DBT #213 GRFF Songwriter Contest Week 4
We are one day away from having Round 1 of our 2023 Great River Folk Fest Songwriting Contest in the books; and we have decided that we will have one more highlight post on Thursday after the contest has closed. Our first round judges have pushed these highlighted songs to be from artists that we're considering for the finals, so one might say these artists are part of our top 30.
First up, we enjoyed a regional artist Lojo Russo from the Quad Cities and we're of course suckers for a song about a guitar and stardom; especially when it's played as smooth as Lojo does in the song.
Lojo was a find for me before the contest as she reached out to me for a house concert, and I bought and dove deep into a back catalog release, so much so it was featured on a Thursday Review. I might have gave her a nudge to submit to the contest. For one of her submissions, she reached back further to a 2008 album, and this is a great song; which is nudging me to do a playlist about guitars & fiddles. I'll have to buy it first to get it in my library.
Next up we cringed to see the 6:47 time on the video "Oh Chocolay" but the storytelling before the song pulls you in an almost goosebump quality. Then comes the song, the ballad of the mermaid; and while we didn't say there will be an award for the best video... this one by The Sons of the Never Wrong would win it. Sadly they aren't on Bandcamp and if you love to buy old school CD's they are on their website; or of course it's also out there new school on that evil Spotify format too. Ha.
Nick Nielsen from Greenfield MN told us, "I was a finalist in the GRFF songwriting contest in 2014. Even though I didn't finish in the top 3, I had a great experience!" and then proceeded to give us this great song on mp3, so we wanted to share it. I've asked Nick where his music is available.
Next up Sean Heffernan is from Chicago IL, and brought to us another great Americana tune about growing up in "Pioneer Park." Very Dylanesque. Nope checked I can't his music and only a stream on Spotify (ehh) is available.
Samatha Grimes from Minneapolis MN brings a pop sense of optimism and tight songwriting to the contest with a favorite she loves to play in an acoustic setting. Samantha is on Bandcamp with two sweet single releases that I know I'll scoop up likely next Bandcamp Friday. (BC is also where I found she lives, it is incredible how often a musician never mentions their home base on their websites.)
Now grab your dancing shoes for an instructional song on how to write a bluegrass tune from Kirby Heard of High Point, NC. You can buy this song and the whole album on Bandcamp, and again it's where I found Kirby's home base.
Follow all the Contest Highlights on DBT by Clicking HERE.
Enjoy ALL the songs that have been submitted to the contest via a video link:
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Click Here for the link with the submission details.
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