State Fiddle Champion Finishes 17th at Nationals

15-year-old Georgia Rae Mussared has returned home from Weiser, Idaho, where she finished 17th in the open division of the National Old-Time Fiddlers Contest.

Mussared is the current Grand Champion Old-Time Fiddler in Illinois. The national competition is judged by one contestant as kin to the Olympics of Old-Time Fiddling. Mussared spent the week competing against and jamming with the best old-time fiddlers in the nation.

Mussared's family band, Georgia Rae Family Band, also made a special appearance in the certified showcase portion of the contest, and they also won the Battle of the Bands at the Old-Time Fiddlers Festival in Weiser.

The girls also raised $11,000 in funds to finance the family trip to Idaho.

Georgia Rae will be returning to Effingham in October to defend her state champion title, set for October 19.