Hahira, GA, August 21, 2024 — The five finalists will play at the Finals of the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, at the WWALS River Revue, Saturday, September 7, 2024, at the Turner Center for the Arts, in Valdosta, Georgia. The audience and the three judges will watch and listen. The judges will award prizes, and the winner will sing again.

Five Finalists Selected, Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2024

This is all after dinner and after Dr. Jason Evans of Stetson University in Florida talks about his long detective work to determine water lettuce is indeed native, and Heather Brasell of the Gaskins Forest Education Center in Georgia talks about the effects of forest management on water. There will also be a silent auction in this fundraiser to benefit WWALS Watershed Coalition, Inc.

One entry, a duo, is from Tennessee and Georgia: Robert Thatcher of Signal Mountain, TN, and Tom Brown of Dalton, GA.

Two are from Georgia: David Rodock of Adel, and Bill Berry of Valdosta.

Two are from Florida: Sweet William Ennis of Palatka, and Rachel Grubb of Lake City.

David Rodock, Adel, GA

David Rodock, Adel, GA, with a pop country folk song, “Moonlight Echoes.” David Rodock is a local musician and music teacher and father of three. He says his song is a Saturday effort in the style of Jimmy Webb or other folk rock acts of the 70’s. A laid-back river-themed reflection on personal change through the Other. “I’ve got sixteen dollars to my name / not enough time for any blame / leaving out from grand bay / to you…”

Robert Thatcher, Signal Mountain, TN, and Tom Brown, Dalton, GA

Robert Thatcher, Signal Mountain, TN, co-writing with Tom Brown, a Folk / Americana / Bluegrass song, “Roll On, Echo River.” Robert Thatcher grew up around bluegrass music. His day job is as a communications and web specialist for a large hospital system. Robert plays in a Chattanooga folk band with his wife Alice and has been writing music for about 12 years. He finds inspiration in the rivers and mountains of the Cumberland plateau, hiking, and reading books. With co-writer Tom Brown, a retired teacher and woodworker of Dalton, GA, they have received third place in the Woody Guthrie songwriting competition, and have placed three times in the John Hartford Songwriters Challenge. Through a minor melody and longing lyric, they wanted to evoke a common thread of the many people over hundreds of years who’ve lived near, enjoyed and benefited from the Suwannee River. In our current changing times, it’s a plea to recognize the human role as stewards of the river.

Sweet Wiliam Ennis, Palatka, FL

Sweet William Ennis, Palatka, FL, with a blues song, “Catfish Stew (Suwannee River Blues).” “Sweet William” Ennis is a singer/songwriter who has lived in Palatka, Florida for over three decades. His personally original songs written over the span of fifty years cover multi genres and subjects including the environment, love & war with a heavy dose of Blues. 2019 quarter finalist in the Memphis International Blues Challenge, 2021 Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 1st place winner, and 2018 Santa Fe River Song Contest 3rd place winner, Sweet William is very active in the Florida music community and recognized for organizing volunteer music events supporting soup kitchens, assisted living facilities and worthy fund raisers. His song was inspired by a man who seems to live on the Suwannee River, harvesting a catfish for catfish stew!

Rachel Grubb, Lake City, FL

Rachel Grubb, Lake City, FL, with an Americana, Indie-folk song, “Cruising Down the Suwannee.” “I’m a singer-songwriter from Lake City, Florida. I find a great deal of inspiration in the beauty of our area springs and rivers. I am currently completing my second solo album entitled “Florida Home,” a collection of songs about rural north Florida and its natural beauty.” “”Cruising Down the Suwannee” is a happy little tune that I wrote about the fun of boating down the Suwannee River. I love spending time on the river and wanted to write a song that gave listeners that sense of joy.”

Bill Berry, Valdosta, GA

Bill Berry, Valdosta, GA, with an Americana song, “The River.” “I’m 67, a native of Valdosta, a solo singer/ songwriter, and play guitar. I’ve been playing and writing for about 45 years. The melody is something I picked out on the piano about 35 years ago.I recently put the lyrics to it for this contest. The song itself is just a reflection on life.” “I long for the day, when I will be free, / from the burdens of this life, / I will sit by the river, in the shade of a tree, / and commit my spirit to the sky….”

“Everyone is invited to come hear these musicians and their fine songs,” said organizing committee chair and WWALS President Sara Jay Jones.

Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman said, “Your ticket or sponsorship helps support everything WWALS does, from water quality tests, paddle outings, to chainsaw cleanups, and beyond to advocacy to stop trash at its sources, strip mines, and pipelines. We work for water trails, solar power, and Right to Clean Water, with growing engagement for youth and marginalized communities.”

Organizing Committee member Arinda Kennedy said, “Maybe you’d like to join the organizing committee!”

For everything else, go to wwals.net and scroll down to WWALS River Revue.

Flyer trimmed: Food, Speakers, M.C., Headliner, Songs, Judges, Prizes, and Sponsors So Far

About WWALS: Since June 2012, WWALS Watershed Coalition, Inc. (WWALS) is an IRS 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity working for a healthy watershed with clean, swimmable, fishable, drinkable water.

Mission: WWALS advocates for conservation and stewardship of the surface waters and groundwater of the Suwannee River Basin and Estuary, in south Georgia and north Florida, among them the Withlacoochee, Willacoochee, Alapaha, Little, Santa Fe, and Suwannee River watersheds, through education, awareness, environmental monitoring, and citizen activities.

Our Watershed: The 10,000-square-mile WWALS territory includes the Suwannee River from the Okefenokee Swamp to the Gulf of Mexico, plus the Suwannee River Estuary, and tributaries such as the Withlacoochee and Alapaha Rivers as far north as Cordele in Georgia, as well as parts of the Floridan Aquifer— the primary water source for drinking, agriculture, and industry for millions of Georgia and Florida residents.

Suwannee Riverkeeper: Since December 2016, WWALS is the WATERKEEPER® Alliance Member for the Suwannee River Basin and Estuary as Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®, which is a project and a staff position of WWALS focusing on our advocacy.

Contact: John S. Quarterman
Suwannee Riverkeeper
song@suwanneeriverkeeper.org
850-290-2350

===

Short Link: