Chris Austin Songwriting Contest Announces Finalists for 2011‏

WILKESBORO, N.C. (April 5, 2011)—Finalists have been selected for the 19^h annual Chris Austin Songwriting Contest, hosted by MerleFest 2011. The festival is scheduled for April 28-May 1, on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina.

Writers of the following twelve songs, selected from over 1,053 entries, will compete on the Austin Stage at MerleFest on Friday, April 29:

Bluegrass

Tonya Lowman - "Heartwrenching Lovesick Memories" (Lenoir, N.C.)
David Grindstaff, Benjamin Poteat and David Snider - "The Working Man" (Marion, N.C.)
Ashleigh Caudill - "Row By Row" (Asheville, N.C.)

Country

Mickey Clark - "Bakersfield Wine" (Louiville, Ky.)
Lera Lynn - "Bobby, Baby" (Athens, Ga.)
Thom Case - "The Smart Thing" (Brentwood, Tenn.)

Gospel/Inspirational

Johnny Tanner - "Wake Up John" (Florence, S.C.)
Tony Feathers - "On The Rock Where Moses Stood" (Gray, Tenn.)
Rachel Harrington - "He Started Building My Mansion In Heaven Today" (Seattle, Wash.)

General

Joseph LeMay - "River In My Heart" (Dyersburg, Tenn.)
The Honeycutters (Amanda Anne Platt) - "Little Bird" (Asheville, N.C.)

Driftwood Fire (Charlotte D. Formichella and Lynn Scharf) - "The Salty Sea" (Ft. Collins, Colo.)

Each of the twelve finalists will enjoy admission and lodging for four nights at MerleFest, and will receive a mentoring session with Grammy®-winning singer/songwriter Jim Lauderdale. In addition, the first place winners will receive a performance slot on the Cabin Stage on Friday of the festival.

The Chris Austin Songwriting Contest is a unique opportunity for aspiring writers to have their original songs heard and judged by a panel of Nashville music industry professionals, under the direction of this year’s volunteer contest chairperson Jim Lauderdale. Judging is based on a song’s originality, lyrics, melody and overall commercial potential.

This year’s on-site judges are Wyatt Durrett, Corb Lund and Molly Nagel. Durrette is a respected songwriter whose credits include “Chicken Fried,” the wildly successful number one hit by Grammy Award winning Zac Brown Band. Lund, Alberta’s acclaimed alternative country star, has been named Roots Artist of the Year by the Canadian Country Music Association for the last five years running and was again nominated this year. Nagel is the newly-appointed general manager of the Asheville-based innovative marketing company Music Allies; previously she spent 12 years in publicity and artist development for venerated roots indie Sugar Hill Records.

The following were judges for the first round of competition during which the finalists were selected: Donica Christenson - Sugar Hill Records; Tim Dubois - ASCAP Nashville; Sara Johnson - creative director, Bug Music; Casey Kelly - songwriter/vice president, Songwriters Guild; Joe Limardi - program director, WSM; Shannon McCombs - producer/writer/host; Megan McNair - publicist/editor, Music City News Media; Nathan Nicholson - independent song plugger/publisher; Caine O'Rear - editor/co-publisher, American Songwriter Magazine; Victoria Shaw - singer/songwriter and producer; Joyce Symans - membership administrator, Americana Music Association; Joe West - songwriter/producer.

Net proceeds from the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest support the Wilkes Community College Chris Austin Memorial Scholarship. Since its inception the scholarship has awarded over $35,000 to 71 deserving students. The 2010-2011 Chris Austin Memorial Scholarship recipients are Mary R. Griffith and Thomas Noah Russell. Previous winners of the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest include Gillian Welch, Tift Merritt, Michael Reno Harrell, Adrienne Young, Martha Scanlan, David Via and Johnny Williams.

About Chris Austin:

Chris Austin, from Boone, North Carolina, worked as a sideman for Ricky Skaggs for three years, singing and playing guitar, banjo, mandolin and fiddle. During that time he was discovered by executives at Warner Bros. Nashville, who offered him a recording contract. While releasing singles including “Blues Stay Away From Me,” “I Know There’s a Heart in There Somewhere” and “Out of Step,” Austin also developed his songwriting skills, as

evidenced in “Same Ol’ Love,” recorded by Skaggs in 1991. On March 16, 1991, Austin’s life was cut tragically short when the private plane carrying him and six other members of Reba McEntire’s band, as well as her tour manager, crashed in the mountains near San Diego. Pete Fisher, then of Warnersongs and currently general manager of the Grand Ole Opry, and Kari Estrin, then MerleFest consultant and Pickin’ for Merle video associate producer, initiated the songwriting contest to honor Austin’s memory.

CHRIS AUSTIN SONGWRITING CONTEST, HOSTED BY MERLEFEST, ANNOUNCES FINALISTS FOR 2010

WILKESBORO, N.C. (April 6, 2010)—Finalists have been selected for the 18th annual Chris Austin Songwriting Contest, hosted by MerleFest 2010, presented by Lowe's and scheduled for April 29-May 2 on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina.
Writers of the following twelve songs, selected from over 1,044 entries, will compete on the Austin Stage at MerleFest on Friday, April 30, at 2:00 p.m. This year’s on-site judges are Laurelyn Dossett, Wyatt Durrette, and Rory Feek.
Bluegrass
“New Love” by Josh Pickett; Cana, VA

“Whisper Sweet Goodbyes” by Jo Ellen Doering; Los Angeles, CA

“Carolina Dust” by Brink Brinkman; Pickerington, OH



Gospel
“On the Winning Side” by David Tew; Turkey, NC

“Amen” by Jo Ellen Doering; Los Angeles, CA

“I Had A Little Talk With Jesus” by Richard Henry; Houston, TX



Country
“You Opened My Eyes” by Mark Wayne Glasmire; Arlington, TX

“It Ain't Over” by Julianne Ankley; Fort Gratiot, MI

“Alive” by Lisa Torres; Antioch, TN



General
“Rush” by Liz Longley; Downingtown, PA

“Get It Right” by Shay Lovette; Purlear, NC

“Opening” by Chris Ayer; McLean, VA


The Chris Austin Songwriting Contest is a unique opportunity for aspiring writers to have their original songs heard and judged by a panel of Nashville music industry professionals, under the direction of this year’s volunteer contest chairperson, Grammy®-winning singer/songwriter Jim Lauderdale. Judging is based on a song’s originality, lyrics, melody and overall commercial potential. The following were judges for the first round of competition during which the finalists were selected:
Donica Christensen - Director of Artist and Media Relations, Sugar Hill Records

Patrick Clifford – Vice President A&R, Ten Ten Music Group

Jimmy Fortune - Singer/songwriter and member of Country Music Hall of Fame and Gospel Music Hall of Fame as tenor singer for the Statler Brothers

Whitney Holmes - Americana Music Association

Sara Johnson - Senior Director of Creative Services, Bug Music Nashville

Tony Lawson - Programmer, WDVX Radio

Kendell Marvel - Songwriter

Todd Mayo - Executive Producer, Music City Roots

Shannon McCombs - Radio producer and air personality

Roger Murrah - Songwriter and Sr. Vice President, Bug Music Nashville; member of Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame

Nathan Nicholson - Creative Director, NTN Music Publishing

John Pennell - Songwriter

Ed Williams – Director of Creative Services, Bug Music Nashville
First place winners in each category receive: a performance on the Cabin Stage at MerleFest on April 30, a Big Baby Taylor guitar, a check for $300, two boxes of D’Addario strings and one-year subscriptions to both Acoustic Guitar and American Songwriter magazines. Second and third place winners in each category receive performance slots on the Friday night Songwriters Coffeehouse, as well as cash prizes, D’Addario strings and subscriptions to Acoustic Guitar and American Songwriter. In addition, for the first time in the history of the contest, the finalists will have the invaluable experience of a group mentor session with Jim Lauderdale
Previous winners of the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest include Gillian Welch, Tift Merritt, Michael Reno Harrell, Adrienne Young, Martha Scanlan, David Via and Johnny Williams.
Net proceeds from the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest support the Wilkes Community College Chris Austin Memorial Scholarship. Since its inception the scholarship has awarded over $ 30,300 to 69 deserving students. The 2009-2010 Chris Austin Memorial Scholarship recipients are Ian Tucker Francis and Dustin Rubio-Serrano.
About Chris Austin:

Chris Austin, from Boone, North Carolina, worked as a sideman for Ricky Skaggs for three years, singing and playing guitar, banjo, mandolin and fiddle. During that time he was discovered by executives at Warner Bros. Nashville, who offered him a recording contract. While releasing singles including “Blues Stay Away From Me,” “I Know There’s a Heart in There Somewhere” and “Out of Step,” Austin also developed his songwriting skills, as evidenced in “Same Ol’ Love,” recorded by Skaggs in 1991. On March 16, 1991, Austin’s life was cut tragically short when the private plane carrying him and six other members of Reba McEntire’s band, as well as her tour manager, crashed in the mountains near San Diego. Pete Fisher, then of Warnersongs and currently general manager of the Grand Ole Opry, and Kari Estrin, then MerleFest consultant and Pickin’ for Merle video associate producer, initiated the songwriting contest to honor Austin’s memory.



About MerleFest:

MerleFest 2010, presented by Lowe’s, will celebrate its 23rd year from April 29 – May 2, 2010 on the campus of Wilkes Community College. Over 100 acts will perform on 15 stages during the course of the event. A complete list of confirmed performers is available at http://www.merlefest.org. MerleFest was founded in 1988 in memory of Eddy Merle Watson as a fundraiser for Wilkes Community College and a celebration of “traditional plus” music.

Updated 18:45, 4/6

It's application Time for the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest

WILKESBORO, N.C. (November 2, 2009)—MerleFest 2010, presented by Lowe’s, is proud once again to host the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest. Now in its 18th year, the contest is an extraordinary opportunity for aspiring writers to have their original songs heard and judged by a panel of Nashville music industry professionals, under the direction of this year’s volunteer contest chairperson, Grammy®-winning singer/songwriter Jim Lauderdale.

Contest entries are now being accepted via the following methods:

U.S. Mail – Send to P. O. Box 121855, Nashville, TN 37212
American Songspace – http://www.americansongspace.com/chrisaustinsongwritingcontest
Sonicbids – http://www.sonicbids.com/chrisaustinsongwritingcontest
Details about entry fees, eligibility and other requirements are available at http://www.chrisaustinsongwritingcontest.org/.

The deadline for submissions is February 18, 2010. To be eligible to enter, a songwriter must not derive more than 50% of his or her total income from songwriting or music publishing.
Once submitted, songs are judged by a volunteer panel of Nashville songwriters, publishers and other music industry professionals. Judging is based on a song’s originality, lyrics, melody and overall commercial potential. Twelve finalists, three from each category, will be announced during the first week of April 2010. Each of the twelve finalists will compete on the Austin Stage at MerleFest 2010. In addition, for the first time in the history of the contest, each of the twelve finalists will have the invaluable experience of a mentor session with Jim Lauderdale.

Chris Austin Songwriting Finalists Announced

WILKESBORO, N.C. (April 6, 2009)--Finalists have been selected for the 17th annual Chris Austin Songwriting Contest, hosted by MerleFest 2009, scheduled for April 23-26 on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina.
Writers of the following twelve songs, selected from 840 entries, will compete on the Austin Stage at MerleFest on Friday, April 24, at 2:00 p.m.:

Bluegrass category
"Water Falls" by Wyatt Espalin and Cobi Ferguson; Nashville, TN
"Love Gone By" by Carol Hausner and Coin McCaffrey; Montpelier, VT
"The Old Coal Mine" by Brink Brinkman; Columbus, OH

Gospel category
"I Had A Little Talk with Jesus" by Richard Henry; Houston, TX
"Little Bitty Piece of God" by Jo Ellen Doering; Los Angeles, CA
"Beyond the Rain" by Brink Brinkman; Columbus, OH

Country category
"Maybe You'll Start Loving Me Again" by Lloyd Wood; Spencer, IN
"Man of Few Words" by Dennis Duff; Kuttawa, KY
"Once Upon a Time" by Tonya Lowman; Lenoir, NC

General category
"Carolina Rain" by Ron Fetner; Seaford, VA
"I Will Fly" by John Smith; Trempealeau, WI
"Unmarked Pavement" by Letha and Miles Costin; Raleigh, NC

The Chris Austin Songwriting Contest is a unique opportunity for aspiring writers to have their original songs heard and judged by a panel of Nashville music industry professionals, under the direction of this year's volunteer contest chairperson, Grammy®-winning singer/songwriter Jim Lauderdale.

First place winners in each category receive: a performance on the Cabin Stage at MerleFest 2009, an acoustic guitar, a check for $300, two boxes of D'Addario strings and a one-year subscription to Acoustic Guitar magazine. Second and third place winners in each category receive performance slots on the Friday night Songwriters Coffeehouse, as well as cash prizes, D'Addario strings and Acoustic Guitar subscriptions.

Songs were judged by a volunteer panel of Nashville songwriters, publishers and other music industry professionals. Judging was based on a song's originality, lyrics, melody and overall commercial potential. Previous winners of the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest include Gillian Welch, Tift Merritt, Michael Reno Harrell, Adrienne Young, Martha Scanlan, David Via and Johnny Williams.

Net proceeds from the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest support the Wilkes Community College Chris Austin Memorial Scholarship. Since its inception the scholarship has awarded over $25,000 to 68 deserving students. The 2008-2009 recipients are Ryan Jeffery Call and Kimberly Ilene Osborne. Ryan is enrolled in WCC's college transfer program with plans to transfer to North Carolina State University for the completion of his bachelor's degree. Kimberly is enrolled in WCC's office systems technology program.

About Chris Austin:
Chris Austin, from Boone, North Carolina, worked as a sideman for Ricky Skaggs for three years, singing and playing guitar, banjo, mandolin and fiddle. During that time he was discovered by executives at Warner Bros. Nashville, who offered him a recording contract. While releasing singles including "Blues Stay Away From Me," "I Know There's a Heart in There Somewhere" and "Out of Step," Austin also developed his songwriting skills, as evidenced in "Same Ol' Love," recorded by Skaggs in 1991. On March 16, 1991, Austin's life was cut tragically short when the private plane carrying him and six other members of Reba McEntire's band, as well as her tour manager, crashed in the mountains near San Diego. Pete Fisher, then of Warnersongs and currently general manager of the Grand Ole Opry, and Kari Estrin, then MerleFest consultant and Pickin' for Merle video associate producer, initiated the songwriting contest to honor Austin's memory.

About MerleFest:
MerleFest 2009, presented by Lowe's and celebrating its 22nd year from April 23-26, offers four days of performances by almost 100 artists on 15 stages on the campus of Wilkes Community College. A complete lineup of artists is posted at www.merlefest.org. As in previous years, the list of performers fits the "traditional plus" definition offered by Doc Watson when describing the rich musical diversity that is a hallmark of the event. MerleFest honors the memory of instrumental virtuoso Eddy Merle Watson and the contributions of Doc and the entire Watson Family to the musical traditions of the region and nation. MerleFest began in 1988 as a fundraiser for the college and remains the largest fundraiser for the institution.

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Chris Austin Songwriting Contest

CHRIS AUSTIN SONGWRITING CONTEST, HOSTED BY MERLEFEST, OFFERS INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY FOR ASPIRING WRITERS AND SUPPORTS COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS

Submission Deadline For This Year's Contest is February 18, 2009

WILKESBORO, NC (January 15, 2009)--MerleFest 2009, presented by Lowe's, is proud once again to host the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest. Now in its 17th year, the contest is an extraordinary opportunity for aspiring writers to have their original songs heard and judged by a panel of Nashville music industry professionals, under the direction of this year's volunteer contest chairperson, Grammy®-winning singer/songwriter Jim Lauderdale.

The contest recognizes winners in four categories--country, bluegrass, gospel and general. First place winners in each category receive: a performance on the Cabin Stage at MerleFest 2009 (April 23-26), an acoustic guitar, a check for $300, two boxes of D'Addario strings and a one-year subscription to Acoustic Guitar magazine. Second and third place winners in each category receive performance slots on the Friday night Songwriters Coffeehouse, as well as cash prizes, D'Addario strings and Acoustic Guitar subscriptions.

This year's deadline for submissions is February 18, 2009. To be eligible to enter, a songwriter must not derive more than 50% of his or her total income from songwriting or music publishing. Additional information about eligibility and requirements is available at http://e2ma.net/go/1643968472/1491066/54801895/goto:http://www.merlefest.org/.

Songs may be submitted via U.S. mail or online via Sonicbids at www.sonicbids.com. Details about entry fees and what must accompany each entry are available at http://e2ma.net/go/1643968472/1491066/54801894/goto:http://www.merlefest.org/.
Once submitted, songs are judged by a volunteer panel of Nashville songwriters, publishers and other music industry professionals. Judging is based on a song's originality, lyrics, melody and overall commercial potential. Twelve finalists, three from each category, will be announced during the first week of April 2009. Each of the twelve finalists will compete on the Austin Stage at MerleFest 2009.
Previous winners of the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest include Gillian Welch, Tift Merritt, Michael Reno Harrell, Adrienne Young, Martha Scanlan, David Via, and Johnny Williams.
For additional information about the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest, call the contest hotline at 1-800-799-3838 or Laurie Hayes, CASC Coordinator: 336-838-6158, laurie.hayes@wilkescc.edu.

Net proceeds from the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest support the Wilkes Community College Chris Austin Memorial Scholarship. Since its inception the scholarship has awarded over $25,000 to 68 deserving students. The 2008-2009 recipients are Ryan Jeffery Call and Kimberly Ilene Osborne. Ryan is enrolled in WCC's college transfer program with plans to transfer to North Carolina State University for the completion of his bachelor's degree. Kimberly is enrolled in WCC's office systems technology program.

About Chris Austin:
Chris Austin, from Boone, North Carolina, worked as a sideman for Ricky Skaggs for three years, singing and playing guitar, banjo, mandolin and fiddle. During that time he was discovered by executives at Warner Bros. Nashville, who offered him a recording contract. While releasing singles including "Blues Stay Away From Me," "I Know There's a Heart in There Somewhere," and "Out of Step," Austin also developed his songwriting skills, as evidenced in "Same Ol' Love," recorded by Skaggs in 1991. On March 16, 1991, Austin's life was cut tragically short when the private plane carrying him and six other members of Reba McEntire's band, as well as her tour manager, crashed in the mountains near San Diego. Pete Fisher, then of Warnersongs and currently general manager of the Grand Ole Opry, and Kari Estrin, then MerleFest consultant and Pickin' for Merle video associate producer, initiated the songwriting contest to honor Austin's memory.