BacktotopMerleFest's Chris Austin Songwriting Contest announces 2015 finalists  

 

Jim Lauderdale
Jim Lauderdale
Volunteer Chairperson of CASC
Finalists have been selected for the annual Chris Austin Songwriting Contest, hosted by MerleFest. Now in its 23rd year, the contest is an extraordinary opportunity for aspiring writers to have their original songs heard and judged by a panel of music industry professionals, under the direction of this year's volunteer contest chairperson, Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Jim Lauderdale. MerleFest 2015, presented by Window World, takes place from April 23-26 on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, N.C.

 

Writers of the following 12 songs, selected from over 639 entries, will compete Friday, April 24, on the Austin Stage (Alumni Hall) at MerleFest:  

 


Joan Osborne with James Nash at Hillside Album Hour in 2011.
Joan Osborne with James Nash at Hillside Album Hour in 2011.
BacktoJoanSpecial Guest Joan Osborne joins MerleFest 2015 Hillside Album Hour  

 

MerleFest will host artist Joan Osborne as special guest lead vocalist for this year's Hillside Album Hour. The Hillside Album Hour - where a revered or iconic album is performed live from start to finish - has become one of the most anticipated regular performances at the yearly festival. Festival favorite The Waybacks will be producing the Saturday afternoon event at the Hillside Stage for the eighth consecutive year and are excited about their upcoming Album Hour reunion with Osborne.  

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BacktoSpecialSetsMerleFest 2015 to feature special sets and collaborations

Jim Lauderdale with North Mississippi Allstars, The Del McCoury Band  
performing songs of Woody Guthrie, a Sunset Jam with the Kruger Brothers  
and special guests, and a guitar tribute to Doc Watson are among the  
many "MerleFest Moments" fans can expect

 

Mando Mania 2014
"Mando Mania" always draws a crowd to Creekside Stage.
Performers for Mando Mania 2014 were: (left to right) Stephen Mougin, Mike Compton, Tim O'Brien, Sam Bush, Tony Williamson, Jenni Lynn Gardner and Frank Solivan.

MerleFest
will boast a number of special collaborations and performances at this year's festival. As regular attendees of the celebrated festival know, these "MerleFest Moments" - as they're often called - are a frequent result of the artistic, collective spirit of this special yearly musical gathering.

"MerleFest has gotten a reputation for creating special music, moments and memories with the unique collaborations and spontaneous jams that occur over the course of the four days of the festival," said Steve Johnson, artist relations manager for the festival. "Doc Watson started a lot of these collaborations at the festival years ago, and it's great to see artists continue that tradition today. This year is no different as we continue some long-standing sets and have added new ones."

BacktoFeaturesMusic, moments, memories - and yoga?

 

"Every year we look at our festival and say 'how can we make MerleFest better?'" said Ted Hagaman, festival director. "Our goal is to always improve the onsite experience at the festival, in ways big and small, from the music you see on stage to the food you eat for dinner to activities available."

Read more  

Volunteer Volunteer Spotlight - Brad Bennett
Brad Bennett-April 2015 Volunteer

Brad Bennett, an electrical technician, lives in Farmington, N.C., about halfway between Winston-Salem and Statesville. His hobbies include fishing and outdoor sports, especially bird hunting with his two English Setters. He dabbles in woodworking as well. Brad has volunteered at Merlefest since 2010, usually in the Raffle Tent or as a Creekside Stage usher on Sundays ...  

Tier2 Tickets
CASCFinalistsMerleFest's Chris Austin Songwriting Contest announces 2015 finalists
 

Finalists have been selected for the annual Chris Austin Songwriting Contest, hosted by MerleFest 2015. Now in its 23rd year, the contest is an extraordinary opportunity for aspiring writers to have their original songs heard and judged by a panel of music industry professionals, under the direction of this year's volunteer contest chairperson, Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Jim Lauderdale. MerleFest 2015, presented by Window World, takes place from April 23-26 on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, N.C.

 

Writers of the following 12 songs, selected from over 639 entries, will compete on the Austin Stage in Alumni Hall at MerleFest on Friday, April 24:

 

Bluegrass

Donna Hughes (Trinity, N.C.) - "Blackbeard"

Buddy Guido (Mohawk, N.Y.) and Paul Kelly (Santa Fe, N.M.)- "Deer in the Headlights Look"

David Morris (Gaithersburg, Md.), Mitch Matthews (Hamtramck, Mich.) and Dawn Kenney (Waltham, Mass.) - "Something About A Train"

 

Gospel/Inspirational

Robert Holthauser (Popular Springs, N.C.) and Rick Pardue (Popular Springs, N.C.) - "Brother Paul"

Benjamin Luckhaupt (West Harrison, Ind.) - "Oh, Lazarus"

Dave Herring (Charlottesville, Va.) - "Though I Walk" 

 

Country

Hunter and Suzy Owens (Sydney, Australia) - "It Would Be Easier"

Savannah Smith (Asheville, N.C.) - "Mississippi"

Carri Smithey (Burlington, N.C.), Josh Coe (Saxapahaw, N.C.), Ryan Burgess (Burlington, N.C.) and Keith Ingalls (Burlington, N.C.) - "No More."

 

General

Kristen Grainger of True North Band (Salem, Ore.) - "Doris Dean"

Laura Kaufman (Boone, N.C.) - "Through the Grave"

Carter Sampson (Oklahoma City, Okla.) - "Wild Bird" 

 

Each of the 12 finalists will enjoy admission and lodging for three nights at MerleFest and receive a songwriting workshop with Jim Lauderdale, Jesse Bellamy, Peter Rowan and Bruce Robinson. As the grand prize, renowned label Pinecastle Records will present a one-song contract to each first place winner in all categories - bluegrass, gospel/inspirational, country and general categories - along with $500 to record their winning songs. Then Pinecastle Records will manufacture a four-song compilation CD of the winning songs and distribute it to radio stations across the United States and Canada. The first place winners will also receive $500 cash from MerleFest and a performance slot on the Cabin Stage on Friday night of the festival.

 

The first-round judges were: Singer/songwriter/musician Tift Merritt; David Mayfield, singer/songwriter/musician and Grammy-nominated producer; Joe Lurgio, Tenbooks Media; Ashlee-Jean Trott of Music City Roots; Judy McDonough of JEMMedia; Megan Bedford of Sugar Hill Records; singer/songwriter/musician Jason Lee McKinney; Whitney Holmes of the Americana Music Association; and singer/songwriter/musician Joseph Terrell, who is a member of Mipso and won the CASC general category last year for his song "Angelina Jane is Long Gone." Tift Merritt won MerleFest's Chris Austin Songwriting Contest in 2000 and served as a first-round judge at MerleFest 2014.

 

Critically-acclaimed Americana artist Jesse Bellamy, famed Texas singer-songwriter Bruce Robison and legendary bluegrass icon Peter Rowan will judge the on-site final round of this year's Chris Austin Songwriting Contest.

 

Judging is based on a song¹s originality, lyrics, melody and overall commercial potential. The contest is open to those whose primary source of income (50 percent or more) is not derived from songwriting or publishing.

 

Net proceeds from the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest help support the Wilkes Community College Chris Austin Memorial Scholarship. Since its inception the scholarship has awarded over $38,000 to 81 deserving students.

 

For more details about the contest, visit www.MerleFest.org/ChrisAustinSongwritingContest.

 

MerleFest, considered one of the premier music festivals in the country, is an annual homecoming of musicians and music fans held on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina. MerleFest was founded in 1988 in memory of the son of the late American music legend Doc Watson, renowned guitarist Eddy Merle Watson. MerleFest is a celebration of "traditional plus" music, a unique mix of music based on the traditional, roots-oriented sounds of the Appalachian region, including bluegrass and old-time music, and expanded to include Americana, country, blues, rock and many other styles. The festival hosts a diverse mix of artists on its 13 stages during the course of the four-day event. The annual event has become the primary fundraiser for the WCC Endowment Corporation, funding scholarships, capital projects and other educational needs. 


About Chris Austin:

Chris Austin, from Boone, North Carolina, worked as a sideman for Ricky Skaggs for three years, singing and playing guitar, banjo, mandolin and fiddle. During that time he was discovered by executives at Warner Bros. Nashville, who offered him a recording contract. While releasing singles including "Blues Stay Away From Me," "I Know There's a Heart in There Somewhere" and "Out of Step," Austin also developed his songwriting skills, as evidenced in "Same Ol' Love," recorded by Skaggs in 1991. On March 16, 1991, Austin's life was cut tragically short when the private plane carrying him and six other members of Reba McEntire's band, as well as her tour manager, crashed in the mountains near San Diego. Pete Fisher, then of Warnersongs and currently general manager of the Grand Ole Opry, and Kari Estrin, then MerleFest consultant and "Pickin' for Merle" video associate producer, initiated the songwriting contest to honor Austin's memory.  

JoanOsborneSpecial Guest Joan Osborne joins MerleFest 2015 Hillside Album Hour

 

MerleFest will host artist Joan Osborne as special guest lead vocalist for this year's Hillside Album Hour. The Hillside Album Hour - where a revered or iconic album is performed live from start to finish - has become one of the most anticipated regular performances at the yearly festival. Festival favorite The Waybacks will be producing the Saturday afternoon event at the Hillside Stage for the eighth consecutive year and are excited about their upcoming Album Hour reunion with Osborne.

"I can't talk about Joan without gushing a little - everyone in the band is a long-time fan," says The Waybacks' lead guitarist and vocalist, James Nash. "She brings so many influences to the table: deep currents of Appalachia alongside gin-soaked blues, soul, all kinds of rock. A perfect match for a mixed- up band like The Waybacks! We've got a little history going with collaborations at MerleFest, as well as symphonic productions in Chattanooga and Philadelphia, and it's such a thrill to be back on the Hillside together again."

 

Widely known for her mega-hit, "One of Us," singer/songwriter Osborne delivers soulful R&B, rock sounds and folk sounds. She has connected with a large and loyal fanbase, which grew significantly after Osborne toured as part of the 1997 edition of Sarah McLachlan's Lilith Fair tour. Osborne also received numerous Grammy nominations in both 1996 and 1997. She is currently a member of Trigger Hippy, composed of Black Crowes drummer Steve Gorman, session guitarist Tom Bukovac, singer Joan Osborne, singer/songwriter and Black Crowes guitarist Jackie Greene and bassist Nick Govrik. Trigger Hippy released its self-titled debut album in September.

 

As is the tradition for the Hillside Album Hour, the album being performed is a closely guarded secret until the show begins. Over the years, the HAH has showcased the albums "Led Zeppelin II;" The Rolling Stones' "Sticky Fingers;" The Beatles' "Abbey Road;" "Eat A Peach" by The Allman Brothers Band; "Are You Experienced" by Jimi Hendrix; "Before the Flood," the classic 1974 live double album from Bob Dylan and The Band; and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young's landmark 1970 album "Déjà Vu." Osborne was the special guest lead vocalist for HAH 2011's "Eat A Peach" performance; The Waybacks have also recruited the talents of such artists as Emmylou Harris, Elvis Costello, Susan Tedeschi, Mike Farris, Sam Bush, Rob Ickes, John Cowan, Jerry Douglas, Jim Lauderdale and many others.

  

The band has stated that selecting an album each year is both a fun and challenging process. In an interview last year, Michael Nash, manager of The Waybacks, who helps plan the top secret annual set, said, "Once we do decide on something, we begin to drop hints in regular intervals leading up to the show. As the years have gone by, we've found that we've had to make those harder and harder, as there are a lot of pretty sharp HAH fans out there. We love how people have taken to the adventure."

 

In the coming weeks, The Waybacks will announce additional guests for the Hillside Album Hour, as well as provide clues about this year's album. Fans can post their guesses or join the discussion at the "2015 Hillside Album Hour Guess-A-Thon" Facebook page.

 

Tickets for MerleFest 2015 may be purchased at www.MerleFest.org or by calling 1-800-343-7857. An early bird ticket discount will run through April 22, 2015, in addition to gate pricing.
SpecialSetsMerleFest 2015 to feature special sets and collaborations

 

MerleFest will boast a number of special collaborations and performances at this year's festival. As regular attendees of the celebrated festival know, these "MerleFest Moments" - as they're often called - are a frequent result of the artistic, collective spirit of this special yearly musical gathering.

 

"MerleFest has gotten a reputation for creating special music, moments and memories with the unique collaborations and spontaneous jams that occur over the course of the four days of the festival," said Steve Johnson, artist relations manager for the festival. "Doc Watson started a lot of these collaborations at the festival years ago, and it's great to see artists continue that tradition today. This year is no different as we continue some long-standing sets and have added new ones."

 

The many special sets and collaboration that will take place at MerleFest 2015 include:

  • A Friday evening performance on the Watson Stage pairs Americana artist and fan favorite Jim Lauderdale with North Mississippi Allstars. This year marks NMA's first MerleFest appearance.
  • The Del McCoury Band's set on the Watson Stage Friday night will feature "The Songs of Woody Guthrie." McCoury has shown an affinity for the famed "Dustbowl Troubadour" in the past, setting some of Guthrie's unreleased writings to original music.
  • "Sunset Jam: The Kruger Brothers with special guests" will take place on the Hillside stage on Friday evening.
  • Frequent Doc Watson collaborator Jack Lawrence will lead an all-star group of guitarists in a special guitar-based tribute (to Doc Watson) to the late folk icon on the Watson Stage Saturday afternoon.
  • The "Lucid Dreamer" set will take place on Sunday morning with The Kruger Brothers joined by the Kontras Quartet on the Watson Stage.

Yearly collaborations that fans always look forward to include T. Michael Coleman's "Memories of Doc and Merle" set, "Mando Mania" (featuring Tony Williamson, Emory Lester, Mike Compton, Andrew Marlin, James Nash and more), "Sunday Blues" with Roy Book Binder and special guests, Pete Wernick's "Flexigrass Jam" and the highly anticipated "Hillside Album Hour" with The Waybacks.

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NewFeaturesMusic, moments, memories - and yoga?

 

"Every year we look at our festival and say 'how can we make MerleFest better?'" said Ted Hagaman, festival director. "Our goal is to always improve the onsite experience at the festival, in ways big and small, from the music you see on stage to the food you eat for dinner to activities available."

 

To that end, Lowes Foods "Raised Right Here" marketplace will offer Pick & Prep Mixed Fruit Bowls; Pick & Prep Carrots, Celery and Snap Peas; Pick & Prep Local Berry Parfaits; freshly made sub sandwiches; hummus; local tortilla chips; salads; and more. This is a welcome addition for fans who want to eat healthy, local and fresh.

 

Belk, a Charlotte-based company, will host the Belk Lounge, new to MerleFest 2015, and sponsor Saturday's programming. The Belk Lounge will let you:

  • Relax like a VIP in the Belk Lounge!
  • Register to win prizes, while checking out new styles
  • Receive special giveaways
  • Use a charging station
  • Discover the winners of Belk's 2015 Southern Musician Showcase, whose music and style perfectly represent the modern South

And for those music lovers who like to start their day with a little Downward Facing Dog, a yoga class will be offered at the Dance Tent on Sunday at 10 a.m. Beginners and yogis alike are welcome to attend!

 

The Visitors Center will move to WCC's Thompson Hall Room 138 this year to better accommodate guests seeking information and assistance during their MerleFest visit.  

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VolunteerSpotlightMarch Volunteer Spotlight - Brad Bennett  

 

Brad Bennett, an electrical technician, lives in Farmington, N.C., about halfway between Winston-Salem and Statesville. His hobbies include fishing and outdoor sports, especially bird hunting with his two English Setters. He dabbles in woodworking as well. Brad has volunteered at MerleFest since 2010, usually in the Raffle Tent or as a Creekside Stage usher on Sundays.

 

When asked about his favorite MerleFest memory, Brad says, "It was one Sunday morning at Creekside. We were sitting there listening to Doc Watson tell about how good the Lord had been to an old blind man through the years. I started to choke up and feel a little embarrassed. Then I looked at my lady friend, and she had these big old alligator tears running down her face. Doc touched many people in many ways. Not just musically. And we both felt privileged to have experienced it firsthand. I think she appreciated his humble, gentle nature above his musical talent."

 

Brad has many favorites at MerleFest. "Aside from Ms. Krauss, my favorite acts change from year to year. I especially like to find young upstart bands that I like and follow them as their careers progress. OK, some may call it stalking but whatever. They include Red Molly, The Green Cards, Jubal's Kin, Delta Rae, Barefoot Movement, Della Mae, Sara Jarosz and Shannon Whitworth. A good friend talked me into seeing The Steel Wheels and they killed it last year!"

 

"MerleFest 2013 made for an interesting festival because it rained. It rained buckets, yet the Avett fans refused to leave! At Creekside that year, I talked to two young ladies who had come from New York State JUST to see the Avetts. I had to keep shooing them back from where they weren't supposed to be. Then I found them a place up close to the stage and one of them takes my hand and says, 'You're going to Heaven, sir, I just know it!'"

 

"I've been blessed to have made several good friends at MerleFest. I look forward to seeing them again in the spring and making new ones along the way," he said.

If you would like to volunteer for MerleFest, visit www.MerleFest.org/Volunteer.

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