Kevin Stephenson of Valdosta, Georgia, won Best Country for his song, “It Don’t Get No Better Than This –The Alapaha,” 2022 Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest.
![[Kevin Stephenson, It Don't Get No Better Than This]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-08-20--songwriting-stephenson/stephenson.jpg)
Kevin Stephenson, It Don’t Get No Better Than This
Thanks, Kevin! Here’s a WWALS video playlist: Continue reading
Here are videos of Tracy Horenbein, of Tallahassee, Florida, singing her song Wild and Free, and winning Best Americana, at the 2022 Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest.
![[Wild and Free --Tracy Horenbein, Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2022]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-08-20--songwriting-horenbein/MVI_0008-04-48-wild-and-free-01-15-wild-and-free.jpg)
Wild and Free –Tracy Horenbein, Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2022
Thanks for playing, Tracy!
Thanks to Scott James for half an hour of radio time Thursday, mostly about the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest. The Contest is 7-11 PM today, Saturday, August 20, 2022, at the Turner Center Art Park, 605 N. Patterson St., Valdosta GA 31601.
For entry tickets and how you can get a raffle ticket for that Vibe Yellowfin 120 kayak donated by Georgia Beer Co., see:
https://wwals.net/pictures/2022-08-20–songwriting/
Who’s going to draw the winning kayak raffle ticket? The one and only hippie, kayaking, radio Valdosta Mayor Scott James Matheson.
Which of the five Finalists will MC Chuck Roberts announce as winners Continue reading
Songwriters, don’t forget to send in your song to the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest by tomorrow, July 20, 2022! Really final deadline this time.
![[Movie: Intro: Suwannee Riverkeeper and WWALS Watershed Coalition, Inc.]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-07-19--scott-james-radio-videos/MVI_0319-01-47-intro.jpg)
Movie: Intro: Suwannee Riverkeeper and WWALS Watershed Coalition, Inc.
Valdosta Mayor Scott James and Suwannee Riverkeeper talked about that and many other topics on his radio show this morning.
Here’s a Continue reading
Restarting a Hahira tradition. There will be live music from 12 – 10 p.m., food trucks, and vendors!
Hahira is between the Little and Withlacoochee Rivers, and the Hahira City Council in 2018 passed a resolution in support of the Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail (WLRWT).
When: 12 PM, Sunset 7:43:00 PM, end 10 PM, Saturday, March 19, 2022
Put In: Train Depot, 220 W Main St, Hahira, GA 31632
Fee: The City of Hahira is charging a
$20 entrance fee,
or $10 for children ages 6-13.
Or WWALS members can volunteer at the WWALS booth.
We recommend you support the work of WWALS by
becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations/#join
![[WWALS booth, Hahira Pick In]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-03-19--hahira-pick-in/many.jpg)
WWALS booth, Hahira Pick In
(WWALS booth pictures by Gretchen Quarterman from Hahira Honeybee Festival 2021-10-02)
We livestreamed the Fourth Annual Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest over facebook live and zoom. This is the zoom video, for those who want to see how the whole thing went.
![[Musicians, others, and winners]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2021-08-21--songwriting-zoom/many.jpg)
Musicians, others, and winners
Yep, this is the whole thing, from soundcheck to teardown. In between, headliner Little Perks in Paradise plays, three judges perform as a band, then nine finalists perform for the judges, the judges pick winners, and the First Prize winner, Sweet William Billy Ennis, sings again.
Here’s the video: Continue reading
Amanda M. Usher, The Valdosta Daily Times, 29 August 2021, Soul Man: Rolle makes his mark singing, acting,
John Jeffery ‘J.J.’ Rolle is a performer and judge at the recent Fourth Annual Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest. Rolle has been a musician for decades.
VALDOSTA — “Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls of all ages … put your hands together for Valdosta’s very own, J.J. Rolle,” emcee Wes James called out at the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest.
![[J.J. Rolle: judge and performer; Photo: Angela Duncan]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2021-08-29--vdt-rolle-songwriting/many.jpg)
J.J. Rolle: judge and performer; Photo: Angela DuncanJohn Jeffery “J.J.” Rolle, longtime entertainer and one of three judges at the contest held last week, strummed an upbeat tempo to the tune of “Blackwater” by the Doobie Brothers.
Though the guitar was Rolle’s choice of instrument, he doesn’t consider himself a guitarist.
“I play enough to write songs and accompany myself while singing,” he said. “I do consider myself a singer. I guess my voice would be my instrument.”
There’s more about J.J.’s background in the article, singing and acting.
The article continues: Continue reading
Staff Report, Lake City Reporter, August 24, 2021, “O’Brien man places in songwriting contest: Wingate one of nine finalists from across the southeast.” [See also Valdosta Today.]
VALDOSTA — Chosen from a record number of finalists, an O’Brien man was one of three winners named Saturday night at the fourth annual Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest.
Out of the nine finalists that competed at the Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts’ Art Park, O’Brien’s KJ Wingate won for the best song from inside the Suwannee River basin. Wingate won a $50 prize from the WWALS Watershed Coalition for his folk/country song, “The Hymn of Convict Spring.”
![[Lake City Reporter, KJ Wingate, Rachel Grubb]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2021-08-24--songwriting-winners-lake-city-reporter/many.jpg)
Lake City Reporter, KJ Wingate, Rachel Grubb
Finalists that competed in the fourth annual Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting contest included O’Brien’s KJ Wingate (from left), Katherine Ball, David Rodock, Sweet William Billy Ennis, Jimi Davies and his brother, Kathy Lou Gilman and Rachel Hillman. Not pictured are Brandon Fox and Lake City’s Rachel Grubb, who could not attend. Angela Duncan Courtesy of WWALS.
Other winners Saturday included Continue reading
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Hahira, GA, August 23, 2021 — Chosen by three judges from a record number of Finalists from Atlanta to Palatka, WWALS Watershed Coalition, Inc. (WWALS) is pleased to announce the winners of the Fourth Annual Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest.
![[All winners]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2021-08-21--songwriting-winners/IMG_9727-all-winners.jpg)
All winners.
L-R: KJ Wingate, Katherine Ball, David Rodock, Sweet William Billy Ennis, Jimi Davies and his brother, Kathy Lou Gilman, Rachel Hillman.
Photo: Angela Duncan for WWALS.
The winner of Continue reading
Tickets are $10 online or $12 at the door, for the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, coming up at 7PM this Saturday, August 21, 2021, at the Turner Center Art Park in Valdosta, Georgia. Scott James and I discussed it on his radio show a week ago: Nine finalists, three singing judges, and this year’s Master of Ceremonies is Big Country Wes James of WAAC Rivers Radio.
Get tickets to the Songwriting Contest here:
https://wwals.net/pictures/2021-08-21–songwriting
![[Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2018-08-21]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2021-08-12--scott-james-video/songwriting.jpg)
Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2018-08-21
Here are links to each video segment about the Contest, followed by a WWALS video playlist: Continue reading
![[Mayor, Plaques, Sponsors]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-08-18--scott-james-radio-videos/many.jpg)