Dallas, TX - January 16, 2021……FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Dallas Songwriters Association presented the 30th Annual Song Contest Awards over two shows via Zoom and live streaming to Facebook, featuring live performances by semifinalists and contest winners, multiple presenters, and a special appearance by the Grand Prize judge, Roy Elkins of Broadjam, Inc. The two shows have reached nearly 4,500 people on Facebook.
“This year, we’ve had an enormous response in entries, resulting in a great number of really good songs entered,” said MC Barbara McMillen, Founder and President Emeritus of DSA, www.dallassongwriters.org “We had a bumper crop of really good semifinalists, and when we put out a call for those semifinalists to perform at the awards program, we had such a huge response that we were compelled to divide our program into two separate Saturdays.”
Barbara’s co-host was Harry Hewlett, DSA’s VP of A&R, Showcase Director and Song Contest Co-Director. Harry has been a champion for DSA during the 2020 Year of COVID by conducting showcases, open mics, workshops, and meetings via Zoom.
Winners were announced in 8 categories, plus a Young Songwriters Award, and Grand Prize Winners. Judges were industry professionals who judged songs based on six elements of a song: hook, melody, lyric, structure, originality, and truth. DSA offers over $5,000 in prizes. Each category winner gets a free membership in DSA. First Place winners get $100 and 2nd place winners get $50.
Grand Prize Winners included: First Place, “That’s My Name,” by Randy Overton, Waxahachie, Texas, Second Place: “Don’t Ever Say Never Again,” by Steve Jackson, Irving, Texas. Third Place: “On The Caravan,” by Len & Jon Seligman, Sarasota Florida. Randy Overton wins the Grand Prize, a Casio PX-S1000 Privia Piano. All three of the Grand Prize Winners win a 1-year Broadjam Primo MoB Membership ($199.95 Value), Song Critique from Barbara McMillen, Associate Professor of Songwriting at Collin College, recording time at JoMusik Studio, and 2 tickets to Between the Waves Music Conference.
Roy Elkins, Founder and CEO of Broadjam, Inc. who has been the Grand Prize Judge for a number of years, said, “There’s nothing like DSA. It is the premier song writing contest and song writing organization in the world.”
Elkins made comments on all the songs he evaluated, which can be found at https://dsasongcontest.blogspot.com/p/2020-dsa-song-contest-judge-roy-elkins.html
Specifically about “That’s My Name,” Elkins said, “The winner has one of the best opening lines I’ve ever heard: ‘My old man told me the day I left home, Son you’re taking the only thing I own and that’s my name.’ The truth is off the charts.”
First Place in the Americana/Folk/Bluegrass category went to “1309 North Austin,” by Tommy Patterson, Comanche, Texas.
First Place in the Christian/Inspirational category went to “New Sight,” by Amy Abernathy, Canton, Georgia
First Place in the Country category was “Someone to Miss Me,” by Susan Odella and Alex Apolin, Virginia, Minnesota.
First Place in the instrumental category was “Forever Now,” by Charles Edmund Carter, Dallas, Texas.
First Place in the Novelty/Children category was “Parking Cars on Mars,” by Louie Cate, Alexandria, Virginia.
First Place in the Pop/Rock/Alt/R&B category was “Word Man,” by Stefanie Johnson, Allentown, Pennsylvania.
First Place in the Singer/Songwriter category was “Goodnight Moon,” by Steve Jackson, Irving, Texas.
The Most Nominated Songs Award went to Charles Edmund Carter, Dallas, Texas.
The Young Songwriter Award went to “Satisfied,” by Sathvika Ganesan, Frisco, Texas.
Community Awards went to Dunn Brothers Coffee and Broadjam, Inc.
The Best Song of the Meeting First Place went to “The Girl’s So Texas,” by Harry Hewlett and Chuck Ehrmann.
The Vern Dailey Songwriter of the Year Award went to Harry Hewlett, Dallas, Texas.
For a complete list of winners go to www.dsasongcontest.blogspot.com
The entire show can be seen on the DSA Facebook page. The entire show, plus individual videos can be seen on the DSA YouTube Channel, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzLz8grkFMa1zD2sMsp5-7A
For more information and interviews, please contact:
Don Wall, 817-929-8368, donwallproductions@gmail.com
