Rachel Hillman came from Tallahassee, Florida, to sing Gossipping of Butterflies last year.
Today’s the last day to send in your song for this year’s Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest:
https://forms.gle/A2tpW1c7HJK3Tjuf7 Continue reading
Below there is WWALS video of the winning song, described by Amanda M. Usher, Valdosta Daily Times, August 23, 2021, By the Riverside: Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest winners revealed,
VALDOSTA — Sweet William Billy Ennis of Palatka, Fla., is the first-prize winner of the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest.
![[First Prize Winner Sweet William Billy Ennis]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2021-08-23--songwriting-winners-vdt/many.jpg)
First Prize Winner Sweet William Billy Ennis.
Top: receiving the prize from Judge J.J. Rolle, introduced again by M.C. “Big Country” Wes James WAAC FM to play again.
Bottom: Sweet William Billy Ennis and his band playing his winning song, “Flat Bottom Boats.”
Photos: Angela Duncan for WWALS.The annual competition was sponsored by WWALS and took place Saturday 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
Tickets are on sale now, $10 online; they will be $12 at the door.
https://wwals.net/pictures/2021-08-21–songwriting/
VIP tables seating six in front of the stage are $150; inquire to song@suwanneeriverkeeper.org.
The Finals will be a fun festival for the whole family, Saturday, August 21, 2021, at the Turner Center Art Park, 605 North Patterson Street, Valdosta, Georgia, 31601.
We are taking every pandemic precaution recommended by the CDC and local doctors.
We ask you to help by wearing your mask when closer than six feet to anybody not in your party. And please stay home if you are sick in any way.
If you want to watch and listen without physically going there, we offer two livestreams.
But please buy a ticket: it’s a fundraiser.
All about the Contest is here:
https://wwals.net/pictures/2021-08-21–songwriting/
About WWALS: Continue reading
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Hahira, Georgia, August 19, 2021 — “We regret to say that Dirty Bird and the Flu will not be one of our Headliners this Saturday, because two of their band members have caught COVID-19,” said Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman. “But Scott Perkins and his band, Little Perks in Paradise, are coming from Atlanta to play as a Headliner.”
Tickets are on sale now, $10 online; they will be $12 at the door.
https://wwals.net/pictures/2021-08-21–songwriting/
VIP tables seating six in front of the stage are $150; inquire to song@suwanneeriverkeeper.org.
The Finals will be a fun festival for the whole family, 7-11 PM, Saturday, August 21, 2021, at the Turner Center Art Park, 605 North Patterson Street, Valdosta, Georgia, 31601.
“Yes, the show will go on, with all pandemic precautions, ” said organizing Committee Chair and WWALS President Tom H. Johnson, Jr. “There will be plenty of music: all nine songwriters will be Finalists! Their songs are all so good, the WWALS Songwriting Contest Committee couldn’t bring itself to omit any of them.”
Continue readingTickets 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
Amanda M. Usher, Valdosta Daily Times, August 2, 2021, Suwannee Riverkeeper contest scheduled,
VALDOSTA — The musical notes of folk, blues, soul, rock and jazz will soon cover the Art Park during the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest in late August.
Finalists have been selected to perform at the annual event, 7-11 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 21, at the Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts Art Park.
The public had until July 29 to cast votes for the contest.
John Quarterman, Suwannee riverkeeper, said a committee will take into account the votes while choosing finalists, which will be announced Aug. 4.
And the Committee selected all nine songwriters as Finaliasts!
![[Nine Songwriters, Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2021]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2021-08-21--songwriting/bannersongs.jpg)
Judges Josh Duncan, J.J. Rolle and Kenji Bolden will select winners at the Aug. 21 event, where Little Perks in Paradise and Dirty Bird and the Flu will each headline.
Little Perks in Paradise features Continue reading
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Hahira, Georgia, August 2, 2021 — All nine songwriters will be Finalists! “Their songs are all so good, the WWALS Songwriting Contest Committee couldn’t bring itself to omit any of them,” said Committee Chair Tom H. Johnson Jr.
In alphabetical order, they are:
“We’re still starting at 7 PM, but we may run a little later than 11 PM to fit them all in,” said Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman. “The Finals will be a fun festival for the whole family, Saturday, August 21, 2021, at the Turner Center Art Park, 605 North Patterson Street, Valdosta, Georgia, 31601.”
Tickets are on sale now, $10 online; they will be $12 at the door.
https://wwals.net/pictures/2021-08-21–songwriting/
VIP tables in front of the stage are $150; inquire to song@suwanneeriverkeeper.org.
“The public online voting helped, but we still couldn’t leave out any of these good new songs about our rivers, swamps, springs, and sinks,” said Laura D’Alisera, who won First Prize the first year and has been on the WWALS Songwriting Contest Committee ever since.
Because of the surge in the COVID-19 virus pandemic, we will test temperatures at the entrance with an infrared thermometer. Tables will be spaced for distancing. Masks will be required when people are close to other people not in their party.
“We have two headliners this year,” said Committee Member Angela Duncan. “Last year’s winner Continue reading
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Hahira, Georgia, August 2, 2021 — “I am very excited and honored to be the Master of Ceremonies for this year’s Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriters Contest,” said Big Country Wes James, of WAAC FM Rivers Radio. “I can’t wait to hear all the great songs that have been submitted and to find out who this year’s winner will be.”
“We’re just as pleased that Big Country agreed to be Master of Ceremonies at the Contest!” said Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman.
Photo: John S. Quarterman for WWALS of Wes James on WAAC FM Rivers Radio 2021-04-20
Tickets are on sale now, $10 online; they will be $12 at the door.
https://wwals.net/pictures/2021-08-21–songwriting/
VIP tables in front of the stage are $150; inquire to song@suwanneeriverkeeper.org.
“Florida and Georgia songwriters sent many good new songs about our rivers, swamps, springs, and sinks, ranging through folk, country, blues, soul, and jazz,” said Laura D’Alisera, who won First Prize the first year and has been on the WWALS Songwriting Contest Committee ever since. “Public online voting is finished, and the Committee will announce its decision for Finalists this Wednesday, August 4, 2021.”
“The Finals will be a fun festival for the whole family,” said Contest Committee Chair Tom H. Johnson Jr., who is also WWALS Board President. “That’s 7-11 PM, Saturday, August 21, 2021, at the Turner Center Art Park, 605 North Patterson Street, Valdosta, Georgia, 31601.”
Because of the surge in the COVID-19 virus pandemic, we will test temperatures at the entrance with an infrared thermometer. Tables will be spaced for distancing. Masks will be required when people are close to other people not in their party.
“We have two headliners this year,” said Committee Member Angela Duncan. “Last year’s winner Scott Perkins and his band Little Perks in Paradise from Atlanta, and Valdosta’s own Dirty Bird and the Flu.”
“Thanks to Georgia Beer Company for being our top-tier sponsor again!” said WWALS Executive Director Gretchen Quarterman. “And thanks to all the other sponsors, including Continue reading
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![[Flyer]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2021-08-21--songwriting/Flyer-2021-SuwRK-Songwriting-Contest-0001.jpg)