Category winners have been named in the 2011 Mid-Atlantic Song Contest, sponsored by the Songwriters Association of Washington, while overall grand, second and third prize winners will be announced during the 28th Mid-Atlantic Awards Night Gala on Jan. 15, 2012 at Jammin’ Java in Vienna, Virginia.

Bethany Parks (Photo: Nick Welsh)

Here’s a list of winners, finalists and those receiving honorable mention for songs entered in the contest’s folk/acoustic category:

Gold: Bethany Parks and Kurtis Parks (“Sparrow”)

“Sparrow” is the title track of the 2011 debut album by Arlington, Virginia-based Bethany and the Guitar. The group features Bethany on lead vocals, ukulele and acoustic guitar; her brother Kurtis on vocals, guitars and keyboards; her sister-in-law Sarah Parks on keyboards, background vocals and bass; Nick Welsh on drums and acoustic guitar; and Eric Montgomery on bass, keyboards and acoustic guitar.

Silver: Alan Gant (“Things I Love”)

Finalists:

Jerome Fitzgerald (“Conspiracy of Love”)
Jason Jaros (“Pray”)
Woody Lissauer (“Hard Times”)

Honorable Mention:

Anna Dagmar (“Falling Star”)
Spencer J. Harrison (“For Marty Boyson”)
Tim Kirkner (“Circus Scene”)
Heather Lloyd (“The Winter Bride”)
Mercedes Mill (“Back to You”)
Tom Nichols (“The Wind to Carry Me”)
Sarah Pinsker (“Waterwings”)
Christal Prout (“These Days”)
Mark Stepakoff (“When Vernon Moved from Tupelo”)
James Trawick (“A Song for Grandma”)

Winners also were named in 10 other categories, while Brooke Hudd won the Young Artist Award. The first place (Gold) winners will receive cash awards. The top winners in each category also will be invited to perform during the awards night gala and, along with the contest’s overall winners, will be included in a winners’ compilation CD sponsored by Oasis CD Manufacturing. A list of winners, finalists and honorable mention recipients in all categories appears at www.saw.org.

Established in 1979, the Songwriters’ Association of Washington (SAW) is a nonprofit organization that seeks to further excellence in songwriting through hosting educational programs and providing networking and performance opportunities for its members. SAW hosts open mics and showcases, workshops on the art and business of songwriting, and monthly Songwriter Exchange peer critique sessions. It also publishes a monthly e-newsletter.