Passed on for
whatever interest there may be.
Hi
,
I'm emailing to let you know that the prestigious US-based
International Songwriting Competition (ISC) has announced its 2012 winners. We
are very excited because out of over 20,000 entries from 119 countries, and 68
winners in total, Canadian songwriters received three First Place wins, two
Second Place wins, one Third Place win, and 22 Honorable Mention showings across
nearly all 22 categories spanning all genres of popular music.
The
winners were chosen by a prestigious panel of celebrity and industry judges
including Tom Waits; Nas; Martina McBride; Robert Smith (The Cure); Duran Duran;
McCoy Tyner; Black Francis (Pixies); John Mayall; Monte Lipman (President,
Universal Republic Records); and many others. More than $150,000 US in cash and
prizes will be shared by the winners.
It is extremely important to ISC
that the accomplishments of these Canadian songwriters be recognized, and we
sincerely hope that you will help us to accomplish this goal by promoting this
press release and helping to spread the word about their international
achievements.
I have included a press release below, and please go to
our website to see all the winners:
http://www.songwritingcompetition.com/winners
If
you need additional information about the ISC winners and the competition,
please contact me.
You can download a low-res photo of many ISC winners
at
http://www.songwritingcompetition.com/winners
If
you need a high-res photo, please me at cavery@songwritingcompetition.com
and I will email you one.
Thank you very much for your support of
Canadian Music!
All the best,
Candace
Avery
Founder/Director
International Songwriting Competition
1307
Eastland Avenue
Nashville, TN 37206
ph: 615.251.4441
fx:
615.251.4442
www.songwritingcompetition.com
"the
songwriting competition to take note of..." - New York Times
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: Candace Avery
International Songwriting
Competition
615.251.4441
cavery@songwritingcompetition.com
www.songwritingcompetition.com
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Candace Avery
International Songwriting
Competition
615.251.4441
cavery@songwritingcompetition.com
www.songwritingcompetition.com
CANADIAN
SONGWRITERS HONORED IN
US-BASED INTERNATIONAL SONGWRITING
COMPETITION
Celebrity Judges Award Grand Prize To Joshua Hanson (Yellow
Red Sparks) For His Song "Monsters With Misdemeanors"
May 2, 2013 - - -
The International Songwriting Competition (ISC), widely recognized as the
world's premier songwriting event, recently announced its 2012 winners. Over
20,000 entries were submitted from 119 countries worldwide, and for the first
time ever, more than half of the competition's 68 winners are from outside the
USA. Canadian songwriters received three First Place wins, two Second Place
wins, one Third Place win, and 22 Honorable Mention showings across nearly all
22 categories spanning the genres of popular music. Year after year, Canadian
songwriters maintain a strong representation amongst competition winners,
attesting to the high caliber of musicianship and the diversity of musical
styles coming from some of the country's best songwriters.
"ISC's mission is
to inspire and promote greatness in the field of songwriting," says Candace
Avery, Founder and Director. "It is humbling to hear so many talented
songwriters, and it is gratifying to play a part in the growth of the winners'
careers." Established in 2002, ISC awards more than $150,000 in cash and prizes
to amateur and professional songwriters around the world. Past ISC winners
include Gotye, The Band Perry, Kasey Chambers, Amanda Palmer, Gin Wigmore, King
Charles, Kimbra, Passenger, Andrew Bird, and many more.
Winning ISC's highest
honor, the Grand Prize, is California native Joshua Hanson for his song
"Monsters With Misdemeanors. The lead singer and songwriter of the award-winning
indie folk/rock trio Yellow Red Sparks, Hanson is the son of a lounge-singing
mother and a theatrically trained father. From a young age he was always
fascinated with words and how the stories would unfold through the liner notes
of some of his favorite songwriters. His ability of expression is eloquent and
effortless, crafting and delivering candid and poetic lyrics that elicit the
slightest hint of bittersweet heartache. Candace Avery, Founder and Director of
ISC, says, "The judges loved the song for its sparse honesty and achingly tender
lyrics. ISC is very excited to honor such a talented songwriter, and we
anticipate a brilliant future for this promising artist." Yellow Red Sparks
released their debut full-length CD in early 2013, and it has already garnered
glowing reviews and the attention of music tastemakers.
For a complete list
of 2012 ISC winners, to hear the winning songs, and to download low-res photos
of all winners, go to http://www.songwritingcompetition.com/winners
Applauded
for its high caliber of judges, ISC compiled a stellar panel of judges for the
2012 competition. In addition to celebrity artists, judges also included seven
record label presidents as well as other industry leaders, offering songwriters
the unprecedented opportunity to have their music heard by influential
decision-makers. See below for the complete list of judges.
Recording
Artists: Jeff Beck; Nas; Tom Waits; Bernie Taupin; Martina McBride; Duran Duran;
Janelle Monae; Susan Tedeschi & Derek Trucks; Robert Smith (The Cure); Bruce
Hornsby; Suzanne Vega; Michael W. Smith; Darryl McDaniels (Run DMC); Mark Foster
(Foster The People); Alejandro Sanz; Gerald Casale (Devo); Bill Evans; Anthony
Hamilton; Brian Setzer; Avicci; Wynonna; Keane; Jeremy Camp; Tegan & Sara;
McCoy Tyner; Ketch Secor (Old Crow Medicine Show); Francesca Batistelli; Craig
Morgan; James Cotton; Robert Earl Keen; Black Francis (The Pixies); John Mayall;
Anoushka Shankar; Chris Hillman (The Byrds, The Flying Burrito Brothers); Toots
Hibbert (Toots & The Maytals); Los Temerarios; Billy Currington; Sandra
Bernhard; Basement Jaxx; and Matt Thiessen (Relient K)
Industry Executives:
Dan McCarroll (President, Capitol/Virgin Label Group); Monte Lipman (President,
Universal Republic Records); Alison Donald (Co-President, Columbia Records UK);
Ed Vetri (President, Wind-Up Records); Richard Stumpf (President, Imagem Music
US); Bruce Iglauer (Founder/President, Alligator Records); Albert Schilcher (VP
Music & Music Mktg, MTV International); Angel Carrasco (Sr. VP A&R,
Latin America, Sony/BMG); Dan Storper (President, Putamayo World Music Records
and Putumayo Kids); Steve Smith (VP of A&R, Aware Records); Cory Robbins
(Founder/President, Robbins Entertainment); Lori Tieg (VP of Talent, VEVO); Dr.
Demento (Radio Host, The Dr. Demento Show); Steve Lillywhite (Producer); Kim
Buie (Head of A&R, Thirty Tigers); Douglas C. Cohn (Sr. VP, Music Marketing
& Talent, Nickelodeon); Allison B. Jones (VP of A&R, Big Machine Label
Group); Jack Vaughn (VP, Comedy Central Records); Leib Ostrow (Founder/CEO,
Music For Little People); and Jamie Masada (Owner, Laugh Factory)
Sponsors
include: Presonus, Lowden, Marshall Amplification, Grooveshark, Solid State
Logic, Berklee College Of Music, Mrs. Fields Cookies, Airplay Direct,
DiscMakers, Thayers, SongU.com, The Music Business Registry, Independent
Mastering, Indie Venue Bible, George Stein, Esq., Sonicbids, Songtrust, and
Taxi
ISC is now accepting entries for 2013. Go to http://www.songwritingcompetition.com
for more information and an entry form.
###
Canadian Winners
Include:
First Place Winners
Helen Austin
"Always Be A Unicorn"
- Children's Music
An ISC Honorable Mention recipient in prior years,
Helen Austin returns to claim First Place in the Children's Music category with
"Always Be A Unicorn." Born and raised in the UK, Austin moved to Vancouver
Island in 2002 to make music her main focus--a move that truly became the
catalyst for her musical career. Austin was named Female Songwriter and Artist
of the Year at the 2011 Vancouver Island Music Awards and has had over 70 synch
placements in ads, TV and movies. Her ISC winning song is the title track of her
most recent album, Always Be A Unicorn, her first collection of songs written
specifically for young children. The album was nominated for Children's Album of
the Year at the 2013 Juno Awards and has been welcomed with rave
reviews.
Denis Dufresne, Lynae Dufresne (Pear), Bryan Wayne
"This
Ain't A Love Song" - Country
First Place in the Country category goes to
"This Ain't A Love Song," written by husband and wife duo, Denis and Lynae
Dufresne, along with Nashville-based co-writer Bryan Wayne. Denis and Lynae make
up the band PEAR, who was named the 2013 Group of the Year by the Association of
Country Music in Alberta. Their debut album, Sweet N Gritty, was released in
April 2012 on Chronograph Records and was produced by Neil Gordon on Music Row
in Nashville. They are currently in pre-production for their new album and will
be touring across Canada through the summer and fall of 2013. Co-writer and
Nashville hit songwriter Bryan Wayne attained BMI's "Million Air" status in 2002
with Tommy Shane Steiner's "What If She's An Angel." He penned Chris Cagle's
"Country By The Grace of God" Top 25 hit, and landed a track on Big & Rich's
triple platinum debut album. Wayne has also secured cuts with Emerson Drive,
Clay Walker and Rodney Carrington, among others.
Jaron Freeman-Fox (Jaron
Freeman-Fox & The Opposite Of Everything)
"Auctioneering Everything" -
Instrumental
Originally from the mountains of Northwest Canada, violinist
Jaron Freeman-Fox takes home First Place in the Instrumental category with his
song, "Auctioneering Everything." Blending his roots of Celtic and bluegrass
fiddling with his study of Indian classical music and jazz, Freeman-Fox has
brought his music to new ears worldwide, recently showcasing at WOMEX in Greece.
Described as Tom Waits playing the fiddle, backed up by the Mahavishnu
Orchestra, The Opposite of Everything transform Freeman-Fox's intricate
compositions into an infectious party. The line-up consists of New Orleans-style
clarinetist John Williams, electro-pop klezmer accordionist Robbie Grunwald,
jazz bassist Charles James, and drummer Dan Stadnicki. After three busy years of
touring, the band will go coast-to-coast again this summer, then head overseas
for their first full European tour this fall, accompanied by their new
full-length, self-titled album which was released in March 2013.
Second
Place Winners
Dale Boyle
"You Might Come Around (Ft. Annabelle
Chvoste)" - Americana
Second Place in the Americana category is awarded
to Montreal-based folk, roots, and blues singer-songwriter Dale Boyle. The ISC
winning song, "You Might Come Around," is a duet with former Wailin' Jenny's
Juno Award nominee Annabelle Chvoste, from Boyle's latest self-produced album
Throwback, released in June of 2012. In both 2009 and 2010, Boyle received
Honorable Mentions within the competition (Americana, Blues), but this year he
has returned to secure a Second Place win, as well as a semi-finalist showing
for the song "All Gone Now" from the same album.
Thierry Matrat (Funk
Embassy)
"Unity" - Dance/Electronica
Thierry Matrat (a.k.a. Emcee
TiTi), leader of the Funk Embassy project, has garnered a Second Place win in
the Dance/Electronica category with "Unity." A native of Lyons, France who now
calls Montreal home, Matrat is preparing for the Funk Embassy EP release in
September of 2013. Matrat spent the 1990's and early 2000's as a composer in the
French hip-hop community, but he has now brought his talents to Canada--unafraid
to experiment across new musical horizons. Rooted in an eclectic mix of musical
inspirations, the members of the Funk Embassy project have embraced the mission
of contributing to the experimental dynamics of the new soul/funk/rap scene,
while building strong artistic bonds between a variety of musical genres and
influences.
Third Place Winner
Jeff Kalesnikoff, Tyson Yerex, Dan
Ball, Shane Deyotte (Acres of Lions)
"Reaction" - Pop/Top 40
Third
Place in the Pop/Top 40 category goes to Acres of Lions (comprised of Jeff
Kalesnikoff, Tyson Yerex, Dan Ball and Shane Deyotte) for the song "Reaction"
from their 2011 sophomore album, Collections. The band has seen a great deal of
success with the placement of their songs on the TV series Degrassi and Majority
Rules, charting on the National Campus Radio Chart and peaking at No. 19 on the
Alternative Rock Chart with their ISC winning song, "Reaction." After such
success in Canada, Collections was released in the UK on Fierce Panda, and in
Japan on Bullion, to much acclaim. The band's new album is due out in early
summer, 2013.
Honorable Mentions
"The Letter" - Alison MacLean,
Melanie Hilmi (Little Creatures) - Toronto, ON - Adult Contemporary
(AC)
"Love Don't Happen Every Time" - Dean Batstone - Almonte, ON, Canada -
Adult Contemporary (AC)
"I Want Your Love" - Royal Wood - Toronto, ON - Adult
Contemporary (AC)
"She's Trouble" - Bob Tunnoch - Toronto, ON -
Blues
"Let's Get Crazy" - Layla Zoe, Henrik Freischlader - Montreal, QC -
Blues
"On A Mission" - Lindsay Beaver (The 24th Street Wailers) - Toronto, ON
- Blues
"Leaving" - Steve Strongman, Rob Szabo - Hamilton, ON - Blues
"I
Wish I Could Hate You" - Jaylene Johnson, Heather Longstaffe, Wendy Wills -
Winnipeg, MB - Country
"I'm A Dreamer" - Lee Bowman, Paula Bowman, Julian
Sammut, Simon Ross (Jetty Road), Jason McCoy - Melbourne, VIC, Australia /
Minesing, ON - Country
"Tinman" - Andy Brown - Fredericton, NB -
Folk/Singer-Songwriter
"Sing A New Song" - Colin Bernard - Ottawa, ON -
Gospel/Christian
"Old Shanghai" - Jason Cullimore - Regina, SK -
Instrumental
"Canalia" - Yiannis Kapoulas - Hamilton, ON -
Instrumental
"Blue Skin" - Alexis Baro - Toronto, ON - Jazz
"Vivir Sin Ti"
- Julio Andres Rodriguez - Ottawa, ON - Latin
"Complicated Woman" - Erin
McCallum - Alliston, ON - Lyrics Only
"The Far Side of Town" - Jeremy Lyall -
Toronto, ON - Lyrics Only
"Wash Away" - Noshin Samji - Vancouver, BC - Lyrics
Only
"Island Of The Cows" - Cheyne McCormick (Dig Devil Dig) - London, ON -
Rock
"Gone" - Matt Walst (My Darkest Days), Joey Moi, Jeff Johnson - Norwood,
ON - Rock
"Afraid Of Love" - Fintan O'Brien - Saanich East, BC -
Teen
"One" - Myles Castello - Scarborough, ON -
Teen