Category Archives: Songwriting

New location: Valdosta, GA for Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, deadline June 1, 2018

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Hahira, GA, May 21, 2018 — The Contest has moved to The Salty Snapper on the Withlacoochee River in Valdosta, Georgia, in the biggest city in the Suwannee River Basin! The contest date is the same: Saturday, June 23, 2018. You can still send in a song through Friday, June 1, 2018, about the Withlacoochee, Little, Alapaha, Suwannee, or other rivers, springs, swamps, etc. in the Basin. The first prize gets $300, plus a $50 for a finalist from within the Basin, a $50 prize for a finalist from outside, and prizes to one finalist in each musical genre or style.

“Thanks to Will Eason, General Manager of The Salty Snapper, for finding the perfect afternoon time slot for a songwriting contest on the Withlacoochee River in the population center of the Suwannee River Basin,” said Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman.

The Salty Snapper, Location

Deadline to send in songs: Friday, June 1, 2018

How to send in a song: Continue reading →

Deadline extended to June 1, 2018 for Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest

We got more submissions, but we want more, so we’ve extended the deadline!

New Deadline: Friday, June 1, 2018

[Short]

What: You can submit a song in any musical genre or style, as long as it is about one or more of our rivers, creeks, springs, sinks, swamps, ponds, etc. in the Suwannee River Basin.

Prizes: $300 First Prize, $50 winner from within the Suwannee River Basin, $50 winner from elsewhere, and one winner in each musical genre. Finalists must be present to win.

More: Follow this link for all the details.

[Long]
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 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

You can join this fun and work by becoming a WWALS member today!

Deadline today for Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2018-05-13

Update May 15, 2018: Deadline extended to Friday, June 1, 2018!

Calling all songwriters: today’s the deadline to submit for the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest. There is no age limit; songwriters so far range from 14 to 64.

Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest WWALS, Logo

You can submit in any musical genre, so the committee can select seven finalists, and the judges can pick multiple winners.

Submit your song: entry form

Deadline: Continue reading →

Jay Jourden sends song to Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2018-05-07

Update May 15, 2018: Deadline extended to Friday, June 1, 2018!

Jay Jourden says we can say he submitted a song, and you can, too!

ReverbNation Jay “Blue Jay” Jourden, Jacksonville Beach, FL,

Jay “Blue Jay” Jourden Singer/Songwriter/Performer/Activist Producer/Writer/Actor/Film & Video Toronto Pictures/Global Film Studios BMI, a world renowned producer and musical/vocal artist as well as an accomplished concert promoter/performer having worked on and help organize major concerts for The American Indian Movement AIM, Wounded Knee & The Longest Walk, The No Nukes Concert Series, Disaster Relief 96′, The 40th Anniversary of Woodstock 1969-2009 “West Fest”, and many, many, more, is currently signed with Toronto Pictures, a socially active, major international film company, under internationally acclaimed director Bruno Pischiutta and producer Daria Trifu, Toronto Pictures is currently in pre-production of several films in Romania and other parts of the world, addressing important socially significant issues, affecting changes in global thinking, all done without the “Hollywood Standard” gratuitous sex and violence “norm”.

Jay Jourden

We don’t announce which song someone may have submitted, but Continue reading →

Road trip to Cedar Key Saturday 2018-05-05

This Saturday, several WWALS people are heading for Cedar Key to present and ask for questions, suggestions, etc. about:

  • who we are: WWALS Watershed Coalition is Suwannee Riverkeeper
  • what we do (outings, races, water trails, water quality, advocacy, etc.),
  • how that benefits Cedar Key (which is downstream from everything we do),
  • and we’re holding a songwriting contest in Cedar Key on June 23rd.

The main goal is encouraging long-term interactions between Cedar Key and Suwannee Riverkeeper.

The secondary goal is to organize the songwriting contest.

When: All day, Saturday, May 5, 2018
Presentation at 3PM
Or let us know and we’ll come to your office.

Pelican, 29 North
Photo: Pelican at Cedar Key, by Gretchen Quarterman, 2018-02-25

Contact: Continue reading →

Judges, Songwriting Contest

Update May 15, 2018: Deadline extended to June 1, 2018!

The Songwriting Contest Committee has chosen three judges. After the Committee picks seven finalists, the judges at the contest will pick winners from those finalists, all according to criteria listed in the Rules.

The judges are, in alphabetical order: Cindy Bear, Dan Crews, and J.J. Rolle.

  • Cindy Bear, Jacksonville, Florida,

    Cindy Bear Cindy Bear is an award winning singer-songwriter based in Jacksonville, FL, who performs at music festivals, house concerts, listening rooms, and charity fundraisers throughout the Southeastern U.S. She is a successful solo artist, and also half of Bear and Robert (pronounced “Row-bear”), a Blues, Folk and Americana duo with her husband, Franc Robert….

    Cindy Bear is also Continue reading →

Submissions, Songwriting Contest

Update May 15, 2018: Deadline extended to Friday, June 1, 2018!

The first to submit a song is David Pharr of Suwannee Canoe Outpost on the Suwannee River in Suwannee County.

At the Boat Ramp, Wanee Travelling Stage
Photo: John S. Quarterman for WWALS of Suwannee Canoe Outpost behind Wanee Travelling Stage 2018-04-21

We can’t tell you the title, lyrics or music of Dave’s submission, because that wouldn’t be fair to the other submissions which will be pouring in. And no, we won’t publish your name unless you agree to that, as Dave did.

Submissions are encouraged in Continue reading →

Valdosta Committee meeting, Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2018-04-29

Sunday 2PM in Valdosta, the Committee meets about the First Annual Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest. And song submissions are open!

When: 2-3 PM Sunday 29 March 2018

Where: Cheddars Scratch Kitchen, 270 Norman Dr, Valdosta, GA 31601
aka Cheddar’s Casual Cafe,
Off I-75 Exit 16, US 84, West Hill Avenue.

What: More judge candidates, and event logistics including sponsors, food, beverages, and the crawl afterwards, when finalists will play at local venues in Cedar Key.
Like every committee meeting, you can also participate by telephone; inquire within for how.

Event for the committee meeting: facebook, meetup

Event for the songwriting contest: facebook, meetup

Google Street View, Map
Map: Google Street View

The Contest

Continue reading →

Video: Suwannee Riverkeeper on Steve Nichols Drive-time Radio 2018-04-24

This morning I was on The Morning Drive with Steve Nichols on 105.9 FM WVGA, Valdosta, Georgia, which Steve says reaches 100,000 people. We talked about all the things we said we would: Troupville cleanup, water trails, paddle race, film festival, songwriting contest, outings, and more.

Suwannee Riverkeeper banner, Interview

Here’s the video extracted from WVGA’s facebook live.

Suwannee Riverkeeper on Steve Nichols Drive-time Radio 2018-04-24
Video by Black Crow Media for WVGA 105.9 FM, Valdosta, GA

I don’t know why the video is mirror-flipped, but below are a few stills right-way around.

If you want to see the whole morning’s video, it’s on the show’s website. This interview runs about -23:40 to -1:20.

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

You can join this fun and work by becoming a WWALS member today!

Troupville cleanup, Interview
Troupville cleanup, Interview

Hi, Helen, Interview
Hi, Helen, Interview

Tires and a boat, Interview
Tires and a boat, Interview

Metal signs, Interview
Metal signs, Interview

Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail, Interview
Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail, Interview

BIG Little River Paddle Race, Reed Bingham SP, 2018-04-28, Interview
BIG Little River Paddle Race, Reed Bingham SP, 2018-04-28, Interview

Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, Cedar Key, 2018-06-23, Interview
Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, Cedar Key, 2018-06-23, Interview

Wild & Scenic Film Festival, Valdosta, 2018-05-31, Interview
Wild & Scenic Film Festival, Valdosta, 2018-05-31, Interview

Newsletter: Tannin Times, Interview
Newsletter: Tannin Times, Interview

Submissions open for Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest

Update May 21, 2018: New location: The Salty Snapper, Valdosta, GA.

Update May 15, 2018: Deadline extended to Friday, June 1, 2018!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Live Oak, FL, April 2, 2018 — Submissions are now open for the First Annual Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest. Soon there will be more songs about the Suwannee River than the one everybody knows, and also about the Withlacoochee, the Alapaha, and more; don’t forget the Okefenokee Swamp. Stephen Foster never saw the Suwannee River, so songwriters don’t have to live here to submit, but they do have to be present to win.

Deadline: Submissions must be received by midnight Eastern time at the end of Sunday May, 13, 2018. The Songwriting Contest Committee will select seven finalists and announce them on Saturday, May 19, 2018.

Enter: Here is the Entry Form.

Entry Form, 2018

The Contest: The finalists will perform in Valdosta, Georgia, Saturday, July 23, 2018, plus a silent auction, a kayak raffle, and of course food and drink.

Prizes: Judges will award Continue reading →