Texas Songwriter U taking submissions for songwriting contest

Mary Jane Farmer | July 1, 2019 | Reply

Jack Ingram and Shawn Camp open the Texas Songwriter U Showcase at the Saxon Pub in Austin before the All-Stars take the stage.

Press release

Texas Songwriter U (TxSU), in collaboration with Texas singer-songwriter Jack Ingram, the Texas Heritage Songwriters’ Association and partner Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI), announces its 6th Annual Texas Songwriter U discovery and development songwriting program. Texas Songwriter U is now accepting the application of all lyrical, musical genres into its 2019 competition. Songwriters have until midnight, Monday, November 4, 2019, to submit two songs via upload to TexasSongwriterU.com.

Eight selected songwriting entrants will be invited to its 2-day workshop and showcase in Austin, December 11-13, joining host Ingram and his award-winning workshop mentors. One selected songwriter from among the eight finalists will earn opportunities for co-writes with award-winning songwriters, a new guitar, opening performances, studio time, a festival performance, and more!

Texas Songwriter U is an annual songwriting competition, educational workshop and showcase event serving to identify, develop and support the best adult songwriters both in and from Texas while improving upon the quality and quantity of professional songwriting across our state. The annual workshop and showcase program will return to Austin, Dec. 11-13, 2019.

The caliber of past songwriting mentors who have joined the Texas Songwriter U workshop weekend includes Gary Nicholson, Radney Foster, Liz Rose, Jon Randall, and Shawn Camp.

Applicants must be at least 18 years of age, and either have been born in Texas, currently live in Texas, or have lived in Texas for five (5) consecutive years. Applicants may hold a current publishing agreement, and TxSU will accept both self-published and co-written songs. A $25 processing fee is required of all contest applicants. The structure for judging individual songwriting talent will rely on industry professionals blindly rating each song.

Finalists will enjoy a two-night stay at Austin’s boutique Hotel Ella. All meals will be provided to finalists throughout their stay.

Texas Music Office Director Brendon Anthony presents to workshop attendees

The TxSU workshop will kick-off on Wednesday evening, December 11, and wrap-up on Friday, December 13 at Hotel Ella. For the second year in a row, TxSU will expand its workshop agenda to now include an “Industry Day,” providing finalists with personal access to key players in the music business. Workshop leadership will announce an overall selected-songwriting winner at the conclusion of the 2019 workshop.

These eight finalists will also participate in two incredible Austin showcases. Each will perform in our private Texas Songwriter U Kick-Off on the afternoon of December 11. The following evening, Texas Songwriter U will showcase each artist, who will perform before a packed house in Austin’s premier listening room, The Saxon Pub. This two-hour set will follow opening performances by Jack Ingram and Friends.

The 2019 Texas Songwriter U winner, chosen from its eight finalists, will be awarded the following:

An opportunity to co-write one song with Jack Ingram
An opening for Jack Ingram at a landmark Texas venue, (travel paid)
A performance at the 2020 MJM (Mack, Jack & McConaughey) charity after-pick party, (travel not paid)
A recording studio demo session at Austin’s famed Arlyn Studios, (travel not paid)
A new Epiphone Masterbilt Century Deluxe Acoustic Electric guitar
A three-night stay and two performances at the 2020 Key West Songwriters Festival (travel AND hotel paid)

“Texas has always produced more than its fair share of excellent songwriters over the years, and many of them have moved on to make significant contributions to the music industry,” said Texas Heritage Songwriters’ Association board member Michelle Johnson. “We are proud to be partnered up with Jack Ingram and BMI, working together to discover excellent young songwriters while keeping the art and craft of songwriting alive and well across the entire Texas music community.”