VALDOSTA – The Fifth Annual Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest is now open for anyone who wishes to submit a song.

Release:

With online voting for finalists, and judges selecting winners at the Turner Center Art Park in Valdosta, GA, with $300 in cash to the First Prize winner, the Fifth Annual Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest seeks songs. Submissions open Monday, April 18, 2022.

“Submissions can be songs about any river, stream, spring, sink, swamp, lake, or pond in the Suwannee River Basin or Estuary (except not the Santa Fe Basin; that has its own contest),” said Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman.

“It’s like a recital, except these songwriters come from everywhere, and it takes a committee to organize it,” said Angela Duncan of Azalea City Music Academy, and Chair of the WWALS Songwriting Contest Committee.

“There’s always room for a new song about the Suwannee River, or other rivers in the Basin or Estuary!” said 2018 winner and 2019 headliner Laura D’Alisera, now a member of the WWALS Songwriting Contest Committee.

We will have online voting on the songs submitted, which the Committee will take into account when selecting finalists.

Finalists will play at the Contest, 7-10 PM, Saturday, August 20, 2022, and judges will judge at the Turner Center Art Park, 605 N. Patterson St., Valdosta, GA 31601. There will be food and a cash bar, as you watch and listen, and you can browse the artworks at the Turner Center. There will also be a kayak raffle and a silent auction, as well as a range of buttons, stickers, hats, notecards, signs, shirts, and posters for sale (this is a fundraiser for WWALS Watershed Coalition).

So you’ll know what you’re supporting, there will be talks about WWALS advocacy, from water quality testing to opposing trash, pipelines, and mines, to promoting water trails and a Troupville River Camp.

You do not have to be a songwriter to come listen to the finalists. Judging of finalists will take into account integrity, historical value, and/or present value of the waters, originality of lyrics and music, and performance, plus extra credit for naming the most rivers (springs, etc.) in a way that shows their value (even just listing them counts), and storytelling: creating a narrative regarding the history and/or attributes of the Suwannee River Basin.

“We had a blast and heard some great music from the community last year, and we are looking forward to some fine submissions for 2022!” said Josh Duncan, a Judge last year, and Scribe of the Committee.

Unless the novel coronavirus pandemic is over by August and everyone is vaccinated, we will enforce masks when people are close to other people not in their party, and we will test temperatures at the entrance with an infrared thermometer. Tables will be spaced for distancing.

“I’m happy to provide sound support again!” said David Rodock, of Dirty Bird and the Flu, and Committee member.

“And I’ll be providing sound equipment,” said Jen Anders.

Much more about the Contest is here, including song submission form, contest Rules, and, soon, tickets:
wwals.net/pictures/2022-08-20–songwriting