Mountain Stage NewSong Contest Seeks Entries

Performing songwriters in all musical genres are invited to submit entries in the sixth annual Mountain Stage NewSong Contest. The submission deadline for the general round, open to anyone from anywhere, is July 25. There is a May 18 deadline for entries into new live regional rounds for the Northeast, Southeast, New England, Southwest, Mid-Atlantic, Ohio River Valley and Canada. Eligible performing artists may submit entries in both a regional round (provided they live in the region) and the general round. All entries must be submitted online via sonicbids.com. [To read the entire article, click on the headline].

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SMAF Songwriter Contest Finalists Named

Eight finalists have been named in the 2007 SMAF Songwriter Contest and will perform Friday evening, May 11, during the Susquehanna Music & Arts Festival at the rustic Ramblewood Resort in Darlington, Maryland (near Havre de Grace). They are Erik Balkey of Pennsylvania, Karen Collins of Virginia, Stephen DiJoseph of Pennsyvania, Annie Dinerman of New York, Jennings & Keller of Florida, Glen Roethel of New York, Bob Sima of Maryland, and Victoria Vox of Maryland. The contest winner will perform on the main stage on Saturday, May 12. More than 30 other artists are slated to perform at SMAF over Mother's Day Weekend. For more information, visit www.smaf.info.

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Applications Available for Falcon Ridge/Grassy Hill Emerging Artists Showcase

Applications are now being accepted from artists interested in performing in this year’s Falcon Ridge/Grassy Hill Emerging Artist Showcase. Slots are available for 24 artists to play two songs/10 minutes on the Mainstage on Friday afternoon, July 27, as part of the four-day Falcon Ridge Folk Festival at the foot of the Berkshires in Hillsdale, New York. [For details, click on the title in red].

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SMAF Extends Deadline for Its Songwriting Contest

The Susquehanna Music and Arts Festival (SMAF) has extended the postmark deadline for its singer-songwriter contest to March 25. The contest is open to singer-songwriters who are not signed to a major label or publishing deal. If interested, send a CD or cassette (rewound, please) that is clearly labeled with your name and the title(s) of up to two songs that you would like the judges to listen to, along with a press kit and lyric sheet , as well as a check for $15. to Susquehanna Music and Arts Festival Songwriting Contest, P.O. Box 139, Abingdon, MD 21009. [To see the entire article, click on the title in red].

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USA Songwriting Competition Accepting Entries

Entries are currently being sought for the 2007 USA Songwriting Competition. Now in its 12th year, this competition provides winners not only with cash and music gear, but also helps expose their music to a wider audience via airplay on the nationally syndicated radio program “Acoustic Café,” as well as on XM Satellite Radio. [To see the entire article, click on the title in red].

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Winners of International Acoustic Music Awards Named

Fertitta and McClintock won the overall grand prize in the third annual International Acoustic Music Awards (IAMA). The Orange County, California-based duo -- whose songs have been recorded by such artists as Sammy Kershaw, Lorrie Morgan, Juice Newton and Andy Williams -- also was named best group/duo. [For a list of top winners, click on the title in red].

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Folk Alliance Award Winners Named

Winners of the 2nd Annual Folk Alliance Awards were recognized during an awards ceremony at the just-concluded 19th Annual North American Folk Music & Dance Alliance International Business Conference in Memphis, Tenn. And the winners are… Folk DJ: Gene Shay, WXPN (Philadelphia) Song of the Year: “Seems So Real,” Chris Smither Traditional Release of the Year: Bruce Springsteen, We Shall Overcome – The Seeger Sessions Contemporary Release of the Year: Wailin’ Jennys, Firecracker [To see the full list of winners, click on the tile in red].

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Deadlines Loom for Two Songwriting Competitions

March entry deadlines for both the Susquehanna Music and Arts Festival Songwriting Contest and the Grassy Hill Kerrville New Folk Contest for Emerging Songwriters are fast approaching. Both contests are associated with festivals taking place in late spring. [To see the entire article, click the title in red].

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Grammy Award Winners Named

Among the winners of the 49th Annual Grammy Awards, announced during ceremonies at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Sunday, Feb. 11, were:

Best Bluegrass Album: Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder, Instrumentals (Skaggs Family Records)

Best Contemporary Folk/Americana Album: Bob Dylan, Modern Times (Columbia)

Best Traditional Folk Album: Bruce Springsteen, We Shall Overcome - The Seeger Sessions (Columbia)
[Click title in red to see the entire posting]

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Grammy Nominees of Note

Winners of the 49th annual Grammy Awards will be announced in Los Angeles on Feb. 11. Listed below are the nominees in the folk, bluegrass and Americana categories.

Best Bluegrass Album:

The Grascals, Long List of Heartaches

Jim Lauderdale, Bluegrass

Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder, Instrumentals

Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives, Live at the Ryman

Rhonda Vincent, All-American Bluegrass Girl

Best Contemporary Folk/Americana Album:

Jackson Browne, Solo Acoustic Vol. 1

Rosanne Cash, Black Cadillac

Guy Clark, Workbench Songs

Bob Dylan, Modern Times

Mark Knopfler & Emmylou Harris, All the Roadrunning

Best Traditional Folk Album:

Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, I Stand Alone

Odetta, Gonna Let It Shine

Linda Ronstadt & Anne Savoy, Adieu False Heart

Bruce Springsteen, We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions

Ralph Stanley, A Distant Land to Roam [For complete listing, click on title in red]

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