The winners of the 2017 Hazel Dickens Song Contest have been announced, and it is a good year for the ladies. This annual contest is held to honor the lifetime achievements of the late Hazel Dickens, who added a great many a fine song to the folk and bluegrass catalog in her day.
And the winners are:
- All the Old Men Are Gone – Pam Gadd, Joelton, TN
- Friend and a Friend – Korby Lenker and Molly Tuttle, Nashville, TN
- Looking for Sunshine – Gina Clowes, Winchester, VA
Honorable Mentions were awarded to:
- Jesus Drive the Train – Carley Arrowood, Union Mills, NC and Becky Buller, Manchester, TN
- Ain’t No Good Goodbye – Louisa Branscomb, White, GA and Teresa Neal, Austin, TX
- Carolina – Bruce Jepson, Warren, NJ
Close followers of bluegrass music should recognize most of these songwriters. Pam Gadd is a veteran of many years of our business, working prominently with the New Coon Creek Girls and Wild Rose. Molly Tuttle is building a career now as a singer/songwriter and guitarist, and Gina Clowes is the banjo picker with Chris Jones & The Night Drivers.
Among the Honorable Mentions, Becky Buller, of course, leads The Becky Buller Band, and Carly Arrowood is the fiddler with Darin & Brooke Aldridge. Another industry veteran is Louisa Branscomb, who wrote Steel Rails for Alison Krauss.
The first place winner receives a $500 prize, and is invited to sing their song at this year’s DC Bluegrass Festival on March 11. $250 goes to second, and $100 for third.
You can hear the winning songs online.
Congratulations all!
