July 21 is the application deadline for entering the regional live rounds of the Mountain Stage NewSong Contest, presented by Folk Alliance.  The submission deadline for the general round – open to anyone from anywhere without respect to geography – is September 1.   Now in its seventh year, the contest is open to performing songwriters in all musical genres. Cash and other prizes and opportunities will be awarded.

A total of 12 finalists will be selected to perform during the international contest finals to be held on Saturday, October 11 at the Cultural Center in Charleston, West Virginia — home to the internationally broadcast “Mountain Stage” radio and TV show that has showcased more than 2,000 artists since its inception in 1983.  One finalist will be selected from each of six live regional rounds taking place this summer at notable listening halls and festivals (as indicated below), while an additional six will be selected from the general round.  These include this year’s early-bird finalists — Maureen Audary of Washington, D.C. and Robby Hecht of Nashville, Tennessee — who submitted entries before June 23.

The live regional rounds are scheduled as follows: Northeast (August 31 at Joe’s Pub in New York City); Southeast (August 24 at Eddie’s Attic in Decatur, Georgia); Midwest (August 11 at The Ark in Ann Arbor); Southwest (August 28 at the Cactus Café at the University of Texas in Austin); West (date and venue TBA), and Canada (August 15 or 16 at the Ottawa Folk Festival).  Regional round finalists will be announced August 1.  Eligible performing artists may submit entries in both a regional round (provided they live in the region) and the general round.

The five 2008 co-winners will be featured in a showcase during the 2009 Folk Alliance Conference in Memphis, Tennessee next February, while one will be invited to perform live on the internationally broadcast “Mountain Stage.”  In 2007, that honor went to Canadian singer-songwriter Rose Cousins.  This year’s co-winners and other contest standouts will also be invited to participate in future NewSong productions across the country and may be considered for future releases on the NewSong Recordings label.

The entry fee is $30 for the first two songs, with a $5 discount for members of NewSong partner organizations, whose names are posted on its website (www.newsongfestival.com), along with contest rules and guidelines.