30 a.m.
Last Modified: Tuesday, August 18, 2009 at 9:42 p.m.
Florence
- It's difficult to tell if Dillon Hodges is more excited
about playing the national anthem at Thursday's Cincinnati
Reds game or the two custom-made guitars that will be sold
to benefit the University of North Alabama's commercial
music endowment fund.
Dillon
Hodges, a two-time national champion flat-picking
guitarist, will perform a bluegrass version of the
national anthem at Thursday’s Cincinnati Reds game.
Courtesy/DHR
Music
Hodges, a
two-time national champion flat-picking guitarist, will
perform a bluegrass version of the national anthem with his
mentor and friend, Nashville guitarist Tim May, and May's
wife, fiddle player Gretchen Priest.
"This is the
first time I've done a really complex arrangement of the
song," said Hodges, of Florence. He is a sophomore at the
University of North Alabama.
Hodges has
performed acoustic solo versions of the song at Tennessee
Valley Vipers and Huntsville Havok games and performed
before a crowd of nearly 200,000 at Talladega Superspeedway.
In the
version they will perform Thursday, Hodges and May play
guitar and swap vocals. Priest plays fiddle.
The
opportunity came through Dale Rabiner, co-owner of DHR Music
Experience, a Cincinnati, Ohio-based distributor of high-end
guitars and guitars for left-handed players such as Hodges.
"He's a very
special young man, not only for his guitar talents, but for
his service to the community," Rabiner said.
Rabiner
liked Hodges so much that he asked him to be a spokesman for
his business.
It was
through DHR that Hodges received an endorsement deal with
Benedetto guitars, a leading maker of jazz guitars.
Rabiner said
Hodges is the first non-jazz artist endorsed by Benedetto.
Benedetto is
producing a pair of custom guitars that will be sold through
a UNA online auction.
The sale
will benefit the commercial music endowed scholarship
program, said UNA Spokesman Josh Woods.
Woods said
the auction will begin in September and end at midnight Nov.
12.
The winner
will be announced during a Nov. 12 benefit concert at UNA
featuring Mac McAnally.
The guitars
are archtop electric Benedetto "Bambino" models, Rabiner
said.
One guitar
will have a glossy purple body. The other will have a
natural maple body. Each guitar's headstock will have an
inlaid UNA logo and UNA on the tailpiece, Rabiner said.
Hodges said
the idea came about after Rabiner mentioned that the college
colors where his son attends in Texas were also purple and
gold.
"I'm so
pumped," Hodges said. "I feel like I'm helping the school
out and I'm helping Dale and Benedetto out."
Rabiner also
set up the appearance at the Reds game through his
connections with the team.
While he's
excited to play a new version of the national anthem with
his bluegrass mentor, he's also excited about being able to
watch the game from the owner's sky box.
"I've never
done that before, that's for sure," Hodges said.
Hodges has
numerous musical irons in the fire in addition to his solo
performances.
He's a
member of The Ray Brothers, Against the Grain and a new
group tentatively called The Grandchildren, a combination of
bluegrass and rock music, done acoustically with traditional
instrumentation.
He's an
occasional member of the Smokin' Strings Quartet and is
working with a new group, The Lowball Express.
Woods said
UNA is proud to have Hodges as a student.
"To have him
here in our entertainment industry program is quite
impressive," Woods said. "It's a great credit to that
program and to the university."
Russ
Corey can be reached at 740-5738 or
russ.corey@TimesDaily.com.
 “NEW
HIP” CD RELEASE FEATURING DILLON HODGES SET FOR FEBRUARY 6
The Nashville
based group “Missy Raines and the New Hip,” that includes
Florence singer/song-writer Dillon Hodges, will release its
debut CD “Inside Out” on Friday night, February 6 at the Station
Inn
(www.stationinn.com) in Nashville at 9 p.m. The album, released
on the Compass Records label, will be available in stores on
Feb. 10.
Having joined the group in 2008, Hodges has two of his original
songs on the new CD release - “The Duke of Paducah” and “In Over
My Head.”
The band has
already scheduled an extensive tour throughout the Spring that
includes dates in Kentucky, Washington, California, Maryland,
West Virginia, New York and North Carolina
Missy Raines and the New Hip’s style is a fusing of bluegrass
virtuosity, jazz-tinged groove and a song-driven sensibility.
The group is led by bass player Missy Raines and includes dobro
player Mike Witcher and mandolin player Ethan Ballinger. Hodges
sings and plays both acoustic and electric guitar with the
group.
www.missyraines.com
Maintaining
focus
After winning national guitar competition, Florence senior
still keeps school first
 FLORENCE--To
see him at school, Dillon Hodges is just another student,
preferring to blend in the crowd.
In jeans, a short-sleeved polo shirt and a pair of well-worn
leather loafers, the Florence High School senior certainly seems
to fit the part.
But get him in the midst of master guitarists from all over the
United States and he's anything but an average guy. He's noted
as the nation's flat picking guitar champion, a title he earned
two weeks ago at the National Flat Picking Guitar Championship
in Winfield, Kan.
It's a title he still can't believe he won.
"It was my fourth year there and I never thought I'd make it
past the first round," said Hodges, whose guitar skills have
earned him numerous awards at bluegrass and flat picking
festivals around the country.
Now 17, Hodges has been playing for six years, earning national
endorsement by the Gibson Guitar Corp. four years ago.
The four-day festival involved Hodges playing four songs. The
judges didn't see the contestants - among the 40 of them were
six past national champions.
"It was a blind judging so I'm sure that worked to my advantage
because they couldn't see how young I was," Hodges said. "Yeah,
had the judges seen all those incredibly talented musicians, I'd
probably not have won."
It's that humble attitude that has kept Hodges well grounded
despite all his musical success and accolades throughout his
teen years.
"This was the biggest competition I've won," he said. "It paid
$2,000 and I won a Collings guitar valued around $6,000. I was
really excited to make enough to pay for my travel expenses. But
then, a few days later I was in a (fender bender) so I figure
that will take everything I made."
His father, Jeff, the sports information director for the
University of North Alabama, attended the festival with Dillon,
along with Dillon's mom, Karen, and two younger sisters.
"It was like the Woodstock of bluegrass," Jeff Hodges said. "It
was an amazing experience for him and us. I've always had to
work during the other festivals. It was awesome that I got to
see him be named the number one acoustic guitar player in the
country. I'm not sure it has really hit him yet."
Dillon said he doesn't know how long he'll continue doing
competitions. For now, he's focused on keeping his grades up and
then college is in the plans. He'll likely attend
UNA
since, "I'm already established pretty well (musically) here in
this area and I know I need a college education so I have
something to fall back on in case this music thing doesn't work
out."
The "music thing" seems to be benefitting him educationally,
also. His talent has come in handy with his choral program at
school, where he has honed his vocal skills.
He is also learning about music production, knowledge that could
be of significant benefit in the future, he says.
As a student, Hodges has likewise impressed school officials.
"There's no doubt he has tremendous talent as a musician but
even more importantly he has tremendous character," said
Florence High School Principal Mike Lewey.
Hodges said staying humble despite the accolades hasn't been
difficult.
"I've been around some very talented people who aren't humble at
all and I don't want to be like that," he said. "When you're
around outstanding musicians all the time, it pretty much keeps
you humble."
Though he listens to all kinds of music, his most recent leaning
when it comes to playing music is toward jazz.
"You have more freedom for improvisation in jazz," he said.
As for his future in music, he's taking one day at a time, still
playing on weekends only and abiding by the one rule his parents
demand: that school work comes first.
"I'd love to go to Nashville and hit it big on the music scene,
but I've had many friends try that and it didn't work out," he
said. "The Gibson company wanted me to travel with a band after
I got my endorsement including doing tours in other countries
like Australia. My dad's response to that was, 'He really needs
to finish eighth grade.' "
Lisa Singleton-Rickman can be reached at 740-5735 or
lisa.singleton-rickman@timesdaily.com.
DILLON HODGES WINS
GUITAR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Florence High School senior Dillon
Hodges won the title as Flat Picking Guitar National Champion at
the 36th Annual Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield, Kan., on
Saturday, Sept. 15. The contest annually features a field of 40
of the top guitar players from across the United States. Hodges
was selected as one of five finalists after the first round in
the event, then claimed the title as National Champion with his
performance in the final round. Hodges became the first
left-handed guitar player to claim the national title in the
36-year history of the event. He is also the first flat picking
champion from the state of Alabama, and, at 17-years old, he is
the second youngest winner ever (second only to Mark O'Connor).
Carl Miner of Austin, Texas was
second and Roy
Curry of Hixson, Tenn., finished third. Both are previous
winners of the contest.
Dillon is also a featured artist
in Sept./Oct. issue of Flat Picking Guitar Magazine, a national
publication published
in California.
DILLON WINS
INDIANA STATE TITLE
PRINCETON, Ind.
-- Dillon Hodges won the 2007 Indiana State Flatpicking Guitar
championship on Sept. 1 at the Gibson County Fairgrounds. Hodges
won the competition with his arrangements of Red Haired Boy and
Beaumont Rag. He also combined with fiddler Olivia Smiley and
mandolin player Solly Burton, both Indiana natives, to win the
Indiana State Bluegrass Band title. After backing up numerous
competitors throughout the two-day event, Hodges was also
awarded the "Best Rhythm Player" award by the festival's
organizers. In all, Dillon won seven awards in the two-day
event.
See Photos
DILLON PART OF
KENTUCKY STATE CHAMPION BAND; TAKES THIRD IN STATE GUITAR
CHAMPIONSHIPS
FALLS OF ROUGH,
Ky. -- Dillon Hodges took third place in the guitar
competition and was part of the state champion band at the 33rd
Annual Official Kentucky State Bluegrass Championships at Rough
River State Park.
On Friday, July
20, Hodges finished third in the Kentucky State Guitar
Championships, finishing behind former national champion
flat-picker Adam Wright and Rob Pearcy.
On Saturday,
Hodges combined with fiddler Olivia Smiley of Greensburg, Ind.,
mandolin player Solly Burton of Sullivan, Ind., and banjo picker
Will McMeans of Lester, Ala. A blazing version of Big Mon
helped the group advance to the finals where they performed
Windy City and EMD to claim the title of 2007 Kentucky State
Champion Bluegrass Band.
DILLON
HODGES RELEASED HIS DEBUT CD "STORMY WEATHER" on July 14,
2007 at a release party at Cold Water Books in Tuscumbia, Ala.
The event was attended by a crowd of more than 200 that packed
Cold Water to listen to live entertainment by Dillon and Ag'inst
the Grain....Click
Here for Pictures
 DILLON
HODGES CD RELEASE JULY 14
Cold Water Books on 6th Street in
Tuscumbia will be having a CD release event for Dillon Hodges
debut album "Stormy Weather" on Saturday, July 14 from 6:30 to
8:30 p.m.
Admission to the event is free
and Dillon will be performing live, along with special guests.
The CD, recorded earlier this year in Nashville, includes seven
original vocals, written and performed by Dillon. There are
also three instrumentals and a jazz version of Autumn Leaves
sung by recent Florence High School graduate Rachel Pochop.
Performing on the CD with Hodges
are members of his Smokin Strings Quartet - which includes Tim
May of Nashville (mandolin, dobor and guitar), Mark Evitts of
Independence, Ky. (fiddle) and Brad Leiter of Summertown, Tenn.
(bass).
 Center
stage
Local musician to perform at awards program
Published on
May 10, 2007; Times Daily
Although there
are no local winners, the Shoals will be center stage --
literally --Wednesday night in Montgomery as the Alabama State
Council on the Arts presents its annual awards.
Opening the awards program, "Celebration of the Arts," at the
Davis Theatre will be 16-year-old musician and songwriter Dillon
Hodges, of Florence.
"It is such an honor that the arts council selected Dillon,"
said Mary Settle Cooney, executive director of the Tennessee
Valley Art Association, in Tuscumbia. "He represents young
up-and--coming talent, and it is so appropriate that he'll be
representing our area and the youth of our state."
Hodges, a junior at Florence High School, is a Shoals-audience
favorite. He started with bluegrass but went on to embrace
several musical styles, including jazz, country and alternative.
He's performed at local festivals, concerts and other events as
well as the Aaron's 499 race at Talladega Superspeedway. He's
won several youth and adult guitar championships and recently
placed second in guitar in the State of Tennessee Old-Time
Fiddlers' Championships in Clarksville, Tenn.
In fact, Hodges' flat-picking style so impressed Gibson Guitar
Corp. that the company put him on its list of Gibson-playing
artists, making him the youngest acoustic guitarist Gibson has
endorsed.
In July, Hodges will release his first CD. Recorded in
Nashville, Tenn., it features four instrumentals with his band
Smokin Strings Quartet and seven original songs.
At the arts-council awards program, Hodges will perform onstage
for about 800 people, including legislators, arts organization
representatives, artists, arts patrons, educators and community
leaders.
"The program is designed to be not only a tribute to award
recipients but also a showcase of Alabama performing artists,"
said Al Head, executive director of the Alabama arts council.
"Dillon is one of the finest young artists in Alabama and one of
the best guitar players in the state, period."
Members of the arts council first heard Hodges at a meeting they
attended at the Tennessee Valley Art Center in Tuscumbia.
"I was so impressed by his virtuosity that we have been looking
for an opportunity to present Dillon to a broader audience,"
Head said. "The statewide arts awards program is a perfect time
to do that."
After the awards ceremony, Hodges and brother and sister Brad
Leiter and Amy Leiter of Summertown, Tenn., will play at a
reception at the Alabama Artists Gallery as the bluegrass and
jazz trio Ag'inst the Grain -- Hodges' other band.
For the past several weeks, Hodges has been rehearsing for his
parts in Florence High School's annual show-choir production --
he sang, played guitar and danced -- and finishing his CD.
But he's been thinking about the upcoming arts-council program.
"I'm really excited about it," he said. "I've done a lot of
concerts before, but I don't know if I've ever done anything as
prestigious as this. I might focus on my original songs and do
more traditional songs -- I'm not sure. I'll just see how it
goes."
He's proud to be representing the Shoals, he said, and he
credits growing up in the area with some of his musical
inspiration.
"There is no doubt that this area has shaped my music," he said.
"The Handy Fest has been great for giving me exposure and
(record producer) Rick Hall is cool. It's great that there are
so many good musicians around here. I'm lucky to have grown up
here. And, it's close to Nashville, so that's good, too."
He's not sure if he wants to follow fellow Shoals musicians
Angela Hacker and Zac Hacker, the sister and brother who placed
first and second respectively on this year's TV country-music
competition "Nashville Star."
"I want to end up doing something in music, but I'm not sure
what. I love studio stuff, because you can be so creative and do
whatever you want. But I also like concerts. I'd love to play
guitar with a musical artist or maybe write for him. I'm not
totally set on being a solo performer, even though I enjoy it,"
he said.
"Dillon represents the future of music and the future of arts,"
said Cooney. "He has a native talent but he also works hard.
He's committed to what he does and to quality, and that's what
the arts council is about -- promoting and recognizing the
highest level of Alabama arts."
DILLON TO BE
FEATURED AT STATE ARTS AWARDS BANQUET
MONTGOMERY,
Ala. -- Dillon Hodges, a junior at Florence High School, has
been selected to be the featured performing arts entertainer at
the 2007 Alabama State Council on the Arts Awards Program on
May 16 in Montgomery.
Hodges will do a
30-minute performance at the start of the Awards program from
6:30 to 7 p.m. at the Davis Theater in Montgomery. The bi-annual
event will be attended by 700-800 people, including Alabama
Governor Bob Riley , state legislators, the members of the State
Council on the Arts and members of the state's art community.
The Awards Program
was initiated in 1980 to recognize individuals who have made
outstanding contributions to the arts in Alabama.
DILLON IS SECOND
IN TENNESSEE STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
CLARKSVILLE,
Tenn. -- Dillon Hodges took second place in the guitar
competition at the 2007 Tennessee State Championships. Hodges,
just 16-years-old, finished second in a field of 22 competitors
from eight different states. Matthew WIngate (Lacey's Spring,
Ala.) won the competition, followed by Hodges and Joel
Whittinghill (Bowling Green, Ky.). Hodges played "Angeline the
Baker" as his competition tune and finished just two points
behind Wingate in the final judging. Hodges also finished second
at the 2006 Tennessee State Championships.
HODGES TO
OPEN SONGWRITER'S SHOWCASE AT VON BRAUN CENTER
HUNTSVILLE
-- Fifteen-year-old Shoals guitarist, singer and songwriter
Dillon Hodges will open the August 11 Songwriter's Showcase at
the Von Braun Center Playhouse in Huntsville.
Hodges, who
began playing guitar at age 11 has won two flat-picking guitar
National Championships and is the youngest acoustic guitar
player ever endorsed by the Gibson Guitar Company. He performs
around the Southeast with Ag'inst the Grain and the Smokin
Strings Quartet.
He also began
writing and performing his own songs two years ago and will
perform several of his original tunes at the Showcase.
The monthly
Songwriter's Showcase is set for Friday, August 11th at 6:30pm.
Tables of 4 can be reserved at the VBC Box Office for only
$60-$75 per table while they last. Tickets go on sale Mon., July
10th at 10am!! Tickets will be available through
www.ticketmaster.com
All seats are
reserved for only $10 each.
The Showcase
includes Dave Gibson, Aaron Barker, Daisy Dern and Jim Parker.
Individually
they have written hits such as "Jukebox in My Mind" by Alabama,
"Ships That Don't Come In" by Joe Diffie, "Easy Come, Easy Go"
"Love Without End, Amen" by George Strait, "Carry Me Away" by
Gordon Mote, "Chicken Truck" by John Anderson and many more!
|
HODGES RECEIVES BACK-UP
MUSICIAN AWARD, FINISHES THIRD IN GUITAR
LEITCHFIELD, Ky.
-- Dillon Hodges was awarded the "Back-up Musician of the
Year" Award at the 31st Annual Official Kentucky State
Championship at Rough River State Park on July 16, 2005.
Dillon placed third
in the state championships in guitar, then backed-up
numerous musicians in the other instrument categories over
the two day festival. A panel of the festival's
coordinators then selected Hodges for the award. At 14, he
is by far the youngest person to ever receive the Back-up
Musician of the Year award. |
|
| |
Dillon is awarded the
"Back-up Musician of the Year" Award by Steve Hale at the
31st Annual Official Kentucky State Championship at Rough
River State Park on July 16, 2005. Dillon placed third in
the state championships in guitar, then backed-up numerous
musicians in the other instrument categories. At 14, he is
by far the youngest person to ever receive the back-up
musicians award. |
 HODGES
SECOND IN TENNESSEE STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. --
Dillon Hodges finished second in the prestigious 2006 Tennessee
State Championships at the 32nd annual Old-time Fiddler's
Convention on March 24. At just 15-years of age, Hodges is
one of the youngest competitors ever to place in the adult
division of the Official Tennessee State guitar championships.
Hodges played a blazing
version of Roanoke during the competition. Brian House
placed first with Hodges second and Joel Whittinghill third.
DILLON WINS
SMITHVILLE JAMBOREE FOR SECOND STRAIGHT YEAR
SMITHVILLE, Tenn.
-- At just fourteen years of age, Dillon Hodges continues making
history at one of the nation's legendary bluegrass festivals.
This time Hodges won the adult guitar competition at the 34th
Annual Fiddler's Jamboree in Smithville, giving him two straight
wins in the division. In 2003 Hodges won the 12-and-under
division in flat top guitar, taking the title of National
Champion Beginner. Last year he followed by becoming the first
person in in the history of the festival to win a 12-and-under
division one year and the adult division the next. With his
repeat win in the adult division this year, Hodges will not be
allowed to compete in the guitar contest for one year.
HODGES FINISHES FIFTH
AT WAYNE HENDERSON COMPETITION
MOUTH OF WILSON, Va. --
Dillon Hodges finished fifth in one of the nation's premier
guitar championships on June 18 and in the process became the
youngest finalist in the history of the event. Dillon
advanced to the finals and eventually finished fifth at the 11th
Annual Wayne Henderson Guitar Competition and Music Festival at
Grayson Highlands State Park. At 14 years of age, Hodges became
the youngest person to reach the guitar finals in the 11 years
that the event has been held. Backed-up by former national
champion guitarist Adam Wright, Hodges played Beaumont Rag in
the opening round and advanced to the finals. He then finished
fifth after playing Blackberry Blossom in the final round. The
competition was viewed by a crowd of more than 5,000.
Revved up;
Local band to
perform at NASCAR race
By Michelle Rupe Eubanks; Staff Writer
Dillon Hodges
is giddy, not to mention nervous, excited and in a state of
shock. The 14-year-old Florence Middle School and Freshman
Center student is experiencing his first NASCAR race, but not as
a spectator. Hodges and his band, Ag'inst the Grain, will
be part of the festivities before the start of today's Aaron's
499 at Talladega Superspeedway, before a crowd of 175,000 to
200,000.
Read Full Article
Teen Named a Representative of
Gibson Guitars
Published on
July 10, 2004; Times Daily
Dillon Hodges,
at the age of 13, is just a normal kid in a lot of ways. He
likes to hang out with his friends, search the music stores and
surf the Internet. But he is not just another kid -- just
ask the Gibson Guitar Company. Officials there just signed him
as a representative of Gibson acoustic guitars – reportedly the
youngest acoustic guitarist to earn such an endorsement.
Read Full Article
September 25,
2004
DILLON WINS
LINCOLN COUNTY BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL
Dillon Hodges won
his eighth flat-picking competition of 2004 on September 25 when
he added the Lincoln County Bluegrass Festival guitar title to
his list of accomplishments. Hodges won the competition with his
arrangements of Blackberry Blossom and Beaumont Rag. Nic Andal
of White House Tenn., was second and Rob Pearcy of Smyrna Tenn.,
was third. Hodges will compete next at the Tennessee
Valley Old Time Fiddlers Convention in Athens, Ala., on October
2.
|
 |
BREAKING
NEWS: JULY 08, 2004
HODGES
RECEIVES ARTIST ENDORSEMENT FROM GIBSON
NASHVILLE -- At just 13-years of age, Dillon Hodges
has received an artist endorsement from Gibson Guitar
Company.
Hodges, who has only been playing guitar since he was 11,
was
given the endorsement through Bob Workman of Gibson
Entertainment and Artist Relations.
Hodges
won the 12-and-under flat-picking national championship in
2003 and has already won seven adult flat-picking guitar
competitions in 2004 and finished second in three others.
As
part of the endorsement deal, Hodges will now be playing a
Gibson J-45 Rosewood guitar made at the company's Bozeman,
Montana operations. He also has a Gibson ES 335 for his
Jazz and Blues appearances.
|
|
Dillon at the Valley
Arts Guitar store in Nashville with Bob Workman (Gibson
Entertainment and Artist Relations) |
|
July 2, 2004
DILLON WINS
ADULT GUITAR CONTEST IN SMITHVILLE
SMITHVILLE,
Tenn. -- Just a year after winning the title of National
Champion Country Music Beginner in flat top guitar at the annual
Fiddler's Jamboree in Smithville, Dillon Hodges returned as a
13-year-old to win the adult guitar competition on July 2. In
doing so, he became the first person in the 33-year history of
the festival to
win a junior national title one year and return to win the adult
competition the next year. It was the seventh competition
title for Hodges in 2004 and his his sixth win in an adult
competition this year. Rob Pearcy of Smyrna, Tenn., finished
second and Corey Reed of Franklin, Tenn., was third. After
winning the competition with his renditions of Blackberry
Blossom and Beaumont Rag, Hodges was invited back on to the
stage - prior to the 12-and-under guitar competition - in
recognition of his milestone accomplishment. He then fired off
his version of Sweet Georgia Brown, backed up by accompanist
Lewis Taylor.
June 26, 2004
HODGES WINS INTERNATIONAL BLUEGRASS MUSIC MUSEUM HALL OF FAME
CONTEST
OWENSBORO,
Ky. -- Dillon Hodges won the guitar competition on June 26
at the International Bluegrass Music Museum's "Future Hall of
Famers" competition at the River of Music Festival. The
13-year-old Hodges won the contest - open to teens ages 13-to-19
- and then performed again on stage at Liberty Park prior to
the concert that included Ricky Skaggs, Doc Watson and Earl
Scruggs.
June 6, 2004
DILLON WINS
MT. JULIET BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL
MT. JULIET,
Tenn. -- Dillon Hodges got his fifth festival win of the
year on June 5 when he won the guitar competition at the Mt.
Juliet Bluegrass Festival at Charlie Daniel's Park. Hodges
played Beaumont Rag and Blackberry Blossom as his competition
tunes and advanced to the finals, where he won the competition
with his rendition of "Say Old Man, Can You Play the Fiddle."
Brian Roe of Colorado was second and Nick Andal of White House,
Tenn., was third. In just the last five months, the 13-year-old
Hodges has won adult flat-picking competitions in Tuscaloosa,
Ala., Fort Payne, Ala., Pulaski, Tenn., Dayton, Tenn., and Mt.
Juliet, Tenn.
May 16, 2004
HODGES WINS
FOURTH FESTIVAL OF THE YEAR
DAYTON,
Tenn. -- Guitarist Dillon Hodges won his fourth flat-picking
title of 2004 Saturday when he claimed first place at the
Tennessee Strawberry Festival Bluegrass Showdown. With
accompanist Lewis Taylor, Hodges finish among the finalists for
the sixth straight time. He previously won guitar competitions
in Tuscaloosa, Ala.; Fort Payne, Ala. and Pulaski, Tenn., and so
far in 2004 he has competed in six festivals, winning four
titles, placing second in one and fourth in the other.
April 04,
2004
DILLON WINS
DEKALB COUNTY TITLE
FORT PAYNE,
Ala. -- Dillon Hodges won his second flat-picking title of
2004 on Friday, April 3, taking the guitar competition at the
Dekalb County Fiddler's Convention. The competition,
sponsored by the Big Wills Art Council and hosted at Fort Payne
Middle School, was the first of what will become an annual
festival in Fort Payne. Hodges won the competition with
performances of Blackberry Blossom and Beaumont Rag.
The judges for the competition included two-time former
flat-picking national champion Roy Curry. He had
previously taken first place in the guitar competition at the
19th Annual Fiddlin' and Bluegrass Contest in Tuscaloosa in
February, and he followed that with a strong fourth place finish
at the Tennessee State Championships hosted in Clarksville in
March.
Dillon Wins
in Tuscaloosa
Published on
February 25, 2004
Dillon Hodges
won first place in the guitar competition at the 19th Annual
Fiddlin' and Bluegrass Contest at the McFarland Mall in
Tuscaloosa on February 21. Hodges played Beaumont Rag and
Blackberry Blossom as his two selections in his first festival
competition of 2004. Hodges won his first guitar
competition in Columbia, Tenn., in
2002 and then claimed the National Championship in Flat Top
Guitar for ages 12 and under in 2003, while finishing as a
finalist in numerous adult guitar competitions.
Hits and
misses
Published on
July 21, 2003; Times Daily
Thumbs up to
12-year-old Dillon Hodges for winning the national championship
for flat-top guitar in his age division at the 32nd Annual
Fiddlers Jamboree in Smithville, Tenn. The Weeden Middle School
student, who has only been playing for a year and a half, also
made it to the finals in the adult division before he was
disqualified for being under age 13. Just wait until next year.
Boy plays his
way to championship
Published on
July 13, 2003; Times Daily
FLORENCE -
Dillon Hodges is a national champion at the early age of 12.
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Pickin' and
Grinnin'
Published on
February 10, 2003; Times Daily
On any given
Friday night, the stage at J Fiddler's Cafe is occupied by an
interesting ensemble belting out bluegrass and Irish tunes on
their fiddles and guitars.
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