Rusty Wier contest, finals 2/24/13

Mark Shelton and Brett Dillon

Four months, five or six dozen songwriters, five rounds, and seven finalists. The Rusty Wier Songwriter Contest completed its third year Feb. 24 when organizer Brett Dillon announced Mark Shelton as the songwriter-singer who was taking home the prizes. Shelton might have needed a wheelbarrow to carry them all away, there were so many: a Kona guitar; hours of studio time and video work from Bent Leaf Studios and Chip Campbell Productions, respectively; season passes to Love & War In Texas’ Shiner Sundays 2013; and quite a few more career-enhancing sweeteners.

Shelton, from Durant, Okla., was last in the line-up Sunday afternoon, and said at the beginning of his set, that just being in the Top 7 was a surprise and honor for “a Red Dirt guy who plays about three times a year.” He hasn’t been songwriting, or even playing and singing, for long, but has already become a wordsmith beyond even his own expectations.

Second place went to Fort Worth’s Phil Wallace and Town Walsh, from Collinsville, earned third place honors. Other finalists were Greg Schroeder, Heath Webb, Big John Mills, and Scott Copeland.

In this round, as it was in the semi-finals, each of those in the contest was required to perform three originals and one Rusty Wier cover song. Judges were Brett Dillon (KHYI), Chip Campbell (Honky Tonk Nights & Renegade Hearts), Ronny Spears (White & Spears), Tye Phelps (Love & War), and Jesse Sims (Bent Leaf Studios).  Roger Russell ran sound.

Schroeder got his Rusty Wier song out of the way first, saying it was because it was the hardest for him. Later on, Schroeder, himself a prolific and intense songwriter, said that he learned so much in studying Wier’s songs, learning them in preparation, for the last two rounds. He said that Wier made it look easy to perform them, but that there was more to them under the surface than meets the eye. Schroeder said he will be keeping the songs at the ready in his song list.

Mills, who drove all five times to the Plano venue from his home in San Marcos, had said earlier that he was excited to have been included in the contest, and hopes he has created a larger fan bass and can again play in the Metroplex soon. Mills was a friend and sometimes co-writer with Rusty Wier before Mr. Wier’s death, and admired him personally and professionally.

A little known fact:  Mark Shelton had cut his long locks off in November, giving them to Locks of Love; Wallace showed up with a fresh haircut in the semi-finals, not sure if he gave his tresses to Locks of Love; and Mills will be cutting his long hair off now that the contest is over — another gift for Locks of Love. This is a non-profit organization that, through people’s hair donations, creates and provides wigs to financially-challenged cancer victims under the age of 21.

After the award, the brotherhood of songwriters at Love & War in Texas gathered on stage and belted out Rusty Wier’s ever-popular “Don’t It Make You Wanna Dance.” And there were many there for the finals who had entered and some who made it through the ranks, but not into the finals, including Matt Dunn and Grady Yates, and other musicians who just came for the show, including Nate Kipp, Jeff Hopson, and Dan Dennis.

Shelton talked about that brotherhood, saying “This is a big ol’ family, and it keeps getting bigger and bigger.” His song, based on the drought in North Texas and Oklahoma last year, “Watching Oklahoma Burn,” was a definite crowd pleaser. Watch for the name “Mark Shelton” as one of those playing Shiner Sundays 2013, another of the prizes he collected as first-place winner.

It’s highly likely there will be a 4^th Annual Rusty Wier Songwriting Competition, and will most likely begin again in November.

For photographs, click here:

Category: 2013, Love & War in Texas