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Scrivner Wins Arkansas State Fiddle Champion Title

David Scrivner, of Springfield, Missouri, won the Adult Division and Grand Champion title at the August 10 event held at the Ozark Folk Center State Park in Mountain View, Arkansas. 

The event is sponsored by Old Time Ozarks Traditions, Inc., a non-profit organization whose purpose is to promote old-time fiddling styles and tunes –– a style often called “old-time mountain music”.  The style is exemplified in many old-time fiddle recordings from the 1930s and 1940s.

Scrivner is a graduate of Mansfield High School, College of the Ozarks, and the University of Dallas. His musical career began at age six with lessons from Charlotte Blackwell, and during his career, he has studied the mandolin, guitar, banjo and dobro, with fiddle being his last instrument to master. 

He has been a regular playing at the McClurg Jam in Taney County since he was in high school and student of the late Bob Holt.

For many years, Scrivner has had the honor of playing the “Pa Ingalls” fiddle at the Laura Ingalls Wilder Home and Museum, during the Wilder Day celebration. 

Today, Scrivner plays for contra dances, and is also well-known as a square dance fiddler.  He plays for events throughout the Ozarks –– from Fayetteville, Arkansas to the Ozarks Heritage Festival in West Plains, to Pioneer Heritage of the Ozarks in Douglas County, to Hootin an Hollerin, in Gainesville, Mo.