Back again after several years, Rachel Grubb came from Lake City, Florida, with her song, Cruising Down the Suwannee, and won not only Best Americana Indie-Folk Song, but also First Prize, in the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2024.
She got plaques for both, and a $300 check for First Prize.
Here are videos of her song and her awards:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKwQ5xfKf-QwHgcxLdwOzUQNJDAj4zEi3&si=S6_kNrttvtPm5nd3 Continue reading
David Rodock, from Adel, Georgia, played his song, “Monlight Echoes,” and won Best Pop Country Folk Song, and Best Song from Inside the Suwannee River Basin, in the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2024.
He got awards for both plaques, and a $100 check for Inside.
Here are videos of his song and his awards:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKwQ5xfKf-QzKf-RMAMhF8j3OPnpJ62uu&si=7Vs-eNyl88mbwESh
He got written up in his hometown newspaper: Continue reading
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.
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.
Robert Thatcher, from Signal Mountain, Tennessee, and Tom Brown, from Dalton, Georgia, accompanied by Bob’s wife, played their song “Roll On, Echo River” and won Best Folk / Americana / Bluegrass Song in the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2024.
These songwriters wrote about themselves, Continue reading
Bill Berry, from Valdosta, Georgia, accompanied by Luke Smith, played his song “The River” and won Best Americana Song in the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2024.
![[Bill Berry, The River, Best Americana Song, Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2024]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-09-07--bill-berry-the-river-best-americana-song/fbmany.jpg)
Bill Berry, The River, Best Americana Song, Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2024
Bill Berry wrote about himself, “I’m 67, a native of Valdosta, a solo singer/ songwriter, and play guitar. I’ve been playing and writing for about 45 years.”
Here’s a WWALS YouTube playlist of Bill Berry and Luke Smith playing The River,
followed by WWALS President Sara Squires Jones awarding the prize:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKwQ5xfKf-QzcEbP8eVTuYmdMe5cPRFgD&si=2BFQe168zq1wQhL2 Continue reading
Hahira, Georgia, September 9, 2024— the First Prize winner in the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest is from Lake City, Florida, with Best from Inside the Suwannee River Basin from Adel, Georgia, and Best from Outside the Suwannee River Basin from Palatka, Florida.
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 these winners.
![[The Winners, Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, WWALS River Revue 2024-09-07]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-09-07--winners-suwannee-riverkeeper-songwriting-contest/fbmany.jpg)
The Winners, Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, WWALS River Revue 2024-09-07
Center top: Rachel Grubb of Lake City, Florida, won
Best Americana Indie-Folk Song for “Cruising Down the Suwannee”
and First Prize, with $300.
Top left:
Sweet William Ennis from Palatka, Florida, won Best Blues Song for “Catfish Stew (Suwannee River Blues),” and Best Song from Outside the Suwannee River Basin, with $50.
Top right:
David Rodock from Adel, Georgia, won
Best Pop Country Folk Song for “Moonlight Echoes,” and Best Song from Inside the Suwannee River Basin, with $50.
Bottom left:
Robert Thatcher from Signal Mountain, Tennessee and Tom Brown from Dalton, Georgia, won
Best Folk / Americana / Bluegrass Song for “Roll On, Echo River.”
Bottom right:
Bill Berry from Valdosta, Georgia, won
Best Americana Song for “The River.”
Here’s video of WWALS President Sara Squires Jones awarding the prizes:
https://youtu.be/5zSHNeVzOZs
Video by Doug Jipson for WWALS Watershed Coalition, Inc.
We will post videos of each performance soon. Continue reading
As one of the three judges for the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, Anna Stange of Madison, Florida, invites you to come hear the five songwriter finalists, after a sit-down meal and speakers from Georgia and Florida, in the WWALS River Revue, 5-8 PM, Saturday, September 7, 2024, at the Turner Center for the Arts, Valdosta, Georgia.
Here’s Anna’s Public Service Announcement (PSA) video:
https://youtube.com/shorts/XVcfPsU1_tY?feature=share
-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/
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]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-09-07--songwriting/finalists-selected.jpg)
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.
Continue reading
Last call, songwriters: August 14, 2024 is the last day to send in your excellent song about the Suwannee River Basin.
We mean it this time. Here’s the entry form:
https://forms.gle/ett6ne6DxMc8Ln897
The Finals for the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest will be at the WWALS River Revue, Saturday, September 7, 2024, at the Turner Center for the Arts, in Valdosta, Georgia.
Songwriters will perform for the audience and the three judges will decide, after the speakers from Florida and Georgia.
Dr. Jason Evans will speak about his many-year study of water lettuce, which establishes definitively that it is native to Florida. This may mean that the state should not spray to try to get rid of it.
He is Associate Professor of Environmental Science and Studies, Stetson University, DeLand, Florida. Jason Evans is an interdisciplinary systems and landscape ecologist who works in the fields of climate adaptation, land cover change, and water quality improvement within the built environment.
Heather Brasell will speak on the impacts of forest management on water quality.
She is the founder of the Gaskins Forest Education Center, Alapaha, Georgia, where she has won state and national forestry awards. She holds frequent events for adults and children, such as the annual A Day in the Woods, where WWALS always has a booth. She has won state and national forestry awards. She owns several miles of the Alapaha River and has paddled many times with WWALS. She is a former WWALS board member. She is a WWALS water quality tester.
![[Heather Brasell, Gaskins Forest Education Center, Alapaha, Georgia]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-08-10--speakers-songs-last-call/heather.jpg)
Heather Brasell, Gaskins Forest Education Center, Alapaha, Georgia
“Musicians, we have some songs, but we also want yours,” said organizing committee chair and WWALS President Sara Jay Jones.
Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman said, Continue reading
Surely you have a song about Debby. Or the Swamp. Or your favorite river, creek, spring, sink, swamp, pond, aquifer, or bay in the Suwannee River Basin or Estuary, except not in the Santa Fe River Basin.
Send it in by midnight tonight!
![[Entry Deadline: August 7, 2024, Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-07-26--song-submission-extended/2024-06-26--suwrk-songwriting-contest-Deadline-extended.jpg)
Entry Deadline: August 7, 2024, Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest
Here’s the entry form:
https://forms.gle/ett6ne6DxMc8Ln897
“Musicians, this is the end of the two more weeks to tinker and finish up that song, so it’s time to send it in,” said organizing committee chair and WWALS President Sara Jay Jones.
Public Service Announcement (PSA):
https://youtu.be/wC1edqJybuU?si=3OL_9Nm_jntQbZWX
The audience will listen and three judges will decide who wins in several categories at the finals, Saturday, September 7, 2024, during the WWALS River Revue, Turner Center for the Arts, Valdosta, Georgia.
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.
Continue reading![[Rachel Grubb, Lake City, FL, 2024-09-07, Best Americana Indie-Folk Song, First Prize: Cruising Down the Suwannee, Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-09-07--grubb-first-prize/fbmany.jpg)
![[David Rodock, Adel, GA, Best Pop Country Folk Song 2024-09-07, Best Song from Inside the Basin, Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-09-07--rodock-pop-inside/fbmany.jpg)
![[Sweet William Ennis, Catfish Stew (Suwannee River Blues), Best Blues Song and from Outside, Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2024]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-09-07--ennis-blues-outside/fbmany.jpg)
![[Robert Thatcher & Tom Brown, Roll On, Echo River, Best Folk / Americana / Bluegrass Song, Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2024]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-09-07--robert-thatcher-tom-brown-roll-on-echo-river-best-bluegrass/fbmany.jpg)
![[Public Service Announcement, WWALS River Revue, Turner Center, Valdosta, GA, 2024-09-07, --Judge Anna Stange]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-08-26--psa-wwals-river-revue-anna-stange/many.jpg)
![[Logo: WWALS River Revue 2024]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-08-10--speakers-songs-last-call/big/logo-wwals-river-revue-trim.jpg){kind=logo}
![[Dr. Jason M. Evans, Stetson University, Institute for Water and Environmental Resilience, DeLand, Florida, speaking to the Santa Fe Springs Working Group, December 14, 2023]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-08-10--speakers-songs-last-call/20231214_093454.jpg)