The Al Johnson Performing Songwriter Contest seeks a Top 10 to compete for a $1,000 grand prize, two days of recording at Audio Dallas Recording Studio and travel allowance. The second place prize is $500 cash and the Michael Terry People’s Choice Award is also $500 cash. This award-winning contest is accepting only 300 submissions that must be received by March 1, 2019.
The genres for this contest include Acoustic, Americana, Blues, Celtic, Country, Folk, Rock, Indie and Pop. All entries are subject to a blind-screening process by experienced music promoters, songwriters, and experienced educators familiar with original songwriting and performing techniques. Since it is a performing songwriter contest, each entry is judged on the quality of the song, as well as the artist’s presentation of the song. Selected Top 10 Finalists are invited to perform two songs in the final round on Saturday, May 18 at the Wildflower! Arts & Music Festival in the Charles W. Eisemann Center.
The Contest Rules are as follows:
- Maximum One (1) entry per person. One entry = two songs.
- Participants must be at least 18 years old.
- A maximum of 300 entries will be accepted on a first submitted basis.
- A total of ten finalists will be selected and invited to perform on the official Wildflower! Singer Songwriter Stage, May 18, 2019 in the contest finals. Notification to the 10 finalists will be made on or before April 16, 2019.
- All finalists must provide their own transportation to Wildflower! (Located in Richardson, TX).
- Recordings submitted must be representative of the artist’s live performance and include only one instrument, the songwriter’s vocal and no backup harmonies.
- Produced recordings or instrumental only songs are NOT accepted.
- Co-written songs are accepted; however, only one of the writers may submit an application and perform the song on the recording.
- Artist’s name, biographical information, or credits can NOT be included on the recordings/mp3 metadata, (title, artist, track number, and other identifying information).
- A submission of the entry certifies that the songwriter has all rights to the songs and that the songs have not been sold or contractually assigned to another entity.
- Songs that have been previously recorded and released under contract on a label are NOT
- Songs must have been written within the last two (2) years (after December 2017).
- Each song must NOT exceed five (5) minutes.
- Finalist live performances at Wildflower! are limited to one (1) songwriter/vocalist who must perform the songs submitted in the contest. During the performance the vocalist can provide instrumentation or have a single accompanist (with no backup harmony or effects).
- Each finalist must attend the contest finals at Wildflower! on Saturday, May 18, 2019 and be available to play a set in the Songwriting Contest Showcase on Sunday, May 19, 2019 if selected as one of the winners.
- Prior to the contest, finalists may not appear on any stage at the Festival with any artist(s) booked for the Booked artists may not accompany a finalist during the contest.
- The finalists will be given an opportunity to perform an additional set on the Wildflower! Courtyard Stage during the Festival.
- Notification to the 10 finalists will be made on or before April 16, 2019.
- All previous finalists and winners are invited to submit with the exception of the 2017 winners and the 2018 finalists and winners.
- Finalists must attend a meeting on Saturday, May 18, 2019 at 9:30am to learn the order of final performances at the Festival.
