FORT WORTH, TX (August 15, 2022) — The Texas Country Music Association announced today that the 2022 TCMA Songwriter Contest’s Preliminary Round Judges have named the top 10 Finalists in each the Country and Christian Country categories. Those top 10 Finalists now move to the Final Round Judges for scoring.
There were 334 total songs submitted in both categories and all entries were original works. Preliminary Round Judges scored each song on creativity, lyrics, melody, arrangement, originality, and overall technique.
According to Texas Country Music Association President, Linda Wilson, the TCMA Songwriter Contest is always a tremendous success and highly effective program for TCMA Members. “All of the songs were just awesome and there are so many great songwriters in Texas who deserve recognition. It is our job as a supporting organization to encourage them and work on their behalf to help get them exposure. It was certainly difficult for judges to choose only 10 in each format and actually took them a little longer this year to narrow the list down.”
The 2022 Country Songwriter of the Year and 2022 Christian Country Songwriter of the Year Overall Winners will be announced prior to the 2022 Texas Country Music Awards and will have the opportunity to perform the song they submitted during the Awards’ pre-show. Five Honorable Mentions, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Place Finalists will also be announced prior to the Awards show and will be verbally recognized during the pre-show and will be mailed their trophies.
The 2022 TCMA Country Songwriter Contest Top 10 Finalists are (in no particular order):
Kelly Kenning for “I Hurt Every Word”
Jesse Raub Jr and Cody Johnson for “Touch The Water:
Kate Watson for “Highway”
Jesse Raub Jr for “Mistakes”
Landon Heights for “Heroes”
Brody Caster for “Go Down Swinging”
Garth LaGrone for “Fort Worth Soon”
Beverly Thompon & John Thompson for “Better Safe Than Sober”
Caleb Young for “Homeless”
Mikayla Lane for “Wild Like The Wind”
The 2022 TCMA Christian Country (includes Faith Based, Inspirational, Positive and Christian Country) Songwriter Contest Top 10 Finalists are (in no particular order):
Marti Dodson & Melina Kondrat for “A Lot More Like Jesus”
Ken Reynolds & Lone Star Cowboy Church Worship Band for “A Million Tongues”
Allan Strickland for “God Paints Pretty Pictures”
Dennis Davis for “Be The Light”
Chip Boyd for “Could You Spare A Minute”
Justin Heflin for “Ease Your Mind”
Kelly Kenning for “Fire Insurance”
Jesse Watson for “It All Began With You”
Pamela Mary Keifer for “Teaching Us To Live”
Toby Hutchison & Jarett Howard for “You Rescue Me”
Plans for Texas Country Music Weekend in the historic Fort Worth Stockyards are underway through the combined effort of the Texas Country Music Association, Hotel Drover and Stockyards Heritage Development starting Friday, November 11, and winding up with the Awards ceremony on Sunday, November 13. In 2021, the Stockyards reported a record 107,000 visitors for Texas Country Music Weekend. Texas Country Music Showcase will be held from 3 pm-8 pm on Friday, November 11, and on Saturday, November 12, the Stockyards will host TCMA’s Texas Country Music Showdown – an eight-band competition with a panel of judges selected by the Stockyards. The Grand Champion will be announced and awarded at the 2022 Texas Country Music Awards on November 13 at Billy Bob’s, and the 1st and 2nd place runners-up will be announced. After the Showdown on Saturday, there will be a free concert with Will Carter Band.
“The annual songwriter contest is evidence that songwriters pour their hearts into their music. We know that this year’s Texas Country Music Awards will be over the top again. It may be hard to outdo last year’s Awards because it was amazing, but every year it gets better – plus, we have some great performers, including Roger Creager headlining and McBride & The Ride kicking off the main ceremony. Several other great performers in the line-up as well, including TCMA Spokesperson Brandon Rhyder who also hosts the Awards ceremony with popular radio personality Malone Ranger from 95.9 The Ranch, Kin Faux, Bailey Rae, Donice Morace, Matt Daniel, Kate Watson, and Jesse Raub Jr. Everyone always enjoys the family-reunion type atmosphere as we celebrate the industry and people involved it.” says TCMA Executive Vice President Richard Wilson.
Tickets are on sale now at billybobstexas.com. For more information about the Texas Country Music Association and the 2022 Texas Country Music Awards, visit www.texascountrymusic.org
