Awards & Contests

Rachael Kilgour Wins NewSong Contest

Rachael Kilgour, a Duluth, Minnesota-based singer-songwriter, was named the grand prize winner of the 2015 NewSong Contest after performing, along with eight other artists, during a music showcase and competition finals held January 7, 2016 at Lincoln Center’s David Rubenstein Atrium in New York City. [To continue reading this article and view a couple of videos, click on the headline.]

2016 Wildflower! Performing Songwriter Contest Deadline is March 1

Entries are now being sought in the 2016 Wildflower! Performing Songwriter Contest that is held in conjunction with the annual Wildflower! Arts and Music Festival, May 20-22, in Richardson, Texas, just a few minutes north of Dallas. [To continue reading this short article, click on the headline.]

2016 Kerrville New Folk Competition Entries Due by Feb. 29

Entries are now being sought for the 2016 Grassy Hill Kerrville New Folk Competition for Emerging Songwriters to be held on Saturday and Sunday, May 28 and 29, 2016, during the 45th Annual Kerrville Folk Festival in the Texas hill country. The first 800 entries received via the mail or online by February 29 will be accepted, and 32 finalists will be named in mid-April. To continue reading this short article, click on the headline.

2015 NewSong Contest Finalists to Showcase Their Talents in NYC, Jan. 7

Ten artists/groups have been named as finalists in the 2015 NewSong Contest and will perform live during a music showcase and competition finals set for 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 7, 2016 at Lincoln Center’s David Rubenstein Atrium (61 W. 62nd St., New York, NY). Admission is free, although seating is limited. [To continue reading this article, click on the headline.]

Entries Sought in Telluride Troubadour Contest

Songwriters are invited to enter the 2016 Telluride Troubadour Competition held in conjunction with the 43rd Telluride Bluegrass Festival that takes place June 16-19 amid Colorado’s rugged San Juan Mountains. Entrants will vie for cash and other prizes, recognition, and the opportunity to perform at the festival. [To continue reading this article, click on the headline.]

Grammy Awards Nominees Named

Nominees in 83 categories have been named for the 58th Annual Grammy Awards to be presented by The Recording Academy on Monday, February 15, 2016. Of particular interest to readers of AcousticMusicScene.com are the nominees for awards in the American Roots Music Field that will be presented prior to the live broadcast airing on CBS television stations that evening from the Staples Center in Los Angeles. [To continue reading and see a listing of the nominees in the American Roots Music Field and select others, click on the headline.]

2015 Canadian Folk Music Awards Presented

The 11th annual Canadian Folk Music Awards were presented in Edmonton, Alberta on Sunday evening, Nov. 8, and streamed live online via Concert Window. Winners for 2015 were named in 19 categories, while an Unsung Hero Award recipient was also honored during a bilingual gala & reception at the Citadel Theatre. [To continue reading this article, click on the headline.]
The Earls of Leicester Take Home a Bevy of International Bluegrass Music Awards

The Earls of Leicester Take Home a Bevy of International Bluegrass Music Awards

The Earls of Leicester were the big winners during the International Bluegrass Music Awards show, Oct. 1, at Raleigh, North Carolina’s Duke Energy Center for the Arts. The group –- which pays homage to the musical legacy of Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs and their band, the Foggy Mountain Boys -- took home Entertainer, Album (for its Grammy Award-winning self-entitled debut), Instrumental Group and Gospel Recorded Performance (“Who Will Sing For Me”) of the Year awards. [To continue reading this article and see the list of award winners, click on the headline.]
The Young Novelists Win 2015 Grassy Hill CT Folk Songwriting Competition

The Young Novelists Win 2015 Grassy Hill CT Folk Songwriting Competition

The Young Novelists took first place in the 2015 Grassy Hill CT Folk Songwriting Competition. The Toronto, Ontario (Canada)-based husband-and-wife folk-roots duo was selected by a panel of judges following short performances by the five finalists that kicked-off the 10th annual Connecticut Folk Festival and Green Expo at New Haven’s Edgerton Park on September 12. [To continue reading this article, click on the headline.]
Nominees Named for 2015 Canadian Folk Music Awards

Nominees Named for 2015 Canadian Folk Music Awards

With four nominations, rural British Columbia folk duo Pharis and Jason Romero, known for their duets and handmade banjos, is the top contender vying for 2015 Canadian Folk Music Awards that will be presented during a gala event at the Citadel Theatre in Edmonton, Alberta on November 8. Amelia Curran (St. John’s, NL), Fortune Ones (St. John’s, NL), Jenn Grant (Lake Echo, NS), Catherine MacLellan (Charlottetown, PEI), and Whitehorse (Toronto, ON) were close behind with three nods apiece. To continue reading this article and see the complete list of nominees in 19 categories, click on the headline.

Danny Barnes Earns 2015 Steve Martin Prize

Danny Barnes, a claw hammer and three-finger-style banjo player from Texas, has been named the recipient of the 2015 Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass. To continue reading this article, click on the headline.
Caitlin Canty is 2015 Telluride Troubadour Winner

Caitlin Canty is 2015 Telluride Troubadour Winner

Caitlin Canty, a Vermont-bred, New York City-based singer-songwriter with an Americana-rootsy rock style, won the 2015 Telluride Troubadour Competition. She then performed a short set on the main stage during the 42nd Annual Telluride Bluegrass Festival, a roots-oriented music festival set amid Colorado’s rugged San Juan Mountains, June 18-21. To continue reading this article, click on the headline.