Songwriters, musicians, performers, and bands, it’s once again your time to shine. The Sun’s San Luis Obispo County sister paper, New Times, is hosting the third annual New Times Music Awards and accepting entries in five musical genre categories, a songwriting competition, and an album of the year competition. The genre winners must be available to perform during a live judging competition on Thursday, Oct. 13. Here’s the scoop.
You can enter up to three original songs in the following categories: country, Americana/folk, R&B/blues, rock/alternative, reggae/worldbeat, and hip-hop. You may also enter up to three original songs in the songwriting competition. And you may enter one album released between Sept. 5, 2010 and Sept. 5, 2011 for the album category. Each song or album entry costs $10.
Yours truly will be judging the Album of the Year contest, examining the entire presentation, including the quality of the songs, sound, and packaging.
KCBX 90.1 FM’s Song Town host Sonnie Brown will judge the songwriting competition. For this category, in addition to the recorded song(s), submissions must include a lyrics sheet.
A panel of three judges will select the best in each genre, and all five first place winners must be available to perform on Thursday, Oct. 13. If your song places first in a genre category but you are not available to perform, you’ll be awarded second place and the runner up will receive first and play the event.
Why, you ask? Because this year we’re doing something different. Each first place finisher will compete against the others for Best Live Performance during the concert and awards ceremony. Another panel of celebrity music industry judges will determine the best live performer, whose Newtie Award will be specially customized.
All told, seven bronze Newtie Awards will be presented. These stunning awards are hand cast from Peace Bronze, metal reclaimed and recycled from decommissioned weapons systems. Second- and third-place finishers in the five genres, songwriting, and album categories will receive specially designed plaques.
Visit the New Times website at newtimesslo.com to download an entry form. All submissions must be received no later than 5 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 5, at the New Times offices at 1010 Marsh St. All entrants must reside primarily in San Luis Obispo County or Northern Santa Barbara County. Good luck, and Godspeed!
Keep up with Glen Starkey via twitter at twitter.com/glenstarkey, friend him at Myspace.com/glenstarkey, or contact him at gstarkey@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in Aug 11-18, 2011.