For the first time, the “Gathering in the Gap” Music Festival, which takes place at the Southwest Virginia Museum on May 29, 2010, will include a new Songwriting Contest. The contest represents the spirit and traditions of Appalachian culture. Its focus is to showcase outstanding, but under-recognized, performing songwriters. Songs submitted for the contest included genres that have roots in Appalachian culture: Old-time, Folk, Bluegrass, Country, Gospel, Blues, or Rockabilly.
The Friends of the Museum, a citizens’ support organization which sponsors the festival, received 62 entries from songwriters near and far. Songwriters from Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Kentucky submitted songs and one entry came all the way from Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Entries were judged by a panel of music industry professionals. Originally, ten finalists were to be chosen to compete on the main stage at the “Gathering in the Gap.” However, due to the overwhelming response, the panel chose fifteen finalists to perform their songs on the day of the festival. Those fifteen finalists and their songs are:
• Wally Boyd of Kingsport, TN “Santa Train”
• Betty Brown of Cullowhee, NC “Home Again”
• Mike Brown of Abingdon, VA “Coal Town”
• Billy Bryant of Kingsport, TN “Be My Home”
• Sue Carter of Gate City, VA “My Mountain Home”
• Jason Davis of Rose Hill, VA “Save a Little Seed”
• David Jervis of Big Stone Gap, VA “Flying with Angels”
• Travis Kern of Big Stone Gap, VA “Community College”
• Mary Munsey of Abingdon, VA “The Whisper”
• Melody Perez of Roan Mountain, TN “Traveling These Mountain Roads Again”
• Dan Perkins of Jonesville, VA “When the Last Train Leaves Appalachia”
• Richard Phillips of Big Stone Gap, VA “Between a Rock and a Hard Place”
• J.C. Radford of Kingsport, TN “The Train Don’t Come Around Here Anymore”
• Danny Redwine of Kingsport, TN “Time Is a River”
• Ketasha Taylor of Pennington Gap, VA “This Love”
The finalists will perform their songs live on the festival Main Stage, beginning at 10:00 a.m. A new panel of judges, also comprised of music professionals, will make the final determination of first-, second-, and third-place winners. The songs will be judged on originality, lyrics, melody, and relevance to the contest theme and musical criteria. Winners will receive cash prizes and a free ticket to a song-writing workshop with Tim Stafford of Blue Highway. The first-place winner will also receive a 5-hour recording session at the Grammy Award-winning recording studio, Maggard Sound of Big Stone Gap.
The “Gathering in the Gap” Music Festival is a roots music festival celebrating the rich tradition of old-time, blues, Americana, and bluegrass music found in Southwest Virginia. In addition to performances by regionally and nationally known roots musicians, the festival will include musical competitions, jams, workshops, a children’s area, and the “Stitch in Time” Quilt Show. Antique, food, and craft vendors will also be on hand. Admission for adults ages 13 and over is $10.00 in advance or $15.00 if purchased the day of the event. Children under 12 are free. Additional tickets for the workshops are required, and space is limited. To purchase tickets using a check or credit card, please call the Southwest Virginia Museum at 276-523-1322. You may also purchase tickets in person at the museum during regular operating hours. Visit the festival website for additional information and a full schedule of events.
