Tag Archive for "LEAF Songwriter Competition"

Posts Tagged ‘LEAF Songwriter Competition’

Admiral Radio wins 10th annual LEAF Songwriter Competition

Tuesday, May 14th, 2024

Admiral Radio — a South Carolina-based husband and wife Americana duo — won this year’s LEAF Songwriter Competition.

Coty Hoover and Becca Smith of Admiral Radio share a palpable connection onstage, and a desire to leave audiences better than they found them. At the LEAF Songwriter Competition, held Saturday, May 11, at LEAF Global Arts Retreat, they offered up sweet harmonies and deftly crafted lyrics that left few if any dry eyes in the room. For their encore song, after they were announced as winners, the couple chose to play off-mic, surrounded by the enthusiastic audience.

“The moment we pulled up to the LEAF Global Arts Retreat, we caught the wave,” Hoover says. “Everyone we passed was at ease. Having known about LEAF for so long, it was nothing short of an honor to be included amongst so many amazing songwriters in the LEAF Songwriting Competition — to win was even more surreal! LEAF is the epitome of community and culture colliding.”

As part of their LEAF Competition win, Admiral Radio advances as one of only eight finalists at the annual, international NewSong Competition, to be held in Asheville in November. Hoover and Smith will also return to the Fall LEAF Festival, held October 17-20, 2024, as featured, paid performers.

Submissions are now open for the The 23rd Annual NewSong Music Competition, presented by Citizen Vinyl. Entries can be uploaded here: https://www.newsong-music.com/contest/

“We can’t wait to head back to Asheville this fall to take part in the NewSong Music Competition and meet some more incredible songwriters sharing their stories with the world,” Hoover says.

Award-round runners up:

Andy Sydow (Nashville, Tennessee)
Charlie John (Fort Mitchell, Kentucky)

Participating finalists:

Dustin Dale Gaspard (Cow Island, Louisiana)
Erin Williams Banks (Boone, North Carolina)
Hannah Lee Thompson (Baltimore, Maryland)
Nathan Storey (Huntersville, North Carolina)

Judges for the event, culled from Asheville, N.C.’s music industry professionals, included arts and culture journalist Edwin Arnaudin; tour and band manager and guitar tech André Cholmondeley; and artist manager and consultant Stacy Claude.

“This year’s LEAF Songwriter Competition was the most magical yet,” says Alli Marshall, NewSong Music’s artist communications director. “The song craft caliber was incredibly high. But my favorite part was witnessing the near-instant friendships that developed between the finalists — by the end of the night they were making plans to share shows in each other’s hometowns.”

Genres ran the gamut from folk and Cajun-Americana to indie-pop. Seven finalists and their accompanists traveled from as far as Louisiana’s Vermilion Parish to share their songs.

The LEAF Songwriter Competition is a collaborative effort between NewSong Music and LEAF Global Arts. It aims to identify and recognize exceptional performers and songwriters from across the country.

Tags: Admiral Radio, LEAF Retreat, LEAF Songwriter Competition
Posted in NewSong Music | 13 Comments »

Q+A with LEAF Songwriter Competition Finalist Andy Sydow

Tuesday, April 30th, 2024

In a career spanning more than a decade, Americana, rock, folk, singer-songwriter Andy Sydow has released several albums and singles, toured internationally, received Triple-A airplay (Alibi, 2022 and Keep On Driving, 2023), been a finalist in the Kerrville New Folk Songwriter Competition (twice!), and supported numerous acts including Shane Smith & The Saints, Dick Dale, Chuck Prophet, Tab Benoit, Samantha Fish, Lucero, and Anders Osborne.

Andy is one of eight finalists selected to showcase and compete in the LEAF Singer Songwriter Competition, Presented by NewSong Music, at LEAF Retreat on May 11.

NewSong Music: What is the most recent song you wrote and what inspired it?
Andy Sydow: Well, it’s still a working title, but right now it’s called “Jam On Toast.” It’s not about putting jam on toast, that’s just a line in the third verse that stuck out to me. It’s also an odd name for a song, and I like that! “Jam On Toast” is about getting stuck in a rut and going through the motions. I’ve struggled with feeling that way some lately so I guess I wrote it as a remedy for that. My friend Nic Clark co-wrote the song.

What was your journey to becoming a musician — are you classically trained or self-taught?
My parents put me in piano lessons in elementary school and I stuck with it through high school and then majored in jazz piano in college at CU Denver. I also played the saxophone in concert band and jazz band through high school, and my dad taught me guitar in high school as well. Growing up, we often went to this radio show in Boulder called “eTown.” I got to see so many amazing artists from week to week including Natalie Merchant, Jackie Greene, Ben Harper, and Keb’ Mo’. One show in particular that stands out was seeing Buddy Guy at “eTown” as a 10 year old. Buddy saw me in the audience and walked over and handed me his pick and let me play his polka dot guitar in the middle of a song! I didn’t know how to play at the time, but the rush of getting to be a part of the show really gave me the performance bug.

What music was playing in your house while you were growing up?
My parents had a pretty big CD collection to pick from! A few that come to mind as I’m thinking about it now are Eric Clapton, Dave Matthews, Sarah McLachlan, Tom Petty, and Rush. I was also always big into movie soundtracks for the films I was watching as a kid. Star Wars, Pirates of the Caribbean, Space Jam and Shrek are a few that jump out off hand.

If you could co-write a song with anyone, who would it be, and why?
Dead or alive? Ok… I’ll answer both. Alive – Taylor Goldsmith of Dawes. He words things in ways that are truly unique, yet the listener knows exactly what he’s saying. It’s poetic without being too cryptic. Dead – I’d love to write a wild, twisted rock anthem with Warren Zevon.

What has most surprised you about being a singer-songwriter?
The community is incredibly supportive. I don’t know what I expected when I got into this as a teenager, but it wasn’t this. The community is wonderful. It has also surprised me how many non-music related skills I’ve learned through this journey.

Tags: Andy Sydow, LEAF Songwriter Competition, Q&A
Posted in Contest | 14 Comments »

Q+A with LEAF Songwriter Competition Finalist Admiral Radio

Sunday, April 21st, 2024

Inspired by their 1941 wooden Admiral radio, this South Carolina-based husband and wife duo creates an Americana sound rooted in tradition that touches the heartstrings of the modern-day listener. With tight vocal harmonies, endearing storytelling and authentic energy, Becca and Coty hold a presence that is palpable and real, both on and off stage.

Admiral Radio is one of eight finalists selected to showcase and compete in the LEAF Singer Songwriter Competition, Presented by NewSong Music, at LEAF Retreat on May 11.

NewSong Music: What is the most recent song you wrote and what inspired it?

Coty: Probably a song called ‘Kind To Myself.” We had just played at a festival and didn’t feel like we knocked it out of the park, so we were sort of beating ourselves up about it afterwards. Then a lady came over to us a few minutes later and started telling us how much she enjoyed our set. So the song is still a seedling, but it’s kind of a reminder to go easy on yourself.

What was your journey to becoming musicians — are you classically trained or self-taught?

Becca: Both of us are mostly self-taught. Coty’s first guitar was one he bought from Walmart while he worked there in high school. He would play in his room and watch videos on Myspace and Youtube of his favorite musicians repeatedly until he knew the songs. He mostly played in his room casually until we met waiting tables.

I grew up singing make believe songs and writing little ditties as a child. I learned how to play guitar in middle school with a few lessons, which helped my songwriting. I grew up singing along to John Lennon and Paul McCartney and got good at picking out harmonies that way.

The first night Coty and I hung out outside of work, we played guitar at his house. He wasn’t singing or writing at that point, but after awhile, I needed some backup on the shows I was playing solo and coaxed him into helping me. From there, his harmonies, vocal abilities, and songwriting have really gone bananas. The songs he writes bring me to tears.

What music was playing in your houses while you were growing up?

Becca: Coty’s mom is an ’80s baby, so in his house, Bon Jovi, Duran Duran, and Billy Idol were always on. For me, my parents are near opposite sides of the Baby Boomer era, so I like to say that my dad raised me on The Beatles and my mom raised me on R.E.M.

If you could co-write a song with anyone, who would it be, and why?

Becca: I’d like to write with Drew Holcomb. He just seems like a really down-to-earth person. I like that his songs can be straight-up fun, like a rockin’ Tom Petty tune, but others can be reminiscent of a heartfelt Jim Croce song.

Coty: Dolly, the one and only. She’s about as good as it gets.

What has most surprised you about being a singer-songwriter?

Becca: The good stuff seems to come from everyday life. It’s like you want to be a student with a pencil in your hand as often as possible. You never know when the teacher might say something that you’ll want to jot down.

Coty: Mostly surprised that people actually like it!

Tags: Admiral Radio, LEAF Global Arts Retreat, LEAF Songwriter Competition, Q&A
Posted in Contest, NewSong Music | 14 Comments »

Q+A with LEAF Songwriter Competition Finalist Nathan Storey

Friday, April 19th, 2024

Nathan Storey is a seasoned singer-songwriter from North Carolina. “He puts lush emotion and sincerity into each note making any listener sit up and take notice…his melodies and chord changes become hook laden delights,” as described by John Fonvielle, The Beat Magazine. In his songwriting, “Storey weaves intimate tunes, filled with emotion and powerful metaphor,” as detailed by Hunter Gardner of Charleston Grit. Storey toured the east coast at notable venues including Rockwood Music Hall in NYC, the National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, DC and the River Arts Festival in Jacksonville, Fl.

Nathan is one of eight finalists selected to showcase and compete in the LEAF Singer Songwriter Competition, Presented by NewSong Music, at LEAF Retreat on May 11.

NewSong Music: What is the most recent song you wrote and what inspired it?

Nathan Storey: I recently wrote a song about time called “Time is a Liar.” I began thinking about how we often think we have enough or not enough of it and I thought that was really interesting idea to explore.

What was your journey to becoming a musician — are you classically trained or self-taught?

I took guitar lessons when I was very young and started with simple chord progressions. I haven’t stopped playing since!

What music was playing in your house while you were growing up?

I grew up listening to a lot of church music as well as things like ’60s folk. Mom and Dad liked a lot of different things!

If you could co-write a song with anyone, who would it be, and why?

I admire a lot of songwriters from across the pond so I would be over the moon to write with guys like Foy Vance or Glen Hansard. Their raw lyrics and performances have always been really inspiring to me.

What has most surprised you about being a singer-song-writer?

I think that I’m not tired of it yet. For many many years now I’ve trusted myself to have something to say and with as interested I am in different things, I find that kind of surprising.

Tags: LEAF Global Arts Retreat, LEAF Songwriter Competition, Nathan Storey, Q&A
Posted in NewSong Music | 14 Comments »

Introducing the 2024 LEAF Competition Finalists

Tuesday, April 9th, 2024

CONGRATULATIONS to the 2024 finalists of the LEAF Singer-Songwriter Competition, presented by NewSong Music:

Admiral Radio – Columbia, SC
Andy Sydow – Hendersonville, TN
Charlie John – Covington, KY
Dustin Dale Gaspard – Abbeville, LA
Erin Williams Banks – Boone, NC*
Hannah Lee Thompson – Baltimore, MD
Nathan Storey – Charlotte, NC
Ollella – Seattle, WA

* Early Bird finalist

They’ll be joining us here in Asheville next month to network, showcase and compete at LEAF Retreat, on May 11, 2024 in Black Mountain, NC (right outside of Asheville).

On behalf of everyone at LEAF Global Arts and NewSong Music, a DEEP thanks to all of the fantastic artists who submitted. The pool of talent was outstanding again this year, making our job all the more difficult and the finalists’ recognition all the more impressive.

To everyone who entered, your creative work inspires us. Thanks for sharing it, and PLEASE keep on writing, singing and recording your art … the world’s a better place for it, and we need your songs now more than ever.

Tags: 2024 Finalists, LEAF Global Arts Retreat, LEAF Songwriter Competition
Posted in Contest | 12 Comments »

Jimmie Griffith wins 9th annual LEAF Songwriter Competition

Wednesday, May 17th, 2023

MaisCéu — the solo project of songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jimmie Griffith — won this year’s LEAF Songwriter Competition.

Griffith hails from the mountains of Minas Gerais, Brazil. His compositions are a fusion of American and Brazilian musical traditions, reflecting his upbringing steeped in both cultures. At the LEAF Songwriter Competition, held Saturday, May 13, at LEAF Retreat, Griffith mesmerized the audience with intricate guitar melodies, upbeat auxiliary percussion, and lyrics sung in Portuguese.

“The experience of bonding with the other talented finalists, both on and off the stage, was nothing short of magical,” Griffith says. “As I looked around the room, filled with incredible talent, I was overjoyed and surprised when my name was announced as the winner of the 2023 NewSong Songwriter’s Competition. It feels surreal to witness how the songs I composed in a quiet corner of my room, with such personal meaning to me, are now resonating with new audiences.”

The singer-songwriter, who is currently based in Lenoir, N.C., earned a spot as one of only eight finalists at the annual, international NewSong Competition, to be held in Asheville this fall. MaisCéu will also return to the Fall LEAF Festival, held October 19-22, 2023, as a featured, paid performer.

“LEAF has always held a special place in my heart, and it has been a dream of mine to not only participate in the NewSong Songwriter’s Competition but also to be a featured performer at LEAF,” Griffith says. “I am looking forward to continuing this journey by putting together a special performance for the upcoming LEAF in the fall.”

Award-round runners up:

Lyle de Vitry (Asheville, North Carolina)
Jess Clemons (The Dalles, Oregon)

Participating finalists:

Corrie Lynn Green (Port Republic, Virginia)
Kate Prascher (Highand, New York)
Josh Batenhorst (Asheville, North Carolina)
Maggie Monaghan (Wellesley, Massachusetts)

LEAF Songwriter Competition finalists and judges.

From left, Gar Ragland, Jimmie Griffith, Josh Batenhorst, Jess Young, Lyle de Vitry, Corrie Lynn Green, Bridger Dunnagan, Jess Clemons, Quinn Tuff, Maggie Monaghan, Kate Prascher, Tiana Kennel, China Langford.

Judges for the event, culled from Asheville, N.C.’s music industry professionals, included arts and culture journalist Tiana Kennel, talent booker China Langford, and NewSong Music director and co-founder Gar Ragland.

“Once again this year’s finalists showcased a wonderful array of original material to an attentive and appreciative LEAF audience,” said Ragland. “ I’m continually impressed and humbled by the level and diversity of talent that this program attracts. It’s an honor to be able to showcase this caliber of talent each year with LEAF.”

Genres ran the gamut from folk and Americana to indie-pop. Seven finalists and their accompanists traveled from as far as Oregon’s Hood River Gorge to share their songs.

The LEAF Singer-Songwriter Competition is a collaborative effort between NewSong Music and LEAF Global Arts. It aims to identify and recognize exceptional performers and songwriters from across the country.

Tags: Competition winner, Jimmie Griffith, LEAF Songwriter Competition
Posted in Contest, NewSong Music | 2 Comments »

MEET LEAF SONGWRITER COMPETITION FINALIST MAGGIE MONAGHAN

Friday, May 5th, 2023

The annual LEAF Singer-Songwriter Competition, now in its ninth year, will take place at Spring LEAF Retreat, in Black Mountain, N.C., on Saturday, May 13, 2023. Eight singer-songwriters have been selected from across the country to showcase, compete, and network at the competition.

MAGGIE MONAGHAN (Wellesley, MA)

Maggie Monaghan is an indie-folk singer-songwriter from Wellesley, MA. She is currently a rising senior at Wesleyan University in CT where she leads weekly open mics and is working on a musical. She began songwriting in high school, and it quickly became one of her biggest passions. She released her first single in May of 2022—and another last month—and is currently working to record and release an EP. Some of her top musical influences are Noah Kahan, Mt. Joy, St. Terrible, and Lizzy McAlpine.

NewSong Music: How would you describe your music to someone who has never heard it before?

Maggie Monaghan: To someone who has never heard my music before, I would describe it as an intersection of the Indie-Folk and singer-songwriter genres. I am a huge lyrics person when I listen to music, so that is one of the areas of my songwriting that I would say has grown the most over time. I grew up playing piano, so I write a lot of music on piano but have recently picked up the guitar as well. I feel like guitar has definitely helped me lean even further into the folky elements of my songs throughout the writing and production process.

What is the first album you bought, and why?

The first album I ever bought was Elton John’s Greatest Hits because my dad used to have a CD of the album in his car, and I remember countless car rides from soccer games or school, blasting “Tiny Dancer” and “Crocodile Rock.” My dad has always been one of my biggest fans; in high school, I spent hours at the piano every week, singing and playing, and he would sit on the stairs behind me and just listen. He is relentlessly supportive of my dreams in music, and it always feels special to share that passion together.

What is one influence on your music that might surprise us?

Rainbow Kitten Surprise has been one of my top artists for the past four years. Some of their songs definitely trend in a more Indie direction, but a lot of their music is pretty alt. rock, which is why they may be a surprise as far as an influence for my music. Hearing about how they write some of their songs has been fascinating and inspired a lot of my music. Some songs of theirs have only two chords and yet such intricate and funky melodies. I remember first getting into them and being blown away by their lyrics, which have since inspired my approach to writing. Many of their lyrics could mean so many different things, and that act of interpretation is something I love about listening to their music. Their lyrics, tight harmonies, and instrumentals work together to convey such a specific vibe for each of their songs, and this cohesion—out of so many different, simultaneous instrumental elements—is something I admire. During my gap year, I spent a lot of time in my makeshift recording studio (a closet in our attic) on GarageBand making mash-ups, my favorite being an RKS-Maggie Rogers one.

What projects are you currently working on?

Since October, I have been working to record an EP with Pace Ferro, who owns Pharaoh Recording Studios in Plainville, CT, and Julian Sherwood, who is an incredible Indie artist and instrumentalist. I am always writing and playing music, whether I am walking to class, at golf practice, or listening to music. I am also currently working on a musical about the environment and colonialism; the plot takes place in a McDonald’s-esque fast food chain restaurant, and one of the main characters is a naturalist from the 1700s, back from the dead. During the fall semester, I started weekly open mics with two friends at school and have been working to build that community since. Getting to see the variety of talent that people show up with, week after week—as well as getting to meet and collaborate with so many new people—has been a highlight of my year.

Tags: LEAF Songwriter Competition, Maggie Monaghan, singer songwriter
Posted in Contest, NewSong Music | No Comments »

MEET LEAF SONGWRITER COMPETITION FINALIST CORRIE LYNN GREEN

Wednesday, May 3rd, 2023

CORRIE LYNN GREEN (Port Republic, VA)

Born and raised in The Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, Corrie Lynn Green writes and reflects the secrets and stories of life in a small holler town. Drawing from her deep roots in rural Appalachia, she pulls the history of life, rebellion, religion, hardship, grit, joy, acceptance and the displacement of her friends and family off Shenandoah National Park into her captivating songs.

NewSong Music: How would you describe your music to someone who has never heard it before?

Corrie Lynn Green: I would describe my music as an authentic, raw and unique sound and experience. My banjo style is unique to the folk songs I create. I break a lot of rules when it comes to any of the ways music is “supposed” to be. I just put forward what seems real and right to me as its being created. I tell stories that help heal me and help convey the story of the people I grew up with living the beautiful mountain way, often misunderstood, underestimated and ignored.

What is the first album you bought, and why?

The first album I ever purchased was on Vinyl and it was Prince, Purple Rain. It is still my all time favorite album. Regardless of musical genre Prince was an incredible instrumentalist and creator of songs never heard before. He always broke rules and did things completely his way. He had a vision and his music is timeless but also captures a perfect time in my life as I fell in love with music.

What is one influence on your music that might surprise us?

An influence on my music that may surprise you are bands like Beastie Boys, Tribe Called Quest, Moby, and Chris Isaak. These are not the main things I listen to but each of these styles existed somewhere in my time growing up and helped me break away from the idea that just because I had a very specific voice or that I played a very specific instrument I could experience and know music to have endless possibilities and I could go my own way following my heart to my authentic sound.

What projects are you currently working on?

I am currently working on a new album with D.W. Fearn that will be very different from the first. I believe we are always growing and changing and having life experiences that shape our music and sound. I am also getting ready for a very cool summer of gigs including Redwing Roots Festival, FredFest, The Purple Fiddle, and in the fall The Northern Appalachian Folk Fest Inc.

Tags: Corrie Lynn Green, LEAF Songwriter Competition, singer songwriter
Posted in Contest, NewSong Music | No Comments »

MEET LEAF SONGWRITER COMPETITION FINALIST LYLE DE VITRY

Monday, May 1st, 2023

LYLE DE VITRY (Asheville, NC)

Asheville based singer-songwriter Lyle de Vitry‘s thoughtfully crafted melodies and poetry are imaginative, visually arresting and thought provoking as he explores themes of nature, love, memory and the temporal. Lyle’s creative expression and inspiration are derived from a wide range of sonic spaces. A life of classical training, curious exploration of jazz, and a passion for traditional Appalachian music have each shaped his style into something fresh and innovative.

NewSong Music: How would you describe your music to someone who has never heard it before?

Lyle de Vitry: Rhythmic, flowing fingerstyle guitar woven amidst introspective lyrics

What is the first album you bought, and why?

I didn’t start buying vinyl until quite recently, actually. I don’t own many, but the first one I bought was Abysskiss by Adrianne Lenker. She’s one of my favorite songwriters and guitar players. That album is a masterpiece.

What is one influence on your music that might surprise us?

I’m an old-time musician, and although most of my music may not sound inspired by Appalachian old-time, I’ve noticed more and more of my songs have a similar trance quality to some of the fiddle tunes I love to play.

What projects are you currently working on?

I’ve been working on my debut album titled Door Within A Dream for the past year and a half. We’ve reached the mastering stage, so it’s nearly done! I also have a backlog of instrumental guitar music and a few piano compositions that I hope to record this spring/summer with some friends in Asheville. Additionally, I’ve been experimenting with writing choral music and arranging strings.

Tags: LEAF Songwriter Competition, Lyle de Vitry, singer songwriter
Posted in Contest, NewSong Music | 1 Comment »

Meet LEAF Songwriter Competition Finalist Kate Prascher

Friday, April 28th, 2023

KATE PRASCHER (Highland, NY)

Kate Prascher is a Tennessee-born, Hudson Valley-based singer and multi-intrumentalist who writes evocative original songs with an “intangible vintage feel” – Ink 19

NewSong Music: How would you describe your music to someone who has never heard it before?

Kate Prascher: Kate Prascher’s songs are invisible and sometimes tender, by turns playful and heart-piercing. Audiences will hear Kate’s “delicate and expressive singing” – Ink 19 and experience an evocative mix of Americana, bluegrass and folk.

What is the first album you bought, and why?

As a preteen, I was up late one summer night and saw Iris Dement perform “My Life” on Conan O’Brien’s show. It affected me deeply and I was driven to Borders in the next few days to buy the album.

What is one influence on your music that might surprise us?

I really love the Cranberries! Like most folks, especially in these hyper-connected days, I listen to a little of everything.

What projects are you currently working on?

I am almost finished with my first full length solo album. Started back in October 2022 and excited to bring that project into the world.

Tags: Kate Prascher, LEAF Songwriter Competition, singer songwriter
Posted in Contest, NewSong Music | 2 Comments »

Posts Tagged ‘LEAF Songwriter Competition’

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