Chris Austin
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Finalists have been selected for the 17th annual Chris Austin
Songwriting Contest, hosted by MerleFest 2009.
Writers of the following 12 songs, selected from 840 entries,
will compete on the Austin Stage at MerleFest on Friday, April
24, at 2 p.m.:
“Water Falls” by Wyatt Espalin and Cobi Ferguson;
Nashville, TN
“Love Gone By” by Carol Hausner and Coin McCaffrey;
Montpelier, VT
“The Old Coal Mine” by Brink Brinkman; Columbus, OH
“I Had A Little Talk with Jesus” by Richard Henry;
Houston, TX
“Little Bitty Piece of God” by Jo Ellen Doering; Los
Angeles, CA
“Beyond the Rain” by Brink Brinkman; Columbus, OH
“Maybe You’ll Start Loving Me Again” by Lloyd
Wood; Spencer, IN
“Man of Few Words” by Dennis Duff; Kuttawa, KY
“Once Upon a Time” by Tonya Lowman; Lenoir, NC
“Carolina Rain” by Ron Fetner; Seaford, VA
“I Will Fly” by John Smith; Trempealeau, WI
“Unmarked Pavement” by Letha and Miles Costin; Raleigh,
NC
The Chris Austin Songwriting Contest is a unique opportunity
for aspiring writers to have their original songs heard and
judged by a panel of Nashville music industry professionals,
under the direction of this year’s volunteer contest chairperson,
Grammy-winning singer/songwriter Jim Lauderdale.
First place winners in each category receive:
a performance on the Cabin Stage at MerleFest 2009, an acoustic
guitar, a check for $300, two boxes of D’Addario strings
and a one-year subscription to Acoustic Guitar magazine. Second
and third place winners in each category receive performance
slots on the Friday night Songwriters Coffeehouse, as well as
cash prizes, D’Addario strings and Acoustic Guitar subscriptions.
Songs were judged by a volunteer panel of Nashville songwriters,
publishers and other music industry professionals. Judging
was based on a song’s originality, lyrics, melody and overall
commercial potential. Previous winners of the Chris Austin
Songwriting Contest include Gillian Welch, Tift Merritt, Michael
Reno Harrell, Adrienne Young, Martha Scanlan, David Via and
Johnny Williams.
Net proceeds from the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest support
the Wilkes Community College Chris Austin Memorial Scholarship.
Since its inception, the scholarship has awarded more than $25,000
to 68 deserving students. The 2008-2009 recipients are
Ryan Jeffery Call and Kimberly Ilene Osborne. Call is enrolled
in WCC’s college transfer program with plans to transfer
to North Carolina State University for the completion of his
bachelor’s degree. Osborne is enrolled in WCC’s office
systems technology program.
Chris Austin, from Boone, worked as a sideman for Ricky Skaggs
for three years, singing and playing guitar, banjo, mandolin
and fiddle. During that time he was discovered by executives
at Warner Bros. Nashville, who offered him a recording contract.
While releasing singles including “Blues Stay Away From
Me,” “I Know There’s a Heart in There Somewhere”
and “Out of Step,” Austin also developed his songwriting
skills, as evidenced in “Same Ol’ Love,” recorded
by Skaggs in 1991.
On March 16, 1991, Austin’s life was cut tragically short
when the private plane carrying him and six other members of
Reba McEntire’s band, as well as her tour manager, crashed
in the mountains near San Diego, Calif. Pete Fisher, then of
Warnersongs and currently general manager of the Grand Ole Opry,
and Kari Estrin, then MerleFest consultant and Pickin’
for Merle video associate producer, initiated the songwriting
contest to honor Austin’s memory.
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