HAHIRA – WWALS announces the winners from the September 12th Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest.

Release:

Hahira, Georgia, September 14, 2026 — WWALS is proud to announce the winners of the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest. They played Saturday evening, September 12, at the 4-H Club in Lake Park, Georgia, on the shores of Long Pond, as part of WWALS River Revue.

The winners are:

• Robert Thatcher, from Signal Mountain, Tennessee, Best Folk, Acoustic, for “My River Home.” He was assisted by Alice Thatcher and Tom Brown.
• Sweet William Ennis, from Palatka, Florida, Best Rock, for “Dark Black Water.”
• Saylor Dollar (Lisa and Dale Dollar), of Tallahassee, Florida, Best Americana, for “Ichetucknee.”
• KC Nayfield, from Crystal River, Florida, Best Folk, for “She Cries.”
• Tom Brown, from Dalton, Georgia, Best Song from Outside the Suwannee River Basin, for “Suwannee, Roll on Slow.” He was assisted by Alice Thatcher and Robert Thatcher.
• Bear and Robert (Cindy Bear and Franc Robert), of Jacksonville, Florida, First Prize, for “Mighty River.”

Last year’s First Prize winner, Joe First, was the Headliner, assisted by Barry Sager on the pan flute.

WWALS will post videos of each of the Finalists playing, and the headliner.

Thanks to all the sponsors and silent auction donors, and to all the attendees and volunteers.

Flyer, 2026-09-12 –WWALS River Revue
PDF

Thanks to the three Judges for listening, scoring, and in one case querying the Finalists.

Three Judges: Tony Buzzella, Lake City, FL; Anna Stange, Madison, FL; Norm McDonald, Live Oak, FL, 2026:09:12 19:07:56 –jsq for WWALS

Special thanks to MC Tim Carroll for holding it all together.

MC Tim Carroll and questions, 2026:09:12 18:06:10 –Gretchen Quarterman for WWALS

Thanks to Rick Davis for speaking about Water First North Florida (WFNF), the plan, fortunately now hibernating, to pipe treated wastewater from Jacksonville into the Suwannee Basin.

Rick Davis about WFNF, 2026:09:12 18:10:13 –jsq for WWALS

Thanks to Amy Sharma for speaking about Datacenters, and why we don’t need them.

Amy Sharma about Datacenters, 2026:09:12 17:46:18 –jsq for WWALS