FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Texas Country Music Association Announces

2022 TCMA Songwriter Contest Winners

Country and Christian Country Songwriter of the Year Announced

 

FORT WORTH, TX (September 30, 2022) -- The Texas Country Music Association announced today that the 2022 TCMA Songwriter Contest’s Final Round Judges have named the overall winners in both Country and Christian Country categories.

The 2022 Songwriter of the Year of the Country category is Garth LaGrone for his song, “Fort Worth Soon”. The 2022 Songwriter of the Year in the Christian Country category is Jesse Watson for “It All Began with You”. Each songwriter will perform their song on stage at Billy Bob’s Texas on November 13th as part of the 2022 Texas Country Music Awards ceremonies.

The 2022 TCMA Country Songwriter Contest Winner, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Place, and Honorable Mentions are:

Winner – Garth LaGrone for “Fort Worth Soon”

1st Runner Up - Jesse Raub Jr and Cody Johnson for “Touch The Water:

2nd Runner Up - Caleb Young for “Homeless”

3rd Runner Up - Jesse Raub Jr for “Mistakes”

4th Runner Up - Brody Caster for “Go Down Swinging”

Honorable Mention - Landon Heights for “Heroes”

Honorable Mention - Kelly Kenning for “I Hurt Every Word”

Honorable Mention - Kate Watson for “Highway”

Honorable Mention - Beverly Thompon & John Thompson for “Better Safe Than Sober”

Honorable Mention - Mikayla Lane for “Wild Like The Wind”

The 2022 TCMA Christian Country Songwriter Contest 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Place, and Honorable Mentions are:

Winner – Jesse Watson for “It All Began With You”

1st Runner Up – Kelly Kenning for “Fire Insurance”

2nd Runner Up – Toby Hutchison & Jarett Howard for “You Rescue Me”

3rd Runner Up – Dennis Davis for “Be The Light”

4th Runner Up – Chip Boyd for “Could You Spare A Minute”

Honorable Mention - Lisa Simmons, Marti Dodson & Melinda Kondrat for “A Lot More Like Jesus”

Honorable Mention - Jesse Watson for “A Million Tongues”

Honorable Mention - Allan Strickland for “God Paints Pretty Pictures”

Honorable Mention - Justin Heflin for “Ease Your Mind”

Honorable Mention - Pamela Mary Keifer for “Teaching Us To Live”

Each runner up and Honorable Mention’ name will be called out during the 2022 Texas Country Music Awards’ pre-show, and they will be able to pick up their award backstage or have it mailed to them if the are unable to attend.

According the TCMA President Linda Wilson, there were 334 total songs submitted in both categories and all entries were original works. Preliminary and Final Round Judges scored each song on creativity, lyrics, melody, arrangement, originality, and overall technique. The Final Round Judges scores were averaged determining the Winner, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Place, and Honorable Mentions in each category.

“All of the songs were so 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 recognition.” says Linda Wilson.

TCMA Executive Vice President, Richard Wilson says, “The annual songwriter contest is evidence that songwriters pour their hearts into their music. It was certainly difficult for judges to choose only 10 in each format and then judge those 10 to determine the winners, runners up and honorable mentions. It actually took them a little longer this year for them to get all their final scores together.”

Tickets are on sale now at billybobstexas.com. For more information about the Texas Country Music Association and the 2022 Texas Country Music Awards, visit www.texascountrymusic.org

 # # #

MEDIA CONTACT

Linda Wilson, President

Texas Country Music Association, Inc.

tcma@texascountrymusicassociation.org


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Texas Country Music Association Announces

2022 TCMA Songwriter Contest Top 10 Finalists

Annual Songwriter Contest Includes 10 Finalists in

Each Country and Christian Country Music Categories

 

FORT WORTH, TX (August 15, 2022) -- The Texas Country Music Association announced today that the 2022 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.

There were 334 total songs 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 tremendous success and highly effective program for TCMA Members. “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.”

The 2022 Country Songwriter of the Year and 2022 Christian Country Songwriter of the Year Overall Winners will be announced prior to the 2022 Texas Country Music Awards and will have the opportunity to perform the song they submitted during the Awards’ pre-show. Five Honorable Mentions, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Place Finalists will also be announced prior to the Awards show and will be verbally recognized during the pre-show and will be mailed their trophies.

The 2022 TCMA Country Songwriter Contest Top 10 Finalists are (in no particular order):

Kelly Kenning for “I Hurt Every Word”

Jesse Raub Jr & Cody Johnson for “Touch The Water:

Kate Watson for “Highway”

Jesse Raub Jr for “Mistakes”

Landon Heights for “Heroes”

Brody Caster for “Go Down Swinging”

Garth LaGrone for “Fort Worth Soon”

Beverly Thompson & John Thompson for “Better Safe Than Sober”

Caleb Young for “Homeless”

Mikayla Lane for “Wild Like The Wind”

The 2022 TCMA Christian Country (includes Faith Based, Inspirational, Positive and Christian Country) Songwriter Contest Top 10 Finalists are (in no particular order):

Lisa Simmons, Marti Dodson & Melina Kondrat for “A Lot More Like Jesus”

Jesse Watson for “A Million Tongues”

Allan Strickland for “God Paints Pretty Pictures”

Dennis Davis for “Be The Light”

Chip Boyd for “Could You Spare A Minute”

Justin Heflin for “Ease Your Mind”

Kelly Kenning for “Fire Insurance”

Jesse Watson for “It All Began With You”

Pamela Mary Keifer for “Teaching Us To Live”

Toby Hutchison & Jarett Howard for “You Rescue Me”

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 11 and winding up with the Awards ceremony on Sunday November 13. In 2021, the Stockyards reported a record 107,000 visitors for Texas Country Music Weekend. Texas Country Music Showcase will be held from 3pm-8pm on Friday, November 11, and on Saturday, November 12 the Stockyards will host TCMA’s Texas Country Music Showdown – an 8-band competition with a panel of judges selected by the Stockyards. The Grand Champion will be announced and awarded at the 2022 Texas Country Music Awards on November 13 at Billy Bob’s, and the 1st and 2nd place runners up will be announced. After the Showdown on Saturday there will be a free concert with Will Carter Band.

“The annual songwriter contest is evidence that songwriters pour their hearts into their music. We know that this year’s Texas Country Music Awards will be over the top again. 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 Roger Creager headlining and McBride & The Ride kicking off the main ceremony. Several other great performers in the line-up as well including TCMA Spokesperson Brandon Rhyder who also hosts the Awards ceremony with popular radio personality Malone Ranger from 95.9 The Ranch, Kin Faux, Bailey Rae, Donice Morace, Matt Daniel, Kate Watson, and Jesse Raub Jr. Everyone always enjoys the family-reunion type atmosphere as we celebrate the industry and people involved it.” says TCMA Executive Vice President Richard Wilson.

Tickets are on sale now at billybobstexas.com. For more information about the Texas Country Music Association and the 2022 Texas Country Music Awards, visit www.texascountrymusic.org

 # # #

 

MEDIA CONTACT

Linda Wilson, President

Texas Country Music Association, Inc.

tcma@texascountrymusicassociation.org