FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Texas Country Music Association Announces

2021 TCMA Songwriter Contest Top 10 Finalists

Annual Songwriter Contest Includes 10 Finalists in

Each Country and Christian Country Music Categories

FORT WORTH, TX (August 5, 2021) -- The Texas Country Music Association announced today that the 2021 TCMA Songwriter Contest’s Preliminary Round Judges have named the top 10 Finalists in each the Country and Christian Country categories.  Those top 10 Finalists now move to the Final Round Judges for scoring.

Over 300 total songs were submitted in both categories and all entries were original works.  Preliminary Round judges scored each song on creativity, lyrics, melody, arrangement, originality, and overall technique.

According to Texas Country Music Association President, Linda Wilson, the TCMA Songwriter Contest is always a huge success and highly effective program.   “All of the songs were just awesome and there are so many great songwriters in Texas who deserve recognition.  It is our job as a supporting organization to encourage them and work on their behalf to help get them exposure.  It was certainly difficult for judges to choose only 10 in each format and actually took them a little longer this year to narrow the list down.”

All top 10 Finalists in each category will be recognized at the 2021 Texas Country Music Awards on November 14 at Billy Bob’s Texas in the Fort Worth Stockyards.  Awards will be presented to five Honorable Mentions, First, Second, Third and Fourth Place Runners Up, and the overall Winner in each category.  The Winner will hold the title 2021 TCMA Country Songwriter of the Year and 2021 TCMA Christian Country Songwriter of the year, respectively, and will have the opportunity to perform their song at the 2021 Texas Country Music Awards.

The 2021 TCMA Country Songwriter Contest Top 10 Finalists are (in no particular order):

Brent Harrison & Keith Dozier for “Drop of a Hat”

Will Carter & Shane Stevens for “How Ya Know”

Nate Burnham for “Last Call”

James T Horn, Bob DiPiero & Gerald House for “Texas Diary”

Katie McKenzie, Sherri Austin, Will Rambeaux for “This Is It”

Chauncey Jones & James Harter for  “Truck Back”

Monty Dawson for “San Antone”

Scotty Alexander for “Barstool”

Will Carter & Emily Weisband for “Ocean”

Jeffrey Catton, Jeanette Culpepper & Tim Culpepper for “Too Late To Turn Around”

The 2021 TCMA Christian Country (includes Faith Based, Inspirational, Positive and Christian Country) Songwriter Contest Top 10 Finalists are (in no particular order):

Jeffrey Catton & Josh Phillips for “Sometimes I Pray”

Brent Harrison & Jade Harrison for “I’ve Got You Covered”

Justin Richardson for “In You”

Kenneth LePori for “It Was There”

Terry Pendergrass for “Miss Missing You”

Brent Harrison & Keith Dozier for “Come In Jesus”

Rex Robards for “My God Reigns”

Scott Hampton for “On Another Tree”

Allison Gilliam for “You Never Let Go”

Justin Todd Herod for “Black Sheep Met The Lamb”

Plans for Texas Country Music Weekend in the historic Fort Worth Stockyards are underway through the combined effort of the Texas Country Music Association, Hotel Drover and Stockyards Heritage Development starting Friday, November 12 and winding up with the Awards ceremony on Sunday November 14.    On Saturday, November 13 the Stockyards will host TCMA’s Texas Country Music Showdown – a 10 band competition with a panel of judges selected by the Stockyards, and major prizes will be presented.  The Texas Country Music Showdown Winner will be announced and awarded at the 2021 Texas Country Music Awards on November 14 at Billy Bob’s.

“With all that’s taken place in the past couple of years it’s evident that songwriters poured their hearts into their music.  We know that this year’s Texas Country Music Awards will be over the top.  It may be hard to outdo last year’s Awards because it was amazing, but every year it gets better – plus we have some great performers including Aaron Watson headlining.  I think everyone is ready for a big party celebrating the industry and people in it.” says TCMA Executive Vice President Richard Wilson.

For more information about the Texas Country Music Association and the 2021 Texas Country Music Awards, visit www.texascountrymusic.org

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