Northwest Regional Fiddle Contest showcases players of all ages

When Fireball Mail singer/guitarist Brad Bulla was young, he saw Doc and Merle Watson perform and knew right away that he was going to be a musician.

Before the concert, Bulla had a little experience playing the banjo but shortly after, he switched to the guitar.

“Growing up in North Carolina, there were a lot of opportunities to go to bluegrass festivals and see live music,” he said. “There’s something about live music. It can really grab you.”

When Bulla became a father, he started his children off early too, putting fiddles in their hands as soon as they were old enough to learn the instrument.

Having a troupe of musicians made the Bulla family regulars at the National Fiddle Contest in Weiser, Idaho.

Bulla’s oldest son was grand national fiddle champion several times, and his oldest daughter, Jenny Anne Mannan, lives in Spokane and hosts Northwest of Nashville at the Bartlett (The next Northwest of Nashville is Tuesday).

Mannan will join her father and the rest of Fireball Mail – fiddle player Tyler Andal, mandolin player Isaac Eicher, bassist Joe Brown and Phil Easterbrook on dobro, banjo and vocals – when the band performs at Players and Spectators in Spokane Valley as part of the Northwest Regional Fiddle Contest.

The fiddle contest has been an Inland Northwest staple since its 1969 debut.

The contest now welcomes musicians from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Alaska and Canada to the Inland Northwest.

From his experience, Bulla sees events like the Northwest Regional Fiddle Contest as beneficial for both participants and spectators.

It gives musicians an opportunity to be around peers and an incentive to practice and hone their skills.

For those in the audience, contests are a chance to see talented newcomers and seasoned vets in one place.

“You get to see these kids that are very excited about playing music and you get to see the tradition being handed down to them,” he said. “It’s a microcosm of the whole fiddle world right there.”

Things kick off Friday with registration, from 6-8 p.m., and a jam until 10 p.m.

The fiddle contest welcomes musicians in the following divisions: small fry (8 and younger), junior junior (9-12), junior (13-17), young adult (18-36), adult (37-59), senior (60-69), senior senior (70 and older) and championship (open to anyone).

Competitors perform three pieces each, a waltz, a hoedown and a third tune of their choosing that’s not a waltz or hoedown.

Judges Katrina Nicolayeff, Starr McMullen and Celeste Johnson will evaluate contestants from a secluded room on timing, dance ability, tone and difficulty.

On Saturday, the contests get underway during two sessions.

The first, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with registration at 7 a.m., features the first round of competition for the junior, senior and adult competitors.

After lunch, the senior finals and awards will be held, as will the second junior round, the adult finals and the first championship round.

During the second session, 6-11:30 p.m., the contest continues with the second championship round, the juniors and championship finals, and the juniors and championship awards.

After finals, Fireball Mail will perform.

Fireball Mail won the Telluride Bluegrass Festival Band Contest in 2016. The band released its debut album “Bending the Rails” that same year, and Bulla said the band hopes to enter the studio later this year.

The band also frequents the Station Inn in Nashville.

“We’re having a great time at it, and there’s so much music in this town so it’s a great thing to be able to play with such great musicians,” he said.

On Sunday, the third session, 8 a.m.-3 p.m., with registration at 7 a.m., features first rounds and finals from the junior junior, small fry, senior senior and young adult divisions, as well as the awards for those divisions.

The winners of each division will be certified for the National Fiddle Contest in Weiser.

Knowing firsthand the importance of events like the Northwest Regional Fiddle Contest, Bulla said it’s amazing that the contest is now in its 51st year.

“There seems to be a pocket of music and talent in the Inland Northwest, which is really unique,” he said. “It’s really cool to see that.”