Crowd Has Finger-Pickin’ Good Time : Music: More than 100 performers show off their fastest and hottest licks at the 33rd annual Topanga Banjo Fiddle Contest.

While his pals might sway to the hip-hop beat of Naughty By Nature, don’t count on Dusty Osmanson to join in.

The 11-year-old Saugus resident prefers the clean melodies of country fiddler Mark O’Connor or the Acousticats to the synthetic sounds of modern music. An odd preference for a member of his age group, perhaps, but Osmanson hopes to someday become a professional banjo-picker.

Clawing out a ringing version of “Remington Ride,” he joined more than 100 other performers Sunday at the 33rd annual Topanga Banjo Fiddle Contest to show off his fastest picks and hottest licks under the spring sun at Paramount Ranch.

Every year, the festival gives thousands of city folk from throughout the San Fernando Valley an earful of country as dozens of folk and bluegrass musicians jam together during the day. It was an informal gathering, allowing novices to share the stage with old pros who could turn the “Orange Blossom Special” into a bullet train.

Like Dusty, dozens of the performers were children, kids in baggy skateboard duds playing tunes right out of the songbooks of Americana--songs about honesty, integrity and the search for truth in a lyin’, cheatin’ world. Most played solo, or were backed by an adult guitarist for support.

“It’s probably a pretty weird instrument to be playing,” said Dusty after performing for the crowd of several hundred picnickers who applauded politely for the young musicians. “But it’s really fun and you can go really fast.”

Jake Hodge, 11, of Kratka Ridge has been playing banjo since September and Sunday marked his first public recital with his version of “Cripple Creek.” He was nervous but excited, clutching his banjo in a vise-like grip as he awaited his turn onstage.

The way he tells it--with a little help from his 13-year-old sister, Brittanie--Jake started playing the banjo almost by accident. His oldest sister plays guitar. Another sister plays the fiddle and Brittanie has a mandolin.

“I liked the banjo and the drums,” Jake said. “The drums cost more, so I got the banjo.”

Jake’s teacher, Frank Javorsek of Palmdale, said it is not unusual for city kids to be attracted by a style of music generally associated with rural life.

“This is the rich cream of American music,” said Javorsek, who owns the Blue Ridge Pickin’ Parlor in Canoga Park. He added that kids get into the music because it was “created for people to do together” and not just to be recited in a concert hall.

Even so, Javorsek said, many of his students also take lessons in classical guitar or violin. “Their parents bring them in for fiddle lessons as a treat,” he said. “They love it.”

Jesse Goodman, 13, of West Hills has been playing guitar for five years, most recently as part of the Green River Band. His father, Carl, said the youth actually began by playing along with the band on an old ukelele when he was just a toddler.

It’s still fun, but Jesse has his sights on other things.

“I’d like to play hard rock,” he said. “I’m trying to start a band.”