Emmett Carlisle, from Gainesville, Florida, just outside the Suwannee River Basin, sang “Suwannee Harmony,” and won a prize for Best Florida Folk, at the First Annual Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, Saturday, June 23, 2018, at the Salty Snapper, Valdosta, GA.
Emmett Carlisle
(Bret Wagenhorst)
As he sang, “just like the river, together we flow.”
Here’s the video: Continue reading
Hollin Gammage, from McMinnville, Tennessee, outside the Suwannee River Basin, sang “Little River,” and won a prize for Best Americana, at the First Annual Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, Saturday, June 23, 2018, at the Salty Snapper, Valdosta, GA.
Hollin Gammage (photo by Bret Wagenhorst)
I think we’ve all been “Half crazy til I hit the water.”
Here’s the video: Continue reading
Jay Jourden sang “Save Our Suwannee” and won a prize, at the First Annual Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, Saturday, June 23, 2018, at the Salty Snapper, Valdosta, GA.
Jay Jourden (photo by Bret Wagenhorst)
If there’s any song other than Stephen Foster’s that anybody knows about the Suwannee, it’s usually this one, which is a call to action:
The water table’s going down, cricks are running dry….
They say we need more power, there’s more rain in the sky….But where’s that water going, and who says it’s so..??..
Somebody’s got the answers that we’d all like to know..!!..
Here’s the video: Continue reading
David B. Pharr sang this Traditional Folk song, “Care For the Waters,” at the First Annual Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, Saturday, June 23, 2018, at the Salty Snapper, Valdosta, GA.
As he sang about the Suwannee and the other rivers: “And you may cross my bridges, But you’ll never get over me.”
Here’s the video: Continue reading
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Valdosta, GA, July 2, 2017 —
In a good time with good food and good music, at the Salty Snapper in Valdosta, Saturday afternoon, June 23, 2018, three judges from Georgia and Florida deliberated a long time after six songwriters from Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida sang, and selected winners of the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2018.
The WWALS Songwriting Contest Committee met many times to plan for the first annual contest. The purpose of the contest was to raise awareness of the WWALS watershed and its accomplishments. Will Eason of the Salty Snapper welcomed us, WWALS Ambassador Dave Hetzel spoke about the origins of WWALS, Board member Bret Wagenhorst spoke about Outings, Committee Chair Eileen Box spoke about the Committee, and WWALS Executive Director Gretchen Quarterman was the M.C.
Winners and Judges (Sharon Yeago), left to right:
Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman, WWALS E.D. and contest M.C. Gretchen Quarterman, ? (JJ), ? (JJ), Jay Jourden (JJ), Judge J.J. Rolle, Emmett Carlisle, Laura D’Alisera, Mike Tappan, Judge Cindy Bear, Dave Pharr, ? Tom Shed (JJ), Don Austin (JJ), Hollin Gammage, and the small child is next year’s contestant (JJ marks members of Jay Jourden’s band).
The finalists, who played in random order, selected by drawing straws, with sound by Will Eason and other help by Scotti Jay, were: Continue reading
Come hear good music this afternoon, new songs about the Suwannee, Withlacoochee, and other rivers, said Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman on the radio yesterday morning with Scott James. The M.C. for today’s finals of the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, WWALS E.D. Gretchen Quarterman, explained the raffles (kayak, swag, and silent auction), and we mentioned the buffet and cash bar at the at the Salty Snapper, 1405 Gornto Rd, Valdosta, GA 31602.
You can even paddle 9AM this morning down the Withlacoochee River into Valdosta to get to the Salty Snapper.
We listed the finalists in the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, and described the format: speeches (especially by Will Eason of the Salty Snapper), finalists play new songs about the rivers, judges score on music, lyrics, history, etc., and finally the results of the raffles, and the prizes. We showed off the First Prize plaque, just handed to us by WWALS Board Member Phil Hubbard, who made it.
Here’s
a LAKE WWALS video playlist:
Videos: Songwriting Contest on Scott James Radio 2018-06-22
Video by Gretchen Quarterman for WWALS Watershed Coalition (WWALS),
Once festival season is over today, we noted we’ll get on with the programs WWALS fundraising pays for. Such as water quality testing: Continue reading
With his song entry, Mike Tappan said about himself: “Blue collar working musician exploring the musical heritage of the American south.”
Photo by Kari Gaskins of Mike Tappan, on his facebook profile.
You can hear Mike and the other finalists play while you munch on finger foods with a cash bar, silent auction, and kayak raffle at the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, 1-5PM this Saturday, June 23, at the Salty Snapper, 1405 Gornto Rd, Valdosta, GA 31602.
Mike isn’t the only Valdosta participant. One of the judges, Continue reading
Emmett Carlisle sent in a song from Gainesville, Florida, saying about himself:
I am working on my 8th CD of original songs, many about the History, Environment and Characters of Florida. I play at most of the Festivals including the Florida Folk, Will Mclean, Lake County Folk Festival and others.
Emmett Carlisle, North Florida Folk Network
Three judges from Florida and Georgia will choose from finalists from three states to award prizes in the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, Saturday, June 23, in Valdosta, Georgia. Each finalist has a good chance to win the first prize of $300. Or the $50 prize for a finalist from within the Basin, or the $50 prize for a finalist from outside, plus there will be a prize for one finalist in each musical genre or style. Gainesville isn’t actually in the Suwannee River Basin, but many of the paddlers on the Suwannee and its tributaries and springs come from there.
We’ve already posted about Continue reading
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Valdosta, GA, June 14, 2018 — Three judges from Florida and Georgia will choose from seven finalists from three states to award prizes in the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, Saturday, June 23, in Valdosta, Georgia.
Sending in a song from the farthest away, Tennessee, and with the most laconic self-description, is Hollin Gammage:
Performing songwriter from southeast north America will travel.
She wrote a bit more on ReverbNation: Continue reading
We have songs, but we’d like more. No rush; you have until midnight tonight, Friday, June 1, 2018, to send in a song to the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest.
Your song will have a good chance to win the first prize of $300. Or the $50 prize for a finalist from within the Basin, or the $50 prize for a finalist from outside, plus there will be a prize for one finalist in each musical genre or style.
Deadline to send in songs: Friday, June 1, 2018
How to send in a song: Continue reading