Chris Austin Songwriting Contest - 2015 Finalists!

Finalists for the annual Chris Austin Songwriting Contest, hosted by MerleFest 2015 have been announced.

Now in its 23^rd year, the contest is an extraordinary opportunity for aspiring writers to have their original songs heard and judged by a panel of music industry professionals, under the direction of this year’s volunteer contest chairperson, Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Jim Lauderdale.

Writers of the following songs in the bluegrass category, selected from over 639 entries, will compete on the Austin Stage in Alumni Hall at MerleFest on Friday, April 24:

Bluegrass

• Donna Hughes (Trinity, N.C.) – “Blackbeard”

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• Buddy Guido (Mohawk, N.Y.) and Paul Kelly (Santa Fe, N.M.)– “Deer in the Headlights Look”

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• David Morris (Gaithersburg, Md.), Mitch Matthews (Hamtramck, Mich.) and Dawn Kenney (Waltham, Mass.) – “Something About A Train”

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MerleFest 2015, takes place from April 23-26 on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, N.C.