Fiddlers Frolics names ‘new’ Texas State Fiddle Champion

The third time wasn’t a charm for the defending state fiddling champion Carl Hopkins of Porter, who came to Hallettsville last week looking for the three-peat, having won that coveted No. 1 position the last two consecutive years running.

When it came to walking with state champion title for the third year straight, it would prove no dice for Hopkins this year, though he did come in a close second after the scores were tallied. Considering he in the No. 2 when the initial contestant roster started at 20, that indeed no small feat by itself.

Still, this year, the bragging rights went to Dennis Ludiker of Austin, who walked away not only with the state fiddle title but a healthy chunk of change in winnings—$1,500, to be exact— and fancy new belt buckle to show off his state title for all to see.

He was named the 2024 state champion fiddle champion after several intense rounds of play Sunday afternoon with this year’s contestants, the last hour or so, strictly against Hopkins, who finished in second, and Shira Ellisman of Porter, who took third, both this year and last.

Although Ludiker may be the new holder of title in 2024, this was hardly his first win at the Hallettsville Frolics. In fact, Sunday’s win was his fifth locally. His first n came in 2011.

Unlike many contestants, however, Ludiker has won both the Texas state championship title, which open to Texas residents only, as well as the Gone to Texas title, which includes all fiddlers not from Texas. Ludiker and his lovely wife, Kaylee, just recently moved back to the Lone Star State with their 3-year-old daughter Millie and 9-year-old son Mason, having spent a few years up in the Pacific Northwest. Young Mason actually took the competition stage himself, competing in Youth Division on Saturday morning (see related story), showing off a talent that says he’ll definitely follow in his dad’s bootsteps.

Ludiker is a professional musician and stage technician, having spent the last year on the road touring with the (formerly called the Dixie) Chicks. He started out with South Austin Jug Band before playing with the progressive Bluegrass band MilkDrive, and he also spent nearly a decade touring with Ray Benson and Asleep at the Wheel, before he retired from that band in November 2022. He currently works as a studio musician for various producers around Austin, Lloyd Maines being his most frequent collaborator. He and his wife also manage their own music studio and booking agency

Sunday’s first cut weeded the number of contestants from 20 down to just 10. From there, they swiftly dropped down to just three for the famed playoff, where all three take the stage with their accompanists and remain there until the contest is finished. All the while, Kenneth Henneke draws dominos to determine what song category plays next, be it a swing tune, breakdown, rag, polka or waltz

Standings for the Texas State Fiddle Championship are as follows: 4.) Revier Lee of New Waverly, $600 ; 5.) Marty Elmore of Bowie, $500; 6.) Jason Andrew of Whitewright, $400; 7.) Clara Mitchell of Grapevine, $350; 8.) Jason McBride of Bertram, $300; 9.) Rebecca Glass of Plano, $250; 10.) Jason Crisp of Conroe, $200; 11.) Heidi Labensart of Austin, $125; 12.) Brent Fralicks of Savoy, $125; 13.) Jessica Henderson of Austin, $125; 14.) Julie Amundson of Hallettsville, $125; 15.) Mike Wagner of Telephone, $125; 16.) Bill Tuckness of Valley Spring, $125; 17.) Mike Hilger of Garden City, $125; 18.) Cindy Skaggs of Grandbury;19.) Philip Pryor of New Waverly; and 20.) Sadie Cruz of Arlington. Anthony Mature of New Waverly walked away with his third consecutive year championship Sunday morning in the 2024 Guitar Accompanist Contest held at this year’s Fiddlers Frolic.