Results from the 2015 Smoky Mountain Songwriters Festival

On August 22 the winners of the 4th annual Smoky Mountain Songwriters Festival Song Competition were announced.

The festival was created four years ago after the organizer, Cyndy Montgomery Reeves, attended a similar event in the Florida keys. Her immediate reaction was that the place for a songwriters festival was in her home in the Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee.

Held in Gatlinburg, Reeves’ festival features workshops for writers, showcase performances, ticketed shows, and opportunities for likeminded people to network together.

Additionally, awards were distributed in seven categories:

Bluegrass

1. Tumbleweed – Doug Smith
2. Hard Times – Doug Smith
3. One Black Rock at a Time – Jeff McClellan

Country

1. Bring It On – Scott Miller
2. This Old T-shirt – Scott Miller
3. Nothing Outta Something – Mitch Townley

Folk

1. China Plates – Jess Chizuk
2. Bad Bad Thing – Sarah Motes Ashley
3. Holdin’ On – Scott Parker

 Gospel/Inspirational

1. I Found Jesus – Joe Hash
2. God’s Carrying Me – Scott Miller
3. That King of Love – Scott Parker

Jazz/Blues

1. It’s About Me – Cari Ray
2. Blues Town – Dave Travis
3. Another Side To You – Fish Fisher

Pop

1. Feel This Way – Sarah Motes Ashley
2. Don’t Miss Out – Sarah Motes Ashley
3. Let Love Take It From Here – Cyndee Gray Harr

Lyrics Only

1. La-Z-Boy – Sarah Motes Ashley
2. I’ve Had Enough of You – Michael Sledjeski
3. Indiana Road – Michael Henchman

Winners in each category received $125 for 1st place, $100 for 2nd, and $75 for 3rd, along with recording time at a local studio. Sarah Motes Ashley won the Grand Prize of $500, and the Listener’s Choice Award of $259 went to Joe Hash.

For more information about the festival, and how to enter next year’s competition, visit the festival online.