Nickels and Dimes are a country duo.

ANDOVER – Two local musicians will be on the road in March for an international music competition in Tennessee.

Andover musicians James Littlefield and Margaret Arsenault, known locally as the country music duo Nickels and Dimes, are scheduled to go to Pigeon Forge, Tenn., to participate in the 2004 North American Country Music Association Inc. competition, according to Larry Bisbee at the Countryfolk Music Theatre in East Dixfield.

Littlefield and Arsenault became eligible to attend when they were nominated and won second place as Duo of the Year in the fall Maine Downeast Country Music Association competition. They will join more than 50 other eligible Maine musicians, country singers and songwriters at the international competition.

Competition will be at the Country Tonight Theatre March 1-7.

Littlefield and Arsenault live and work in Andover, operating a dowel mill during the week and performing country music on the weekends at the Snowshoe Club in Rumford and other venues in western Maine.

Arsenault, originally from Rumford, plays 12-string guitar and keyboard, sings and yodels. She has sung as part of the Arsenault Family Band for about 12 years. Littlefield, from Jay, has also been a member of the band for six years. He sings and plays guitar and keyboard.

They started out on their own as a duo a couple of years ago. They are one of the house bands at the Countryfolk Music Theatre. They also play for private and special occasions throughout Oxford and Franklin counties.