3rd Annual International Song Contest Now Open
Entry for the Blues & Roots Radio International Song Contest is now open, and it's bigger and better than before with cash prizes for each category winner and a further cash prize and award being presented to the overall winner.
Now in it's third year, the International Song Contest is judged by an independent panel of eight jurors who are currently part of the Worldwide Blues & Roots Radio team, they are all active in their music communities in Canada. the USA, the UK and Australia, a number of the jurors sit on regional and national award panels in their respective countries. Blues & Roots Radio's mission is to provide the opportunity for both aspiring and established songwriters to have their songs heard on a professional, international award winning platform. It is designed to nurture the musical talent of songwriters on all levels, both amateur and professional, and to promote excellence in the art of song craft.
The Song Of The Year 2019 overall winner was Lynne Hanson who is based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Lynne is a two-time Canadian Folk Music Award winner (2018 English Songwriter, Ensemble of the Year with The LYNNeS), a two-time Indie Acoustic Project Alt-Country album of the year winner (River of Sand 2014, Uneven Ground 2017), a past winner of the Colleen Peterson Songwriting Award, and a two-time finalist in the prestigious Kerrville New Folk competition in Texas.
Lynne's winning song was 'Higher Ground' from her album 'Just Words', the song has just recently been announced as the Folk Music Ontario ' Songs From The Heart' winner in the Blues category, that track features Canadian guitar maestro Kevin Breit.
The Song Of The Year 2018 winner was Thornetta Davis who hails from Detroit, Michigan, USA. Thornetta has been exciting and wowing audiences all over the world. Her voice is strong, commanding, melodic and smooth. She tells her stories with incredible delivery and leaves her audiences wanting more, backed by her great band of Detroit Musicians. She is the recipient of 30 Detroit Music Awards plus many other accolades, in 2015 she was crowned ' Detroits Queen Of The Blues '
She has opened for Bonnie Raitt, Gladys Knight, and Etta James, and sang backing vocals on Bob Seger's 1991 album, The Fire Inside. Thornetta's winning song was 'I Believe' from her award winning album ' Honest Woman'.
For the first time Blues & Roots Radio's contest is being sponsored, it means that cash prizes will be awarded for the first time to category winners, and to the overall winner a grand prize of $1000 and the prestigious award itself.
Anne Connor, President of Blues & Roots Radio said "We felt that this year would be a good time to seek sponsorship for the contest, it is now established with entries coming in from all over the world, and during this very difficult time for artists, because of the pandemic, we felt it would be an opportunity to offer some monetary value to the contest, rewarding each category winner for their efforts, and an additional award to the overall winner. We are blessed to have sponsors who enthusiastically support independent artists and were willing to help us achieve this, we are extremely grateful that they have done so. "
This years sponsors are Willow Sound Records and Global Learning Solutions Inc, who are based in Ottawa and Cooper Mediation along with The Sound Cafe Magazine who are based in Toronto.
The prizes include an array of opportunities for the winning entries.
Category Winners
$250 CAD
Featured Article In The Sound Cafe Magazine
Three month airplay on Blues & Roots Radio's Featured Artist Show airing daily on the station (Value $110)
Three month inclusion on the dedicated Featured Artist website page.
Winning Songwriter and Song mentioned on the dedicated Song Competition Award website page.
Overall Winner
$750 CAD Overall winner prize ( Category Winner and Overall Winner Total $1000 CAD)
Blues and Roots Radio Song Of The Year 2020 Award (Value $150)
One week feature on the daily Album / EP Of The Week Show ( If an album / EP has been recorded ) (Value $300)
A review of the song ( and album if recorded ) to be published in The Sound Cafe Magazine.
Three month airplay on Blues & Roots Radio's Featured Artist Show airing daily on the station (Value $110)
Three month inclusion on the dedicated Featured Artist website page.
Winning Songwriter and Song mentioned on the dedicated Song Of The Year Competition website page.
It's exciting to look forward and see who will enter, and ultimately win the categories and overall prizes.
More information on the contest and how to enter can be found at the link