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DILLON HODGES - 2007 FLAT PICKING GUITAR NATIONAL CHAMPION Since the time that Dillon Hodges first played a guitar at age 11, his musical journey has been on a fast track. Less than two years after he first picked up a guitar, Dillon won a national championship as the best flat picking guitar player in the country for ages 12-and-under. In September of 2007, just one month past his 16th birthday, Hodges won the Flat Picking National Championship at the 36th Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield, Kansas, besting a field of 40 of the nation's top pickers. With the win Hodges became the first guitar player ever to win the title of National Champion Country Music Beginner in Flat Top Guitar and the Flat Picking National Championship. In winning the Walnut Valley Festival, Hodges became the first left-handed player in the 36 years of the event to win. He is also the first winner from the state of Alabama and is believed to be the second youngest winner ever - second only to Mark O'Connor. The summer and fall of 2007 has been a memorable time for Dillon. He released his debut CD, "Stormy Weather," in July of 2007. He is a featured artist in the September/October issue of Flat Picking Guitar Magazine. He won first place in the Indiana State Championships in Guitar and teamed with friends Solly Burton and Olivia Smiley in the band Ol Dill to win both the Kentucky State and Indiana State Bluegrass Band championships. At the age of 12, having played guitar for just over a year, he won the title of National Champion Country Music Beginner in Flat Top Guitar at the 2003 Fiddlers Jamboree in Smithville, Tenn. In 2004 he won the "Future Hall of Famers" competition held by the International Bluegrass Music Museum, as well as seven adult flat-picking competitions. In just four years of competing, Hodges has won 14 guitar championships and has competed in events in Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, Indiana and Kansas. He is now singing and writing songs as well and performs regularly as a solo artist and with his various bands - Ag’inst the Grain, the Smokin Strings Quartet and Ol Dill. Hodges asked for a guitar for his 11th birthday and, not knowing if he would really stick with learning to play, his parents talked to an uncle who gave Dillon a hand-me-down Regal. Mark Campbell, a family friend who plays several instruments but had never taught lessons, offered to teach Dillon as part of his birthday present. Mark taught Dillon for a few weeks and it wasn't going very well - but he was teaching him right-handed. When he switched Dillon to playing left handed everything just clicked. After playing for only a couple of months, Mark began carrying Dillon to J. Fiddler's Restaurant to pick in the back room with the house band, then he began playing on stage. In August 2002 Dillon entered his first guitar competition in Moulton, Ala., and fell in love with competing. He then won his first competition - in the Adult Division - at a festival in Columbia, Tenn., in October of 2002 Dillon continued competing in festivals and began placing in the Adult division in bigger festivals and in July (2003) he went to the 32nd Annual Jamboree in Smithville, Tenn., which is the junior national championships for guitar. When he got there, he asked if he could enter in both the Adult Division - which was the first day - and the 12-and-under division, which was the second day. He was told that he could. He played the first day and was picked as one of three finalists in the Adult Division. But before he competed in the finals - they realized he was just 12 and told him he couldn't compete in the finals. After that he competed in the 12-and-under division and won the competition - National Champion Country Music Beginner in Flat Top Guitar. At the age of 13 he was given an artist endorsement by Gibson guitar, making him the youngest acoustic guitar player ever endorsed by Gibson. Since then he has won numerous adult competitions and placed in dozens of others - including winning seven in 2004. He has performed on several television shows across North Alabama, has been featured in numerous news articles and has played at events across the Southeast – including providing the pre- race entertainment at Aaron’s 499 at the Talladega SuperSpeedway on May 1, 2005. He plays weekly with the church band at Highland Baptist Church in Florence and performs at festivals across the Southeast AG’INST THE GRAIN * A bluegrass and jazz trio, Hodges performs with brother and sister - Brad and Amy Leiter of Summertown, Tenn., as Ag’inst the Grain. The band includes Amy on vocals and fiddle, Brad on bass and Dillon on guitar, mandolin and vocals. SMOKIN STRINGS QUARTET * The Smokin Strings Quartet was formed in the Summer of 2006 and includes, Dillon on guitar and vocals, Tim May of Nashville, Tenn., on guitar and mandolin, Mark Evitts of Independence, Ky., on fiddle and Brad Leiter on bass. Rachel Pochup of Florence also provides vocals. The members of the Smokin Strings also played on Dillon's initial CD - "Stormy Weather" - coming out this summer. The Smokin Strings perform jazz and swing tunes in their own unique style. OL DILL * Dillon Hodges, fiddler Olivia Smiley and mandolin player Solly Burton have combined their talents to win both the Kentucky State and Indiana State Bluegrass Band Championships.