Rusty Wier songwriting contest, 1/15/12

Brett Dillon, host

Pix by Mary Jane Farmer

Round one of the 2nd Rusty Wier Songwriting Contest, (week 2) Sunday, Jan. 15, was a full four-hours of solid songs, presented three at a time by 16 songwriters. Each played solo, using acoustic guitars. Host Brett Dillon (KHYI on-air personality and organizer) brought each contestant out with individual and honestly-felt fanfare, making them appear to feel at home on the Love & War in Texas (Plano) outdoor stage. It could have helped, too, that last year’s winners, Chris Schlotzhauer and Michael Prysock, each did an introductory song to kick it off.

The list of prizes is growing, it seems, with each week., and last year’s winners commented that last year’s win gave them a chance to get some recording done. That’s with Bent Leaf Studios in Denison, who is again offering studio recording time. Maybe later I can get a full list of the prizes to mention here.

Perhaps the most popular song heard was Dave Thomas’ “Wal-Martians,” a song about the array of characters he’s people-watched at the popular nationwide discount chain stores. Brought a standing ovation from the crowd. The mixture of songs varied from, as Brad Purdom called his, “sappy love songs” to true-life tunes of life’s experiences, to hard country to soft country, to one from Lauren Walley who honored a fallen firefighter friend in music, to a cajun-sound from Randy Gartman about the alligators in the swamp, and quite a few in between.

Dillon announced the 20 who are moving into the next round:  DANNY ZAGOTTA, WHITNEY O’NEIL, TOWN WALSH, DAVE THOMAS, BRAD PURDOM, BYRON DOWD, AUBREY LYNN ENGLAND, COLE RISNER, JAMES DUNNING, GUTHRIE KENNARD, TYLER ROGERS, JASON ROYALL, JAKE BAYS, NICK FLINT, SCOTT SEAN WHITE, CC CROSS, SAILLE BRANCH, MATT NIX, MARK SHELTON, RANDY HOPPER, and JASON HORNE.

The contest is being held at 4 p.m. each Sunday until there is a final winner. There’s no charge, and don’t worry about the cold weather — the outdoor patio is completely enclosed and now L&W has added  overhead heaters. It’s toasty, and dry, and comfy.

For photos, click here

Category: Earlier Posts, Love & War in Texas