Awards & Contests

Folk Alliance International Seeks War & Political Songs for CD

Modern war and political songs are being sought for inclusion on a special compilation CD release to benefit Folk Alliance International (FAI), as well as to create a fund to provide acoustic instruments for returning soldiers who were injured in combat. [To read the entire article, click on the headline.]

2010 Grassy Hill Kerrville New Folk Winners Named

Six songwriters have been named as winners in the 2010 Grassy Hill Kerrville New Folk Competition for Emerging Songwriters. Kate Klim (Boston, MA), Kim Richardson (Mountain Home, AR), Andy Gullahorn (Nashville, TN), Dan Colehour (Nashville, TN), Jon Brooks (King City, ON, Canada) and Michael Troy (Fall River, MA) were selected by a panel of judges from among 32 finalists who performed two songs each during the New Folk Concerts on May 29 and 30 as part of the Kerrville Folk Festival that continues through June 13 at the Quiet Valley Ranch in the Texas Hill Country. [To read the entire article, click on the headline.]

Winners Named in 8th Annual Texas Music Awards and 2010 Wildflower Performing Songwriter Contest

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. [To view the entire article, click on the headline.]

Larry Murante Wins Rose Garden Performing Songwriter Contest

Larry Murante is the winner of the 2010 Rose Garden Performing Songwriter Contest. A Pennsylvania native who has been living in the Seattle, Washington area for many years, Murante was named the winner over fellow contest finalists Jim Colbert (Bellefonte, PA) and Chris Elliott (Leverett, MA) after performing two of his original songs on May 15 prior to an April Verch Band concert at the Rose Garden Coffeehouse in Mansfield, Massachusetts. [To read the entire article, click on the headline.]

Americana Music Association Names 2010 Awards Nominees

Dave Rawlings, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Ryan Bingham and Patty Griffin scored the most nominations for the Americana Music Association’s 2010 Honors and Awards. Fellow Americana singer-songwriters Emmylou Harris and Todd Snider announced the nominees May 12 during a reception in Nashville, Tennessee. Nominees in additional categories will be announced over the next several months, while the winners will be named September 9 during the association’s ninth annual awards and honors show at the historic Ryman Auditorium. [To read the entire article, click on the headline.]

Entries Sought for Avalonfest Performing Songwriter Competition

Songwriters interested in performing during Avalonfest in West Virginia in mid-August are invited to enter the festival’s annual songwriting competition. June 15 is the deadline for submission of two songs that have not previously been released for sale on CD, on the Web or any other media. [For more information, click on the headline.]

Winners Named in 2009 International Songwriting Competition

A grand prize winner and winners in 21 categories have been selected from among nearly 15,000 entries in the 2009 International Songwriting Competition. [To read the article, click on the headline.]

Finalists Named in 2010 Philadelphia Songwriters Project Contest

Fourteen finalists were named this week in the 2010 Philadelphia Songwriters Project Songwriting Contest. The contest, which was open to performing songwriters in all genres and had love songs as its theme this year, drew nearly 600 submissions from 22 states and seven countries. [To read the article, click on the headline.]

32 Grassy Hill Kerrville New Folk Finalists Named for 2010

Thirty-two 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 Kerrville Folk Festival. [To read the entire article, click on the headline.]

Burning Bridget Cleary is Top Winner in Celtic Radio Music Awards

Burning Bridget Cleary, a contemporary Celtic group from southeast Pennsylvania, has won Album of the Year and two other honors in the 2009 Celtic Radio Music Awards. [To read the entire article, click on the headline.]

Finalists Named in 2010 Chris Austin Songwriting Contest

Finalists have been named in the 18th annual Chris Austin Songwriting Contest, hosted by MerleFest 2010, the popular roots-oriented music festival that takes place April 29-May 2 on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina. [To read the entire article, click on the headline.]

Winners Named in 11th Annual Great American Song Contest

Canadian songwriter Carmel Mikol of Halifax, Nova Scotia captured first place in the contemporary acoustic/folk category of the 11th Annual Great American Song Contest. Winners in nine categories were recently named in the competition that drew more than 1,500 entries. The Cape Breton-born artist was recognized for “In My Bones,” the title track of her new album that is due out next week. [Click the headline to see an article that includes the names of all those honored in the contemporary acoustic/folk category.]