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
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 →