December 8th, 2018
Wilder Adkins to perform at NewSong Music Competition Dec. 15
NewSong Music is pleased to announce 2016 grand prize winner Wilder Adkins will be our guest performer at this year’s NewSong Music Competition at Isis Music Hall in Asheville, NC on Saturday Dec. 15.
Wilder Adkins’ songwriting gleans as much from the earthy poetry of Wendell Berry and Mary Oliver as it does from the works of folk luminaries Richard Thompson and Bruce Cockburn. He’s been busy this year releasing new music, including the well-received and reimagined Bruce Springsteen covers “Dancing in the Dark” and “Marietta.”
We took some time to ask Wilder some questions about his career and any advice he might have for this year’s contestants.
As a past NewSong winner, do you have any advice to the 2018 contestants?
Try and be yourself on stage – everyone just wants to get to know you, so tell a joke or an interesting family anecdote or a maybe a cookie recipe. Don’t save your best songs for round 2, you might not make it! Also don’t stress too much over the swimsuit competition. It’s winter, so we all have a little extra flub this time of year.
What has being a NewSong winner meant for you and your career?
I really have gotten a lot of opportunities to play in some neat venues, and all that really pads the resumé. I tried getting the hometown paper to write about me but they were not interested. But you know what they say, a prophet has no honor in his own town. I have found that to be the case. Getting to record at Echo Mountain is cool – it’s a world class recording studio.
Is there any news about your own music you would like to share?
Check out my new Christmas playlist on Spotify called
“Christmas and Chill,” which features my rendition of the traditional hymn “Come Thou Long Expected Jesus.”
The NewSong Music Songwriting & Performance Competition will be held at Isis Music Hall in Asheville, NC on Dec. 15. Purchase tickets here.
