As part of the annual Songwriters in Seattle Summer BBQ, we are giving awards under the Northwest Music Experience event name. More information at nwmusicexperience.org – here are the results:

Congratulations to our finalists and a huge thank you to everyone who submitted a song and participated! The quality and variety of the 240 entries we received was so good it was extremely difficult for our panel of NWME and Songwriters in Seattle leaders to get to 5 finalists per category. There easily could have been others here, but ultimately we had to make some choices, so don’t be disheartened if you entered but didn’t make the list this time. Please note that the criteria was focused on songwriting and creativity, as well as performance talent and originality, not production quality. As we also are not a popularity contest, the finalists now go to over 100 invited judges to help determine winners for each category. See the official rules for more details on the whole process.

Over $1,000 in locally donated prizes for potential category winners include:
– 10 hours recording/mixing with Stephen Sherrard at DBAR Productions
– A Fat Head BE ribbon microphone from Cascade Microphones
– A Tascam DP-2 Digital Portastudio with case and tutorial DVD
– Gift certificates to local music stores

The full list of finalists *in no particular order:

1. Category: Classic/Alt Rock
– Resilience – written by Julia Vidal, performed by The Salt Riot
– Crying Shame – written by Regan L. Barger, performed by Strangely Alright
– I Wish My Baby Was Born – performed by East Coast Dave
– Get Some Love – written by Jeff Hamel and Aaron Arnold, performed by SweetKiss Momma
– Talk About It Later – written by Elsa Faith and Marty Mitchell, performed by Soul Distraction

2. Category: Blues
– Dirty – written by Scott Concinnity, performed by Letters From Traffic
– The Sun Will Rise – written by Jus’Tina, performed by Jus’Tina, Wayne Ah Chan, Laurence Gouveia, Eric Robert, and Gary St. Martin
– That’s The Truth – written by Roo Forrest, performed by Roo, Cody Rahn, Patrick McDanel, and Hans Tueber
– Always Be The Blues – written by Mark Whitman, performed by The Mark Whitman Band
– Trouble Leave Me Alone – written and performed by Pete Tomack

3. Category: World Music
– EuroTribal – written and performed by Daniel Connolly
– Somewhere Under the Sun – written and performed by Leslie vanWinkle
– True Blue – written and performed by Ann Stockdale
– Perpetual Leader – written by Blake Noble, performed by Blake Noble, Tim Snider, and Isaac Castillo
– Waiting For Your Love – written and performed by Claire Johnson

4. Category: Folk/Americana
– Used Bike – written by Jean Mann, performed by Jean Mann, Wayne Horvitz, Tom Dziekonski, Virginia Dziekonski, and Matt Hopper
– Ready For The Dark – written by Larry Murante, performed by Larry Murante and Kevin Jones
– Comfort in Your Strangeness – written and performed by Cynthia Alexander
– California Dreams – written and performed by Bill Alsept
– Julie – written by Jasper Tollefson, Joseph Gustav, and John Scott, performed by Jasper T. and John Crown

5. Category: Hip Hop/R&B
– Woman of My Dreams – written by J.R. Rhodes, performed by J.R. Rhodes, Eyvind Kand, Brad Houser, Mike Dillon, Kym Tuvim, Willow, and Sarah Keenan
– Journey My Mind – written and performed by Jai.P
– Evolution of Poetic Suede – written by Poetic Suede, performed by Poetic Suede feat. Trel Fitted
– Finish What I Start – written by Hands of Vengeance, performed by Consise, Verse, and Kreed
– Keep Going – written and performed by Sheldon Botler

6. Category: Heavy Rock
– Secret Handshake – written by Christina Cramer, performed by Christina Cramer, Brad Judy, Rich Huston, and Dave Crossett
– Beware of Love – written by Terry Pelton, performed by Excuse You
– Shadows and Dust – written and performed by Mechanism
– Take Me Home – written by Ginine Mizerski and Randy Campbell, performed by Ginine Mizerski, Randy Campbell, and Mike Well
– Welcome To No One – written and performed by In The Between

7. Category: Pop/Light Rock
– Pretty Bird – written by Sammy Witness, performed by Sammy Witness, Jason Dunn, Brandon Erdos, and John Ducharme
– The Calling – written by Andrea Lockwood and Charles Wilson, performed by Stained By A Killer
– Up – written and performed by Gary Milici
– The Way It Seemed – written and performed by Sophia Duccini
– Trait & Trace – written and performed by Jerry Val

8. Category: Country
– Mean Mother Trucker – written and performed by Larry Schacher
– Diamond Rings – written by Alden Witt and Benjamin Johnston, performed by Alden Witt and Steffi Jeraldo
– Chasing the Fire Alarms – written and performed by Bruce Hunt
– I’ve Fallen In Love and I Can’t Get Up – written by Griffin James, performed by Griffin James and Corey Mage
– Sweet Lucille – written by Susan Elliott, performed by Susan Elliott, Richard Askew, Lauren Vanderhoof, and Ash Devine