Songwriter Showcase
Songwriter Showcase
Songwriter Showcase
Congratulations to Martin Gilmore on winning the Planet Bluegrass 2024 Songwriter Showcase!
Learn how to submit your song into the 2025 Songwriter Showcase Contest below.
The Songwriter Showcase is our nationally-recognized, singer/songwriter competition open to anyone who writes and performs original music, and who is not currently signed to a major recording or publishing deal.
Contestants are judged on the quality of the song’s composition (50%), vocal quality (25%), and the delivery (25%).
Ten (10) finalists compete in a live performance contest at the Rocky Mountain Folks Festival in Lyons, Colorado. The winner receives a new Taylor Guitar, cash, and a spot on the lineup for the next year’s Folks Festival.
IMPORTANT DATES
February 13th, 2025 to May 6th, 2025 - Online Song Submission Window
May 31st, 2025 *- Top 10 finalists (and alternates) announced to compete in the Showcase Finals during the Rocky Mountain Folks Festival
August 8th-10th, 2025 - Showcase Contest Finals (Live Performances) - Lyons, CO.
- Friday August 8th - Mainstage Showcase Contest Finals - All (10) Finalists - Lyons Colorado
- Saturday August 9th & 10th - Wildflower Pavilion- Showcase Finalists In-The-Round: We’ll be featuring the Showcase finalists in three different in-the-round sessions on Saturday and Sunday in the Wildflower Pavilion
*Date Subject to Change
HOW TO ENTER - SONG SUBMISSION
The submission window for the Songwriter Showcase will open February 13th 2025 at 10am MT and close May 6th, 2025 at midnight MT.
Once the submission window opens, complete the following steps.
Step 1:
- Purchase your contest entry submission under Folks Fest (Tickets & Camping) HERE
- $20 per song (2 song limit)
Step 2:
- Submit Songs digitally HERE via our online form
- **NEW** Song submission recording must be a SOLO performance with only VOICE and ONE accompanying INSTRUMENT.
- Songs must be uploaded as .mp3 files.
- **NEW** - Lyric sheet (Word or pdf file) must be uploaded with each song.
- Make sure to submit the See Tickets order number that is on your See Tickets receipt.
Rules and Guidelines
- **NEW** - MP3 Song submission recording must be a SOLO performance with only VOICE and ONE accompanying INSTRUMENT.
- A simple voice recording from a phone is acceptable.
- Please ensure that lyrics can be heard on recording.
- Song Submission Judging Criteria (1-100pts)
- COMPOSITION (1 - 50 pts) - Lyrics, theme, emotional impact, hook, originality, melody, appeal, phrasing, cadence, form, and structure.
- VOCAL QUALITY (1 - 25 pts) - Pitch, resonance, range, natural and inflection.
- DELIVERY QUALITY (1 - 25 pts) - Expression, instrumental skill, impact, pace, dynamics, balance, rhythm, and color.
- Contestants may submit up to (2) original songs.
- No co-writes. Songwriting entries must be entirely written by the entering songwriter.
- We encourage songwriters to submit new / different songs for the Telluride Troubadour and Folks Songwriting Showcase contests.
- Contestants cannot be signed to a third-party record label or publishing deal. This competition is meant for emerging and independent performing songwriters.
2025 Songwriter Showcase Finals - Lyons, CO
The top (10) songwriters will be selected to attend the Songwriters Showcase Finals held live in Lyons, CO during the Rocky Mountain Folks Festival (August 8th -10th 2024)
- Top (10) Finalists will receive the following:
- 3-day pass (w/camping) to the Rocky Mountain Folks Festival
- Performance slot in the Wildflower Pavilion during the festival in addition to contest performances on the Mainstage
- Contest Format
- Friday August 8th, 2025 - Mainstage - Each contestant to perform (2) Original Songs, winner selected
- Rules for Live Performances
- No backup musicians allowed. This is a solo competition.
- Recommended time limit: 5 minutes per song. Points will be deducted for significantly exceeding this limit.
- Acoustic instruments with pickups are permitted as well as EQ devices but no effects.
- Instruments allowed are those that can be carried out to the mics with the performer. A keyboard will be provided if necessary.
2025 Prizes
Top (10) Finalists will compete on the Mainstage at the 2025 Folks Festival and will receive the following:
- 3-day pass (w/camping) to 2025 Rocky Mountain Folks Festival
- Performance slot in the Wildflower Pavilion during the festival in addition to contest performances on the Mainstage
1st Place Prize
Taylor Guitar + $400 + 2025 Performance
Taylor Guitar + $400 + 2025 Mainstage Folks Fest Performance + 2025 SWRFA Conference Registration
$300
$250
$150
2024 Songwriter Showcase Finalists
Congratulations to our 2024 Songwriter Showcase winner Martin Gilmore (Englewood, CO) !
Martin received a stunning Taylor 517ce Acoustic Guitar, $400, and a Main Stage performance spot on our 2024 Folks Festival lineup.
With nearly 400 song entries, we are also proud to announce the runner-up contestants:
2nd Place: Anna Cutler (Boulder, CO)
3rd Place: Gabrielle Louise (Paonia, CO)
4th Place: Katie Boeck (Nashville, TN)
5th Place: Chance Emerson (Providence, RI / Hong Kong )
Other top 10 finalist competing in the live performance competition (in no particular order)
- Karyn Ann (Milwaukie, OR)
- Daphne Gale (New York City, NY)
- Mike Lamitola (Erie, CO)
- Racyne Parker (Westminster, CO)
- Cat Terrones (San Pedro, CA)
2024 Honorable Mentions
- Joel Ansett (Denver, CO) - “It Takes a Long Time to Wait”
- Louis Apollon (Brooklyn, NY) - “Papa Loves You”
- Ingrid Avison (Nederland, CO) - “American Dynasty”
- Ollella (Seattle, WA) - “Lava”
- Chris DuPont (Ypsilanti, MI) - “Retrieve”
- Luke Hawley (Sioux Center, IA) - “My Father’s Favorite Hymn”
- Jeri Katherine Howell (Frankfort, KY) - “Healers & Drinkers”
- Pamela Machala (Lafayette, CO) - “Me and Marie”
- Charlotte Morris (Nashville, TN) - “Wild Child”
- Halley Neal (Boston, MA) - “Emily”
- Jeff Przech (Unionville, CT) - “Helena”
- Stephanie Sammons (Dallas, TX) - “Billboard Sign”
Questions?
Please reach out to us at contests@bluegrass.com.