2014 Grassy Hill Kerrville New Folk Competition

Here's a chance for songwriters to submit for the 2014 Grassy Hill Kerrville New Folk Contest for Emerging Songwriters to be held during the 43rd Annual Kerrville Folk Festival at the Quiet Valley Ranch, just south of Kerrville, Texas. You too could join the historical list of artists that have been Finalists and/or Award Winners including Lucinda Williams, Lyle Lovett, Nanci Griffith, David Wilcox, John Gorka, Jimmy LaFave, Tish Hinojosa, BettySoo, Tom Prasada-Rao, Danny Schmidt, Jonathan Byrd, Tom Russell, Ray Bonneville, Steve Earle, Hal Ketchum, Robert Earl Keen and many hundreds of others. 

ONLY ORIGINAL SONGS by the artist can be submitted. Artists must submit 2 songs per entry. Up to 800 submissions accepted. 32 New Folk finalists will be invited to perform their two songs at the Grassy Hill Kerrville New Folk concerts during the festival on May 24 or May 25, 2014. Six New Folk Award Winners will then be selected from these finalists to perform again on Sunday, June 1, 2014.

WHAT THE WINNERS GET: 

• Six NEW FOLK AWARD WINNERS will receive a $250 Award from the Texas Folk Music Foundation plus up to $400 additional prize money. Other prizes may be also be added at a later date.
• Six NEW FOLK AWARD WINNERS will be selected from the thirty-two and will return on Sunday, June 1 to perform 20 minutes of their original songs
• Serious bragging rights.

In addition to the 32 finalists, up to 10 regional writers may be selected to appear with one of their songs at the Ballad Tree. Those selected for the Ballad Tree will receive one pass to the Festival for that day only. 

Participants MUST conform to all New Folk rules and guidelines. Click here for rules and guidelines.

ONLY SONGS WRITTEN AFTER JANUARY 1, 2012 MAY BE SUBMITTED. It does not matter if the songs have been published and/or recorded, provided they were completed in their current form after Jan. 1, 2012. Songwriters are invited to submit TWO new, original songs. Each entry MUST consist of TWO separate songs (entries consisting of only one or more than two songs will be disqualified). The songs must have been written, published, and/or recorded after Jan. 1, 2012. Also, there is an 8-minute time limit for both songs. Submissions must be made under the name(s) of a solo or duo songwriter(s) only. Although a band may be used in the recording of your submitted material, if chosen as a finalist, your Kerrville live performance may consist of one or two people only. Be sure to list the two songs you want listened to on your submission first, or send a message with the intended songs. Selected artists must perform the two songs they submitted. No exceptions. 

Only the first 800 entries received between December 1 and February 28 will be accepted. If 800 total entries are received prior to February, submissions will close early.

Genres accepted include: Folk, Singer/Songwriter, Blues, Bluegrass, Americana, Jazz, Acoustic Rock, Light Country, Celtic, Reggae and Children's Music. 

Please note: Anyone may enter except those billed as stage performers in 2014 or those who have been selected as a New Folk Finalist for both of the past two consecutive years, 2012 & 2013. Please do not enter if you cannot fulfill all three concert opportunities listed above.