Winners of both the 8th Annual Texas Music Awards and the 2010 Wildflower Performing Songwriter Contest were named last weekend during separate events in the Lone Star State.

The Texas Music Awards, whose motto is “Recognizing Texas Talent – Rewarding Texas Pride,” were presented May 15 at ceremonies hosted by BJ Thomas at the Marshall Convention Center in Marshall, Texas. An after-party featuring noted cowboy singer Michael Martin Murphey (“Wildfire”) followed.

Texas Music Awards recipients — all of whom are members of the Academy of Texas Music, Inc.– included Pauline Reese, a young Texas Red Dirt singer-songwriter (Entertainer of the Year); “Texas Soul” singer David Fenley (Male Vocalist of the Year); Christian Sawyer, a singer-songwriter whose music is a mix of Americana, country and rock (Female Vocalist of the Year); Americana style folk-rockers Shake Russell Trio (Vocal Duo or Group of the Year); Mark Allan Atwood, whose music fuses Americana, country and southern rock (Rising Star Award); Big John Mills, a country/western swing/Americana style guitarist( Musician of the Year for the third time in five years); Ryan Murphey (Producer of the Year, for Michael Martin Murphey’s album Buckaroo Blue Grass); The Captain Legendary Band (Live Band of the Year); “Find Your Shine” (off the album of the same name) by Americana singer-songwriter Kevin Higgins (Song of the Year); Robert Frith (Singer/Songwriter of the Year for the third consecutive time); “Utopia” off the album Purgatory Road by Americana artist John Arthur Martinez( Record of the Year); Tommy by Texas country artist Thomas Michael Riley (Album of the Year); J.B. Cloud of KBCY in Abilene (DJ of the Year); KPFT 90.1 FM in Houston, part of the Pacifica Network (Broadcast Station of the Year); and Radio Free Texas (Internet Radio Station of the Year). The Founders Award for Artistic Excellence went to David Lutes for his 2009 release Big Top Vol. 1 & 2, a musical mélange of Americana, roots and pop.

Grace Pettis Wins 2010 Wildflower Performing Songwriter Contest

Grace Pettis, an Austin-based singer-songwriter was named the grand prize winner in the 2010 Wildflower Performing Songwriter Contest, following performances by contest finalists during Richardson (Texas)’s arts and music festival that took place May 14-16 at the Eisemann Center for the Performing Arts in Gallatin Park, just a few minutes north of Dallas. While Pettis received a hand-crafted Gallagher guitar valued at $4,200, each of the three runners-up — Juliana Waters of Portland, Oregon; Louise Mosrie of Nashville, Tennessee; and Allie Farris of Flower Mound, Texas – received $500 in cash. All four winners shared the stage on Sunday afternoon, May 16, for a Songwriters’ Round. Pettis also was selected as the “People’s Choice”winner – the crowd favorite as judged by a live audience.

Grace Pettis receives a guitar from Steve Gallagher, as Al Johnson, Allie Farris and Louise Mosrie look on.

Last fall, the Alabama native and daughter of singer-songwriter Pierce Pettis was named as a co-winner of the Mountain Stage NewSong Contest for performing songwriters and also received the contest’s Best Song Award for “Nine to Five Girl.” Pettis joins her, father, David Wilcox and Willy Porter as part of the Storyville Live Freedom Tour this summer in support of International Justice Mission. The human rights agency seeks to secure justice for victims of slavery, sexual exploitation and other forms of violent oppression.

Grassy Hill Kerrville New Folk Competition Finals Set for May 29-30

The eyes (make that well attuned musical ears) of Texas now turn towards the Hill Country, where the Kerrville Folk Festival runs for 18 straight days – Thursday, May 27 through Sunday, June 13. As previously reported on AcousticMusicScene.com, 32 songwriters have been named as finalists in the 2010 Grassy Hill Kerrville New Folk Competition for Emerging Songwriters. Chosen from among 800 submissions from around the world, the finalists will perform the two songs they submitted during the New Folk Concerts slated for Saturday and Sunday afternoons, May 29 and 30, as part of the festival. After performing, six songwriters will be selected as 2010 New Folk Winners. The six will receive cash honorariums and other prizes, as well as the opportunity to return the following weekend during a Grassy Hill Kerrville New Folk Winners concert at the festival on Sunday, June 6.

Now in its 39th year and geared towards singer-songwriters of various musical styles and their fans, the Kerrville Folk Festival is the longest continuously running festival of its kind in North America.