• Deadlines approach for song contests

    There’s still time for songwriters to enter two major contests that honor bluegrass compositions. January 5 is the entry deadline for the DC Bluegrass Union’s Hazel Dickens Song Contest. The contest, in its third year, is strictly for bluegrass (including bluegrass

  • It’s songwriting contest time!

    That's right, folks. If there's a chill in the air, that means it's time to sharpen those pencils and get your submissions ready for the big songwriting contests. The two competitions that hold sway with bluegrass writers are accepting entries

  • Ralph Stanley at MerleFest 2014

    We heard this morning from R. B. Powell,from Lewistown, PA, a banjo picker and promoter of scholarships for young musicians.   He shared this video he had shot of Ralph Stanley during MerleFest 2014 at the Creekside Stage as part of the

  • What IBMA Can Learn from Merlefest

    Leaders of IBMA and the city of Raleigh can breathe a little easier now that another year of MerleFest is in the books. The annual four-day roots music extravaganza in Wilkesboro, NC, was the first major music festival held in the

  • 2016 Chris Austin Songwriting Contest winners

    The winners in the 2016 Chris Austin Songwriting Contest at MerleFest have been announced. Finalists competed this afternoon by performing their songs before the judges, and the winners will get the opportunity to sing them again later today on one of the

  • Two Songwriting Contest Deadlines Drawing Near

    Entry deadlines are approaching for two top songwriting contests that are of interest to bluegrassers. The deadline to enter the DC Bluegrass Union’s second annual Hazel Dickens Songwriting Contest is Jan. 15. Winners will be announced March 10. The entry fee

  • MerleFest 2015 Chris Austin finalists

    MerleFest has announced the finalists in their 2015 Chris Austin Songwriting Contest, an invitational competition being held for the 23rd time this year during the festival on April 24. Three finalists are selected in four categories from among the hundreds of

  • 2014 Chris Austin Songwriting winners

    At this past weekend's MerleFest, winners were chosen in the 22nd Annual Chris Austin Songwriting Contest. The invitational competition is held each year during the festival, with finalists chosen in advance. Congratulations to these 2014 winners: Bluegrass 1st Place - Paul Harrigill (Murfreesboro,