FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Hahira, Georgia, July 8, 2019 — Before the judges pick the winners at the Second Annual Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, Joe Smothers of Valdosta will lead off, followed by last year’s winner, Laura D’Alisera of Jacksonville, FL. Radio personality Chris Beckham of Tifton, GA, will M.C. Submit your song by Friday, or just get some tickets and come and listen!
![[Headliners]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2019-08-24--suwannee-riverkeeper-songwriting-contest/acts.jpg)
Headliners
Joe Smothers and Laura D’Alisera
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Hahira, Georgia, July 1, 2019 — Three judges are ready to pick the winners at the Second Annual Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest: two from Georgia and one from Florida. Tony Buzella, J.J. Rolle, and Tim Teasley will mark finalists on originality of lyrics and music, musical consistency, showing the integrity and value of the waters, historical value, performance, and more. Radio personality Chris Beckham of Tifton will M.C.
Continue readingThe Withlacoochee River hasn’t risen like this since The Salty Snapper moved in, which is good, since they’re catering the Final Feast tonight on the Suwannee River in Suwannee County, Florida for the last day of #PaddleGA2019, after we paddle in at the Hal W. Adams Bridge Boat Ramp in Lafayette County.
Donald O. Davis of the Lowndes County Historical Society writes:
The caterer’s building and the 2009 Withlacoochee flood. The original long-running restaurant in the location was JP Muldoons. The Salty Snapper opened in 2015.
![[WLRWT]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2009-04-09--sugar-creek-flooding/wlrwt.jpg)
Map: WWALS google map of the Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail (WLRWT).
The Salty Snapper is just east of Continue reading
All about Paddle Georgia #PaddleGA2019, PaddleGA2019 (back on the original route, starting at Troupville!) on the radio 8:00 AM tomorrow, Friday, June 14, 2019, Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman with Scott James on his Talk 92.1 drive-time radio show, out of Valdosta, Georgia.
We’ll be working out the final details for Scott James broadcasting from the Suwannee Riverkeeper Aircraft Carrier Saturday morning, as Paddle Georgia’s 300 paddlers set out downstream from Troupville Boat Ramp, just west of Valdosta.
Also Saturday morning, 8AM to 10AM, Helen Tapp and WWALS will be set up at the Little River Confluence, with water trail and other information. That’s on land Helen and her cousins are trying to get funded to turn into a park.
Photo: John S. Quarterman, Scott James radio 2019-02-22.
Friday WWALS will be planting signs at Troupville Boat Ramp for the Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail (WLRWT), and at Knights Ferry, Nankin, and State Line.
Tickets are still available for the Journey’s End Feast, Friday, June 21st, in Dowling Park, Florida, on the Suwannee River. That Feast is catered by WWALS by The Salty Snapper of Valdosta, Georgia.
The Salty Snapper will also be the venue for the Second Annual Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, Saturday August 24.
When: Approximately 8:00 AM, Friday, June 14, 2019
Where: You can listen on the air, or through the radio show’s own website, or through several online listening services.
Event: facebook.
-jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®
You can join this fun and work by becoming a WWALS member today!
Update 2019-06-19: Ticket sales are closed. See you there!
Even if you aren’t paddling on the Withlacoochee and Suwannee with Paddle Georgia, you can still enjoy the end of trip feast with this dinner ticket, if you buy within a week.
Live entertainment by First Annual Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest Winner Laura D’Alisera and catering of catfish (with vegetarian option) by The Salty Snapper of Valdosta.
Dinner is served at 6PM but entertainment will be before and after the meal.
Spend a relaxing evening with good food and entertainment and support your local rivers. The venue is right next to the Suwannee River, in Dowling Park, Suwannee County, Florida.
Tickets: $25 each, online
When:
Get your tickets online by noon, Wednesday, June 19, 2019
Dinner: 5:30 PM, Friday, June 21, 2019
Where:
Advent Christian Village,
10680 Dowling Park Dr, Live Oak, FL 32060
Remember to get your tickets by noon, Wednesday, June 19, so we can get a final count to the caterer, The Salty Snapper.
And coming up Continue reading
Welcome, Georgia Beer Co.!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (PDF)
Georgia Beer Company Sponsors Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest
Hahira, Georgia, April 22, 2019 — The first brewery in the Suwannee River Basin is the top-level sponsor of the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest. When the finalists compete for the judges and music lovers at The Salty Snapper on August 24, 2019, at the top of the sponsor banner will be Georgia Beer Company. This maker of brews, such as Cypress Knee – Single Hop Mosaic, understands clean water is essential to every beer. So Georgia Beer Company, as the Aria level sponsor, supports Suwannee Riverkeeper for fishable, swimmable, drinkable water.
![[Sponsor package]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2019-08-24--suwannee-riverkeeper-songwriting-contest/sponsor.jpg)
Photo: Sara the bartender;
Left to right: Bartender, Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman receiving sponsor merchandise and check from Jack “J. Ryce Martin” and Chris Jones, founders of Georgia Beer Co.
“When I was a reporter in Madison, Florida, I wrote about Valdosta sewage frequently,” said Georgia Beer Co. co-founder Chris Jones. “Unfortunately, that is still a story. We support Suwannee Riverkeeper to help stop that problem, and to clean up other things getting into our rivers.”
“I’m thrilled for this support of our water quality testing program by Georgia Beer Company,” said WWALS lead tester Sara Jay. “We can buy more testing materials and Continue reading
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (PDF)
Submissions open for Second Annual Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest
Hahira, Georgia, April 1, 2019 — No fooling but fun: today songwriters can start submitting new songs about the Suwannee, Withlacoochee, Alapaha, or Little Rivers, or other lakes, swamps, springs, or sinks in the Suwannee River Basin. New this year is a separate winner category for finalists younger than eighteen, in the Second Annual Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest. Well-known radio personality Chris Beckham will be the Master of Ceremonies inside in air conditioning Saturday afternoon, August 24, 2019, at The Salty Snapper in Valdosta, Georgia. Three judges will select winners as finalists play. Snacks are included, plus a silent auction and kayak raffle. Come have some family musical fun supporting your local nonprofit WWALS Watershed Coalition and Suwannee Riverkeeper.
Photo: Bret Wagenhorst, of Emmett Carlisle playing at the 2018 Contest
Last year’s winner, Laura D’Alisera has driven from Jacksonville for every contest organizing committee meeting this year, and will sing this year while the judges are judging. She says, “To encourage working songwriters, this year we will Continue reading
On WWALS TV radio Scott James and Valdosta Airport Executive Director James Galloway and I discussed alligators, karst limestone, and water levels on the Suwannee, Withlacoochee, and Alapaha Rivers. If I have to fly, I much prefer flying out of Valdosta to Atlanta, because if you forget about your pocketknife, security will just ask you if you want to take it to your car.
Before outings, we talked about coal ash and how Continue reading
Update 2019-07-10: Tickets, Georgia Beer Company sponsors, judges selected, and headliners will perform. Everything about the contest is online here: wwals.net/pictures/2019-08-24–suwannee-riverkeeper-songwriting-contest/
Update 2019-04-01: Song submissions are open!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Hahira, Georgia, February 27, 2019 — WWALS is pleased to announce the M.C. for the Second Annual Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest will be well-known radio host Chris Beckham. Once again, the Contest will be at The Salty Snapper on Gornto Road in Valdosta, Georgia. This year it will be 1-5PM, Saturday, August 24, 2019. Submissions will open in April, for selection of half a dozen finalists by the Contest Committee, and judging of the finalists by three judges at the Contest.
Emmett Carlisle performing at the 2018 Contest.
“August is an excellent month for this Contest, because we have inside air conditioning, and there are no competing outdoor music events in August,” said Laura D’Alisera, last year’s winner, and this year a member of the Contest Committee.
“The Salty Snapper is great for music: cozy but lots of space. Thanks to manager Justin Stephens for his enthusiastic support,” said Scotti Jay, Chair of the WWALS Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest Committee.
“Everybody had a fine time last year, and we have six more songs about the Suwannee River, or its tributaries the Withlacoochee, Little, and Alapaha. Move over Stephen C. Foster!” said Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman.
Submissions can be songs about Continue reading
Our First Prize winner from the First Annual Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, Laura D’Alisera, has agreed to play at Paddle Georgia in June 2019, which will be good publicity for the Second Annual Contest in August 2019.
Photo: Bret Wagenhorst, of Laura D’Alisera performing at the First Annual Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest at the Salty Snapper, Valdosta, GA, June 23, 2018.
Two weeks ago Laura drove an hour and a half from Jacksonville, Florida to Live Oak for a very productive Committee meeting, which also included Tom H. Johnson who came four hours from Pine Mountain, Georgia. Laura liked it so much she volunteered to join the Committee, and the WWALS board later unanimously approved that.
Come on over to Live Oak this Sunday to help organize the Second Annual Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest!
When: 6PM, Sunday, February 17, 2019
Where: China Town Chinese Restaurant, 1546 Ohio Ave South, Live Oak, FL 32064-4514
Last time, the Committee decided Continue reading
![[Three]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2019-08-24--suwannee-riverkeeper-songwriting-contest/judges.jpg)
![[Canoe to the door]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2009-04-09--sugar-creek-flooding/3.jpg)