30th Annual Troubadour Contest
30th Annual Troubadour Contest
30th Annual Troubadour Contest
The Telluride Troubadour Competition is a nationally recognized songwriter competition open to anyone who writes and performs original music and is not currently signed to a major recording or publishing deal.
Contestants are judged on the quality of the song’s composition (50%), vocal delivery (25%), and the overall performance (25%).
Ten (10) finalists will be selected to receive a 4-day pass to the 2023 Telluride Bluegrass Festival in Telluride, Colorado to compete in live performance contest for cash and prizes, as well as critical acclaim, well-deserved recognition, and a chance to perform on the festival main stage!
Important Dates
December 1st, 2022 to April 18th, 2023 - Online Song Submission Window
May 9th, 2023 - Top 10 finalists (and alternates) announced to compete in the Troubadour Contest Finals during the Telluride Bluegrass Festival
June 15th-18th, 2023 - Troubadour Contest Finals (Live Performances) - Telluride, CO
- June 15th - Elks Stage - Preliminary Round - All (10) Finalists
- June 16th - Elks Stage - Final Round - Top (5) Finalists
- June 17th - Festival Main Stage - Winner Performance
How To Enter - Song Submission
Online Song Submission: December 1st, 2022 to April 18th, 2023
Step 1:
- Purchase your submission via See Tickets HERE.
- $20 per song (2 song limit)
Step 2:
- Submit Songs digitally HERE via our online form
- Songs must be uploaded as .mp3 files
Rules and Guidelines:
- Contestants may submit up to (2) original songs.
- Songs may have backing musicians, however if selected as one of the top (10) finalist for live contest, the songs must be performed solo.
- 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.
TROUBADOUR CONTEST FINALS - TELLURIDE, CO
The top (10) songwriters will be selected to attend the Troubadour Contest Finals held live in Telluride, CO during the Telluride Bluegrass Festival
- Top (10) Finalists will receive the following:
- 4-day pass (w/camping) to the 50th Annual Telluride Bluegrass Festival
- Live radio interview and performance with KOTO radio in Telluride
- Performance slot at the Elks Park Workshop Stage in addition to contest performances
- Contest Format
- Preliminary Round - Elks Park - All 10 Finalists perform (2) original songs, top 5 selected to move to Final Round
- Final Round - Elks Park - Each contestant to perform (2) Original Songs, winner selected
- Winner - Saturday Mainstage Performance
- Rules for Live Performances
- No backup musicians allowed. This is a solo competition.
- Finalists may not repeat songs from preliminaries in the finals.
- 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.
Prizes
Top (10) Finalists will receive the following:
- 4-day pass (w/camping) to the 50th Annual Telluride Bluegrass Festival
- Live radio interview and performance with KOTO radio in Telluride
- Performance slot at the Elks Park Workshop Stage in addition to contest performances
1st Place:
- Custom Shanti Guitar
- Saturday main stage performance
- Saturday Backstage Pass
- Cash
2nd Place: Cash & Prizes
3rd Place: Cash & Prizes
4th Place: Cash & Prizes
5th Place: Cash & Prizes
6th - 10th Place: Cash & Prizes
Past Winners
The Telluride Troubadour Competition has been held in conjunction with the Telluride Bluegrass Festival since 1991.
1991 - Larry Good
1992 - Cosy Sheridan
1993 - Dan Sheridan
1994 - Catie Curtis
1995 - LJ Booth
1996 - Michael Lille
1997 - Jonathan Kingham
1998 - Eugene Ruffolo
1999 - Libby Kirkpatrick
2000 - Mary Coppin
2001 - Kris Delmhorst
2002 - Deb Talan
2003 - Rachel Davis
2004 - Brian Joseph
2005 - Keith Greeninger
2006 - Nels Andrews
2007 - Gregory Alan Isakov
2008 - Nathan Moore
2009 - Mitch Barrett
2010 - Robby Hecht
2011 - Matt Harlan
2012 - Reed Waddle
2013 - Reed Turner
2014 - Michael Kirkpatrick
2015 - Caitlin Canty
2016 - Anna Tivel
2017 - Clint Alphin
2018 - Garrett Owen
2019 - Emily Scott Robinson
We have not hosted a Troubadour contest since 2019. We’ve missed it dearly and are so excited to bring the competition back for our 50th Anniversary. Looking back on the wealth of history here, we feel confident it will be an amazing year!