Chad Purdom helping Mary Jane off the stage. Thanks, John, for catching this great moment!
Five of the remaining 12 singer-songwriters vying for an opening spot on a future Shiner Sunday at Love & War in Texas, plus about a dozen other prizes, battled it out in song again Sunday, Feb. 9. But it was a friendly battle, even in this late in the annual Rusty Wier singer/songwriter contest. These people, and most of those who played in the past months as part of this event, are friends, each wanting to win while each also wanting the other to win.
In this round, each contestant must perform three original songs and also cover one Rusty Wier song.
Shannon Choate, Town Walsh, Scott Sean White, Chad Purdom, and David Byboth competed this week. Next Sunday, Feb. 16, there will be seven to perform, because of Byron Dowd’s having been ill and unable to make it this past Sunday. He’s not being left out, for sure.
And, when the five talented people were through, David Byboth kept the sound equipment up and many others stayed around for a song-swap session.
Also on the list next week are: Jason Lovell, Justin Alan Pickard, Cole Risner, Tin Man Travis, Ty Young, Danny Zagotta. Now, there’s a little switcheroo in the starting time, which for this next week only will be at 1 p.m., and that will give everyone plenty of time to relax and perform with ease.
From there, six of these 12 will move into the final round, where one will take all the prizes home with him. That will be at 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 23, and not far from when the winner will help announce a headliner at the Texas Music Revolution on March 8.
Judges have been and continue to be: Brett Dillon, KHYI and contest coordinator; Roger Russell, Dallas Songwriting Association; Trisha Aker, Rusty Wier’s significant other; and me, little ol’ Mary Jane Farmer, Scene In Town and Dig It Deep Music.
It’s nearly all over but the shouting, and when the shouting starts, it will be in support of whichever one of these amazing singer/songwriters makes it to the top!