Sweet William Ennis, from Palatka, Florida, played his song “Catfish Stew (Suwannee River Blues)” and won Best Blues Song and Best Song from Outside the Suwannee River Basin, in the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2024.

He got awards for both plaques, and a $100 check for Outside.

Sweet William Ennis, Catfish Stew (Suwannee River Blues), Best Blues Song and from Outside, Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2024

He wrote about himself:

“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 First Prize 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.

Here’s a WWALS YouTube playlist of him playing his song, followed by WWALS President Sara Squires Jones awarding the prizes:
https://youtu.be/LFrDBfw1ni4?si=lyagdfgKlbSXDFvC

Videos by Doug Jipson for WWALS Watershed Coalition, Inc.

About the song, he wrote:

Inspired by a man who seems to live on the Suwannee River, harvesting a catfish for catfish stew!

Lyrics for “Catfish Stew (Suwannee River Blues),” by Sweet William Ennis, © 2024 Sweet William Ennis.

Catfish Stew (Suwannee River Blues) © by William Ennis
In the style of 12 Bar Blues Shuffle

(chorus) I’m livin’ the Suwannee River Blues,
I’m livin’ the Suwannee River Blues
Cruise the sultry river, that’s all I ever wanna do do.

Drag my hook & crawdads, hope I’ll get a bite,
Drag my hook & crawdads, hope I’ll get a bite,

long nose gar or mudfish, a catfish would be just right.

Chorus

Mamma skin a catfish, filet it up for two,
Mamma skin a catfish, filet it up for me and you,
Fry it deep in oil, or good old catfish stew.

Chorus

Now daylight’s fading like the Suwannee River Blues,
Now daylight’s fading like the Suwannee River Blues,
Tie up my Jon boat, mamma, make love to you.

Chorus

And have catfish stew!

We will post videos of more performances soon.

Before the finalists played, everyone listened to the two main speakers, the talks about WWALS, and the headliner at the WWALS River Revue. More about all that later.

Then the three judges listened to the five finalists of the Seventh Annual Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, and picked the winners.

Thanks to the sponsors, the ticket buyers, and the people who participated in the Silent Auction and the kayak raffle.

Proceeds benefit the advocacy and activities of WWALS Watershed Coalition, Inc., a 501(c)(3) IRS nonprofit educational charity, established 2012. Since December 2016, Suwannee Riverkeeper® is a project and a staff position with WWALS.

For more information, see:
https://wwals.net/pictures/songwriting2024

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

Y’all come next year.

Best Song from Outside the Suwannee River Basin, Catfish Stew (Suwannee River Blues), Sweet William Ennis, Palatka, FL

Both Awards, Sweet William Ennis –Karen Corbin

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

You can help with clean, swimmable, fishable, drinkable, water in the 10,000-square-mile Suwannee River Basin in Florida and Georgia by becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations/

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