A contest in honor of the late Kent Finlay, founder of the iconic Cheatham Street Warehouse, where the careers of George Strait, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Randy Rogers, Todd Snider, James McMurtry, and Terri Hendrix were launched.
Enter your best songs with a YouTube video for a chance to win The Tillman, an award in honor of Floyd Tillman, a CMA Hall of Fame Inductee. This years Song Search contest is a preliminary round for the April 2025 Fiesta Jam Kent Finlay Texas Song Search contest. The winner this Fall will automatically be one of the finalists in Spring 2025.
Our 2023 winner got to play their song at the 2023 Fiesta Jam opening for Los Lonely Boys, and an opportunity to also play at the Gary P. Nunn Music Festival on Memorial Day Weekend. The 2023 winning singer-songwriter also received a professionally produced recording of the winning song by Mauldin Productions, a radio campaign by Jenni Finlay Promotions & Southern Sky Records, The Tillman, an award in honor of Floyd Tillman, a CMA Hall of Fame Inductee, and a custom handmade guitar by Texas luthier, Bryan Hibler.
CLICK HERE TO PAY $15 ONLINE ONLY ENTRY, then complete the online entry form with your contact information and the YouTube video link of your song performed by you, the contestant. Please include the lyrics showing the songwriting split, for example, John Lennon 50% & Paul McCartney 50%. The participant must be at least 50% creator of the song entry. We’re searching for a singer-songwriter who can not only sing a song but write one too. The person entering their "Song" must be writer or co-writer and perform their song themselves. We want a singer-songwriter as a complete package. Video quality will not be judged. This can be an iPhone or Android video.
A contestant may enter up to two songs at $15 each. If you’re using your dad’s or your girlfriend’s credit card, please designate the name as written on the credit card below your name on the entry form.
All Fiesta JAM Singer-Songwriter online entries must be received by midnight on October 1, 2024.
The online-only entry must be submitted in YouTube video format. The URL link must be provided with the submission. Video quality will not be judged. Create a performance video of your song using your Android or iPhone, open the YouTube app, click on the plus symbol, then choose the song video you want to upload. After it’s uploaded, share the link in the Fiesta JAM online entry form.
You may enter only previously unreleased songs, i.e., songs not owned by a major record label or third-party independent label. You must own the rights to the entry. If the entry is co-written, you must have permission from your co-writer to submit it. If you’ve previously released your songs to Spotify or YouTube, for example, on your vanity label, that’s okay.
If chosen as one of the four finalists, YOU must be able to perform the selected song in person as the singer on October 10, 2024, at Lakeside Pavilion, 305 Buena Vista Dr, Marble Falls, TX 78654. You may accompany yourself in your YouTube submission. Or, you may have one musician accompany you. You may have one musician accompany you at the finals on October 10, 2024.
If you are not selected as a winner in the October preliminary round, you may enter again in April with a new song selection.
Dr. Robert Linder, former Dean of Fine Arts at Houston Baptist University, will oversee the preliminary panel of judges for the YouTube submissions.
JUDGING CRITERIA
a. The quality of the lyrics
b. The uniqueness of the melody
c. The emotional impact of song
d. The overall quality of performance
Bernie Nelson
Singer-Songwriter
Brandi Warden
Moonkiss Music
Jenni Finlay
Jenni Finlay Promotions
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