Rusty Wier contest, Rd.1 Wk 1, 12.2.12

The third, now annual,Rusty Wier songwriting contest

Brett Dillon

began in earnest Sunday (Dec. 2, 2012) at Love & War in Plano’s outdoor stage. Twelve of the 36 contestants stepped on that stage, performed four of their original songs, and stepped off to make way for and root for the others involved.

Perhaps the quote of the day, from C.C. Cross was, “If you don’t like live local music, there’s something wrong with you.” Amen, brother! And Texas musicians — and in this case, many Okies, too — are always supportive of one another!

Brett Dillon, KHYI personality, and steel guitarist and otherwise great musician Chris Schlotzhauer were the judges this week. Dillon explained upon opening the contest that more than 60 songwriters had tried out. In a previous interview, Dillon had explained that they increased the number from 30 to 36 because of the quality of those who sought to be in the contest, and that made it hard to eliminate the extra ones.

This week brought Dustin Deaton to the stage first, who presented a newer song, “Small Battles” to the judges and the crowd. Town Walsh, who choses to sing his solo songs while standing up rather than use a bar stool, sang many new songs, including “She’s the reason I drink the whiskey for.” (OK, maybe that isn’t the actual title, but it was the concept of the song.)

Robert Shores was up next, presenting his songs including one about “Not enough dirt roads left in Tulsa.” Whitney O’Neil, up next, sang what this reviewer would call her “greatest hits,” including “Six Strings Attached” and “Your Wake-Up Call.” Bill Bear, who leads the Red Dirt Troubadours band, included “Honky Tonky Honey-Just My Style” and what he called a ‘sappy love song’ among his four songs.

Heath Webb, sang his original about not being able to slow down, and then Mark Shelton presented a country song about breaking up, with lyrics something like “I can’t love a man from across an open field,” and called it his “Dear John Green” song, followed by “Poet’s Wine.”

C.C. Cross, the second woman in this week’s contest, led with “I hate to lie to you,” and added a kiss-off song with the lyrics, “if you can’t understand it, I can never stay with you.”  Chad Purdom said he had to miss last year’s competition, acknowledged that this is a tough one and so said, “I’m bring my A-Game today.” “Eight Miles To Go” was one of his songs, and then another which he wrote just before the competition.

Mike Childress graced the stage with his hard-core country songs, “Long and lonesome highway as far as I can see” was one image he projected, along with “We only talk long distance because I ride the white line,” and “On the road that never ends.” Matt Dunn presented his originals included something about “where the good people go.” Alex Gates closed the night out, beginning with a song for a waitress.

There are no “round” winners here. At the end of the third week of Round One, the judges will pick 18 of the 36 to move into Round Two. There could be one from this week selected to move on, there could be all 121

Round One Week Two, this coming Sunday, Dec. 9, brings Greg Schroeder, Matt Nix, Big John Mills, Adrianna Marie Oswell, Davide Byboth, Bryan Adam Joyner, Tyler Rogers, Jake Bays, Shannon Choate, Zach Hendricks, Danny Zagotta, and Cole Risner to the Plano Love & War stage. Then, Round One Week Three (Dec. 16) pitts Erica Perry, Byron Dowd, Scott Copeland, Rick Underwoodk, Phil Wallace, Grady Yates, Jake Reeves, Chase Carpenter, Charlie Bishop, Blake Burrow, Mr. Troll, and Mick Schikora, each against all 35 others in the contest.

The fun begins at 4 p.m. at, Love & War, northeast corner of U.S. 75 and Plano Parkway. No cover for these contests.

For photos of contestants, click here

Category: 2013, Love & War in Texas